Ailments & ConditionsYour Health

Umbilical Hernia – Symptoms and Causes

An umbilical hernia happens when part of the intestine bulges through the abdominal muscle lining around your navel or belly button. This is a relatively common and mostly harmless health issue. However, surgery might be needed when symptoms persist until adulthood. Most cases are reported in infants and children, but people of all age groups can be affected. Read on to learn more about typical symptoms and causes of an umbilical hernia.

4 Symptoms of An Umbilical Hernia

Lump

The most typical symptom of an umbilical hernia is a swelling or bulge in your belly button. It is caused when there is an imperfection in an organ’s muscular container, which subsequently pushes it through an opening. The lump would become bigger when you go to the toilet, cough, laugh, or strain. It would shrink when you lie down or relax. If a doctor pushes on the affected site gently when you are calm or lying down, it tends to go back into the abdominal area or become smaller. [1]