Does adult umbilical hernia affect the body?

Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
Updated on March 26, 2025
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Adult umbilical hernias definitely impact the body, as they primarily involve abdominal contents protruding through a weak area of the abdominal wall at the navel, which can easily lead to hernia incarceration. This causes compression of the intestinal tract, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation that are difficult to alleviate, as well as abdominal wall pain and localized inflammatory reactions. Such cases generally require surgical treatment. In early stages of an umbilical hernia, there is concern for gradual expansion of the hernia ring, which warrants early intervention, possibly involving padding and bandaging the weak spot in the abdominal wall to prevent the protrusion of abdominal contents. If the umbilical hernia frequently protrudes, it is necessary to consider surgery as soon as possible.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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Can an umbilical hernia cause a baby to cry?

Umbilical hernia can cause babies to cry because it might lead to incarceration, although the chance of this occurring is generally low. It is more likely to happen when there's a sudden increase in abdominal pressure in children. In cases of incarceration, if it involves the small intestine, it can cause the child to experience abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, etc. Therefore, the baby may cry. Crying might also aggravate the incidence of incarceration. So, for umbilical hernias with noticeable protrusion, it is important to soothe the patient promptly and avoid vigorous activities. One can use a coin or cardboard larger than the umbilical ring, cover it, hold it against the ring and secure it with adhesive tape to prevent it from moving and the hernia from protruding. This method can generally be used until the child is two years old, because umbilical hernias in children can heal by themselves before this age. If the umbilical ring is still relatively large after two years, timely surgical treatment should be considered.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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Can you swim with an umbilical hernia?

Umbilical hernia is a common navel disease in infants and young children, primarily due to developmental defects at the navel where the region is relatively weak. When abdominal pressure increases, the contents of the abdomen may protrude, but this condition is generally not serious and does not cause severe harm to the child, with most cases resolving on their own. Therefore, for babies with an umbilical hernia, it is okay to allow them to swim. Swimming will not exacerbate the hernia nor cause any adverse effects. Only a very few severe cases of umbilical hernia, which have not healed naturally by the age of two, would require surgical treatment. It is also fine for children with an umbilical hernia to swim two to three times a week; parents can be reassured about this.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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Will an umbilical hernia cause abdominal pain?

Umbilical hernia may cause stomach pain. This is possible because an umbilical hernia occurs when the intestines push through a weak spot in the belly button area due to pressure. In most cases, it is the small intestine that protrudes through the hernia. If a large portion of the small intestine protrudes, it can lead to kinking and potentially cause an obstruction of the small intestine. Once the small intestine is obstructed, it can lead to abdominal pain, and may also be accompanied by bloating, nausea, and vomiting. Thus, in cases where the small intestine is kinked, it is possible for an umbilical hernia to cause stomach pain.

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Written by Li Chang Yue
General Surgery
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The difference between umbilical hernia and umbilical sinus.

The main difference between umbilical hernia and umbilical sinus is that an umbilical hernia is primarily due to the weakness of the tissues around the navel. When the intra-abdominal pressure of a patient increases, it can easily cause intestinal contents to protrude through the weak umbilical ring. On the other hand, an umbilical sinus generally refers to certain secretions that form around the navel after the scab falls off post-birth in newborns, which sometimes can easily lead to infections. This condition is not caused by weakness of the navel but is likely related to localized infections after the umbilical cord is cut. Therefore, the mechanisms of these two conditions are different. Generally, an umbilical hernia requires surgical treatment, while an umbilical sinus can be completely healed by controlling the infection, and it does not pose significant harm.

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Written by Zhang Xian Hua
Pediatrics
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Treatment of infant umbilical hernia, what are the methods?

Infant umbilical hernia is a congenital condition where the abdominal wall muscles around the navel are underdeveloped and weak, causing a protrusion at the umbilicus. This often protrudes more readily when intra-abdominal pressure increases. Therefore, it is important to avoid causing the child excessive crying, and if the child has gastrointestinal symptoms, they should be treated promptly. Furthermore, since over 80% of umbilical hernias close as the child ages, typically by the age of two, as the hernia ring gradually narrows or even closes, special treatment is usually not needed. However, if the umbilical hernia has not healed by the time the child is two years old, or if the diameter of the hernia ring is greater than 2cm, surgery may ultimately be necessary.