An umbilical hernia occurs at the umbilicus when a loop of intestine pushes through the umbilical ring, a small opening in a fetus’ abdominal muscles through which the umbilical cord—which connects a fetus to its mother while in the womb—passes. Umbilical hernias occur most often in newborns. Unlike most hernias, which develop in adolescence or adulthood, 20 percent of babies are born with umbilical hernias.

It’s wrong information that umbilical hernia will naturally close by the time the child reaches 5 years of age.

Causes

After birth, the umbilical cord is no longer necessary, and the opening in the abdominal muscles closes as the baby matures. Sometimes, these muscles do not meet completely, leaving a small hole or gap. A loop of intestine can move into and even penetrate the opening between abdominal muscles and cause a hernia.
Umbilical hernias occur most often in infants but can also occur in adults. The most common causes of umbilical hernias in adults are:

Chronic health conditions that raise abdominal pressure, including:

• Ascites,
• Chronic cough,
• Enlarged prostate,
• Prolonged constipation,
• Repetitive vomiting,
• Obesity,
• Straining such as during childbirth or weightlifting.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a strangulated umbilical hernia include:

• Abdominal pain and tenderness,
• Constipation,
• Fever,
• Full, round abdomen,
• Red, purple, dark or discolored bulge,
• Vomiting.

Diagnosis

Hernias are usually diagnosed during a physical examination. The doctor will look and feel for a bulge or swelling in the umbilical area. The swelling may be more noticeable when a baby cries and may get smaller or go away when a baby relaxes or rests on its back. During the examination, the doctor will determine if the hernia is reducible—if it can be pushed back into the abdominal cavity.

The doctor may order blood tests to look for signs of infection resulting from the strangulated intestine. They may also order a barium X-ray, ultrasound, MRI or CT to examine the intestine more closely, especially if the hernia is no longer reducible.

The doctor will also look for if the umbilical hernia has become incarcerated (trapped within the abdominal opening), it’s a serious medical condition in which the protruding intestine becomes trapped and deprived of blood supply. The intestine can quickly become necrotic if not repaired.

Umbilical Hernia allopathic treatments

Specific umbilical hernia treatment and timing will be determined by the surgeon based on multiple factors such as the child’s age, general health, medical history and whether the hernia is reducible or strangulated. By age 1, many umbilical hernias will have closed on their own without surgery.

In general, if the hernia becomes bigger with age, is not reducible or is still present after age 3, the child’s provider may suggest that the hernia be repaired surgically. If the hernia is strangulated and cannot gently be pushed or massaged back into its proper place within the abdomen, the surgeon will generally recommend immediate surgery. The intestine can quickly become necrotic if not repaired. which requires surgical removal of the affected intestine.

Under general anesthesia, a small incision is made in the umbilicus. The loop of intestine is placed back into the abdominal cavity, and the incision closed. Sometimes a piece of mesh material is used to help strengthen the area where the muscles are repaired.

Homeopathic treatment for Umbilical Hernia 

Hernia is a surgical condition, but it can be corrected by well selected Homoeopathic medicines. In Homeopathy, there is not any concept of surgery for almost 99% of diseases. This constitutional approach framing mind and body works at the root-level and will help strengthen all muscular sphincters. For hernia there are dozens of well proven medicines, very few of them are as under:

Nux Vomica

Bruised soreness of abdominal walls. Flatulent distension, with spasmodic colic. Colic from uncovering. Liver engorged, with stitches and soreness. Colic, with upward pressure, causing short breath, and desire for stool. Weakness of abdominal ring region. Strangulated hernia. Forcing in lower abdomen towards genitals. Umbilical hernia of infants.

Apis Melifestida

Sore bruised on pressure when sneezing. Extremely tender. Dropsy of abdomen. Peritonitis. Swelling in right groin.

Allium Cepa

Rumbling in bowels. Very offensive flatus. Strangulated hernia. Belching, with rumbling in and puffing up of the abdomen. Violent cutting pain in the left lower abdomen. Pains in hepatic region, spreading into the abdomen. Violent pains in left hypogastrium, with urging to urinate, urine scalding. (Strangulated hernia has been known to follow the eating abundantly of cooked onions). Abdomen distended, rumbling, urging, and finally diarrhea.

Calceria Carbonica

Sensitive to slightest pressure. Liver region painful when stooping. Cutting in abdomen; swollen abdomen. Incarcerated flatulence. Inguinal and mesenteric glands swollen and painful. Cannot bear tight clothing around the waist. Distention with hardness. Gall-stone colic. Increase of fat in abdomen. Umbilical hernia. Trembling; weakness, as if sprained.

Cocculus Indicus

Distended, with wind, and feeling as if full of sharp stones when moving; better, lying on one side or the other. Pain in abdominal ring, as if something were forced through. Abdominal muscles weak; it seems as if a hernia would take place.

Aurum Metallicum

Right hypochondrium hot and painful. Incarcerated flatus. Swelling and suppuration of inguinal glands. Hernia. Burning heat and cutting pain in hypochondrium. Abdomen inflated. Exostosis in the pelvis. Tendency of hernia to protrude, sometimes with cramp-like pains and incarcerated flatus. Swelling of the (lower part) of the testicle. Swelling of the testes, with aching pain on touching and rubbing. Induration of the testes. Testes mere pendant shreds (in pining boys). Hydrocele. Prolapsus and induration of the matrix. Swelling of axillary glands.

Rhus Toxicodendron

Violent pains, relieved by lying on abdomen. Swelling of inguinal glands. Pain in region of ascending colon. Colic, compelling to walk bent. Excessive distention after eating. Rumbling of flatus on first rising but disappears with continued motion.

Lachesis

Enlargement of abdomen. Hernia. Pains in abdomen, in consequence of a strain in the loins. Pains generally pressive in umbilical region with acute pulling, with contraction of abdomen. Peritonitis: pus formed. Inflammation of intestines. Extravasation of blood in peritoneum. Swelling in caecal region; must lie on back, with limbs drawn up. Pressure in testes, as if a hernia were going to protrude.

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Lycopodium Clavatum

Hernia, right side. Liver sensitive. Brown spots on abdomen. Dropsy, due to hepatic disease. Hepatitis, atrophic from of nutmeg liver. Pain shooting across lower abdomen from right to left. Tension round hypochondria. Burning pain in the abdomen. Hernia. Excoriation between scrotum and thighs. Dropsical swelling of genital organs.

Silica Tera

Swelling and induration of hepatic region. Shootings in hypochondria. Painful inguinal hernia. Swelling of prepuce.

Opium

Abdomen hard, and distended, as in tympanites. Tympanites. Lead-colic. Incarcerated inguinal hernia.

Bryonia Alba

Pains in the liver, mostly shooting, tensive, or burning. Hernia. Tractive pains in the hypochondrium. Hard swelling in the hypochondriac and umbilical regions. Hard swelling around the navel. Swelling and inflammation of the labia majora. Swelling of one of the labia, with a black and hard pustule.

Tabacum

Great sensitiveness of abdomen to slightest touch sometimes with nausea and vomiting. Pressive pains in umbilical region, with spasmodic retraction. Genital organs flabby. Varicocele.

Hydrocotyle Asiatica

Scleroderma, elephantiasis, leprosy, skin thickened, itching and hardened. Constipation. Favus. Gangrene. Borborygmi in different parts. Flatus. Violent contractions of intestines. Pain; every few minutes; transverse colon. Constriction. Drawing in spermatic cords. Vulva, vagina and cervix red. Heat in bottom of vagina; pricking and itching at its orifice.

Plumbum Metallicum

Inflation and induration of abdomen. Violent Colics, with constrictive pain, especially in umbilical region. Large, hard swelling in ileocecal region, very sensitive to contact or least motion; sneezing or coughing. Inflammation, ulceration and gangrene of intestines. Swelling and inflammation of genital organs.

Chamomilla

Burning cuttings in the epigastrium, with difficulty of respiration, and paleness of the face. Shooting in the abdomen, principally on coughing, on sneezing, and on touching it. Painful sensibility of the abdomen to the touch, with sensation of ulceration in the interior. Inguinal hernia: pressure towards the inguinal ring, as if hernia were about to protrude. Abdominal spasms. Hernia to prepuce.

Belladonna

Violent pain in the abdomen, Shootings in sides of the abdomen, on coughing, on sneezing, and on being touched. Pains and burning in the hypochondria. Pressure in the abdomen. Hernia. Hernia hypochondria. Hernia to the prepuce. In women: Violent pressure towards the genital parts, as if all were going to protrude, principally when walking, or when in a crouching posture. Shooting in the internal genital parts.

Aconit Nepalus

Constriction, tension and pressure in the hypochondriac region, sometimes with fullness and a sensation of weight. Burning pain, shootings, stinging and pressure; Hernia. Testicles feel swollen, painful to touch, hernia. Puerperal peritonitis.

Aesculus Hippocastanum

Tenderness in the hypochondrium. with much distress in epigastrium. Hernia. Inflamed cervix uteri, retroversion, prolapsus, enlargement and induration, when characterized by great tenderness heat and throbbing.

Aurum Metallicum

Burning heat and cutting pain in hypochondrium. Colic with sensation of great uneasiness and inclination to evacuate. Tensive aching and fullness in the abdomen. Abdomen inflated. Exostosis in the pelvis. Tendency of hernia to protrude, sometimes with cramp-like pains and incarcerated flatus. Swelling and suppuration of the inguinal glands from syphilis or the use of mercury. Swelling of the testes, with aching pain on touching and rubbing. Induration of the testes. Testes mere pendant shreds. Hydrocele. Prolapsus and induration of the matrix, prolapse of rectum.

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Magnesium Muriaticum

Pressing pain in liver; worse lying on side. Liver enlarged with bloating of abdomen; Congenital scrotal hernia, must use abdominal muscles to enable him to urinate. Violent and constant distension of abdomen, with constipation. hernia to testicles.

Calceria Phosphoricum

Hernia. Hydrocele. Malnutrition. Weak and pale with flabby muscles. Colic, soreness and burning around navel.

Cocculus Indicus

Distended, with wind, and feeling as if full of sharp stones when moving; better, lying on one side or the other. Pain in abdominal ring, as if something were forced through. Abdominal muscles weak; Hernia. Painful pressing in uterine region, followed by hemorrhoids.

Granatum

Pain in stomach and abdomen; worse about umbilicus; ineffectual urging. Itching at anus. Dragging in vaginal region, as if hernia would protrude. Swelling resembling umbilical hernia.

Staphysagria

Hot flatus. Swollen abdomen in children, flatus, colic and pelvic tenesmus. Severe pain abdominal hernia. Incarcerated flatus. Diarrhea after drinking cold water, with tenesmus. Constipation.  Haemorrhoids. Prolapsus uteri.  Cystocele (locally and internally). Cystitis in lying-in patients.