Umbilical hernias are mostly a thing for babies, where part of their intestine or tissues bulge out from their belly button (umbilicus). This condition is mostly common in children who are born a bit early or weigh less than normal. However, it can also occur in women, especially pregnant women or those who have had kids before. Umbilical hernias in babies tend to go away on its own. But for adults, they would need surgery to fix this bulge. In this article, we’ll look at the possible treatment for umbilical hernia in adults.
How is Umbilical Hernia Treated?
The treatment for umbilical hernia basically depends on how big the hernia is and whether or not it is causing trouble.
Observation: If the hernia is small and painless, the doctor may observe the bulge for a while to see if it gets worse or disappears. Sometimes, these little hernias can close up on their own, especially if it’s a baby.
Surgery: If the hernia is big and painful or it’s causing any other serious problems, surgery is usually the way to go. This is especially needed if the hernia is strangulated, which means that blood flow to the tissue or the intestines gets cut off.
There are a few ways to do the surgery. The first on the list is open surgery. It’s a classical surgery method where the surgeon makes a big cut in the belly to fix the hernia, pushing the tissue back and patching up the weak spots in the muscle. The second is laparoscopic surgery which is less invasive. The surgeon makes tiny cuts and uses a camera and surgical tools to repair the hernia.
The advantage of laparoscopic surgery over open surgery is that the recovery time is quicker because there are less cuts and patches on the operated area.
Lastly, there’s the mesh repair. This could be used in either open or laparoscopic surgery. Basically the mesh material is used to reinforce the area where the hernia happened. This mesh will help to strengthen the muscle and keep the hernia from coming back.
Can Umbilical Hernia Be Prevented?
Absolutely! While you’re pregnant, make sure to eat good food and stay active. Doing these things will allow you to have a normal pregnancy duration, and give you a healthy baby. Also, babies can get constipated which may make them strain when they go to the bathroom. So keep an eye on your babies and watch what they eat, in order to avoid constipation.
For adults, doing exercises, especially exercises that tighten the abdominal muscles, can make the surrounding areas strong and give support around the belly button. However, be careful of the things you lift and how you lift them. Lifting heavy things the wrong way can cause your muscles to be strained.
Lastly, if you smoke, you have to consider because smoking can lead to chronic cough. Coughing puts extra pressure on your abdomen, which can lead to hernia.
Conclusion
When it comes to treatment, doctors might just observe smaller hernias that aren’t causing any problems, but for the bigger ones, there are different surgical options.
Prevention is possible for both babies and adults. For babies, you need to keep an eye on their diet to avoid constipation, while adults can strengthen their abdominal muscles and should be careful when lifting heavy objects.
