Treatment of umbilical hernia in adults without surgery

Is it possible to remove an umbilical hernia without surgery in an adult - this question is asked by men and women who are faced with an unpleasant problem. On the one hand, an umbilical hernia is infringed less often than others, that is, complications are infrequent. On the other hand, even a small cosmetic defect is noticeable, and a large one - even through clothing. When performing moderate physical activity, playing sports, a person notes discomfort in the navel.

However, not everyone decides to have surgery. This requires hospitalization, disruption of the usual way of life, subsequent (sometimes long-term rehabilitation). Treatment of umbilical hernia in adults without surgery is possible, but its effectiveness is determined by the patient's condition and the causes of the disease.

Treatment of an umbilical hernia without surgery is most effective in young children, that is, during the first year of life.

In the process of growth and development of the baby, special exercises and other procedures are carried out that help reduce the size of the umbilical ring. As a person's age increases, the elasticity of ligaments and muscles decreases, so it is easy to detect an umbilical hernia, but it is quite difficult to eliminate it in a conservative way.

Reasons for the formation of an umbilical hernia

An umbilical hernia in men and women can be caused by the influence of various external and internal factors.

Among them the most significant are:

External	Internal
blunt abdominal trauma · heavy physical load; · professional occupations by a certain kind of sport (barbell); Regular weight lifting	diseases of the digestive canal, accompanied by flatulence; accumulation of free fluid inside the abdominal cavity; chronic constipation; Surgical interventions performed with an incision along the midline of the abdomen.

An umbilical hernia in women can appear during or after pregnancy. The risk of developing a hernia is especially high if the pregnancy was multiple, accompanied by polyhydramnios, delivery was carried out by caesarean section, or the birth was long.

With the continued action of provoking factors, the treatment of umbilical hernia in adults without surgery is impossible.

Clinical symptoms

An umbilical hernia looks quite characteristic, so even a non-professional can identify its initial symptoms.

It is important to understand that a hernia can be of several types:

• reducible formation , that is, the contents of the hernial sac (the navel protruding outward) can be easily set back inside the abdomen;
• irreducible hernia - the contents of the hernial sac are large enough and independent reduction is no longer possible;
• strangulated umbilical hernia - the contents of the sac are infringed by the navel itself (hernial gate), this leads to serious violations and requires immediate treatment to the surgeon.

The symptoms of a reducible and non-reducible hernia are clear - the navel sticks out and, as the disease progresses, it becomes larger and larger, as the hernial content increases. With a small amount of education in a horizontal position, the hernia disappears on its own, and then reappears as soon as the person gets up. Other symptoms are possible, but not required: abdominal discomfort, moderate soreness with heavy physical exertion. The general condition of a person does not change.

It is important for any person with a similar pathology to know the symptoms of a strangulated hernia:

• sudden sharp pain in the navel, the intensity of which is increasing;
• throbbing pain;
• the skin around the navel becomes reddish or bluish;
• nausea and repeated vomiting may occur;
• there is a delay in fecal masses or, conversely, diarrhea mixed with blood.

If even some of the above symptoms are noted, you should immediately seek surgical help. Only a specialist will be able to assess how to cure an umbilical hernia in such a situation.

Treatment of a reducible umbilical hernia

Reducible umbilical hernia is the most favorable variant of the disease and the most manageable. Since this is the initial phase of the disease, it is quite possible to cope with it without surgery. However, even with such a small hernia, it is necessary to be treated only by a surgeon.

What to do before starting treatment

Before you get rid of an umbilical hernia, you need to get rid of the factors provoking it. Otherwise, any treatment, both conservative and surgical, will not lead to positive and any noticeable results.

If a person wants to remove an umbilical hernia, he needs:

• give up hard physical work , as this will increase intra-abdominal pressure and divergence of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall;
• reduce or stop playing sports
• normalize the process of natural bowel movement.

Some patients are prescribed a diet as part of the complex treatment of umbilical hernia. This is necessary for diseases of the digestive canal, which are accompanied by increased gas formation or chronic constipation. In such cases, intra-abdominal pressure rises and there is additional pressure on the umbilical ring.

With increased gas formation, it is necessary to exclude:

• confectionery, namely all types of muffins and pastries;
• fatty types of fish, meat, all kinds of smoking and pickling;
• mushrooms and any dishes from them;
• whole milk;
• cereals (barley, barley, millet) and dishes from them;
• any carbonated drinks;
• all types of legumes, regardless of the type of culinary processing (sweet, radish, peas);
• dried fruits;
• nuts.

It is necessary not only to revise the components of the diet, but also the frequency of meals. There should be no big breaks in eating, as well as abundant overeating.

How can you normalize the process of digestion in chronic constipation, it is better to ask a gastroenterologist. Perhaps similar recommendations will be given as those mentioned above for flatulence.

To treat constipation, it is recommended to include in your diet:

• dried fruits and compotes from them;
• fermented milk products (ryazhenka, kefir, cottage cheese);
• vegetables and fruits with high fiber content;
• coarse rye flour bread;
• vegetable soups;
• cereals on the water are non-mucilaginous (buckwheat, oatmeal).

It is also recommended to pay attention to the drinking regime and drink enough liquid in accordance with physical activity and environmental conditions.

Wearing a bandage

Modern pharmacy supermarkets offer many options for bandages that are successfully used for the conservative treatment of umbilical hernia. The bandage is hardly noticeable under clothing, you just need to choose it correctly and wear it regularly.

Band action:

• additional fixation of the muscles of the abdominal wall , which prevents the exit of the abdominal organs through the hernial ring;
• moderate training of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall , as they are always in a taut state;
• wearing a bandage is especially useful for abdominal obesity , since the muscles themselves cannot hold the "fat apron";
• the bandage allows you to lead a normal life and perform moderate physical activity, without fear of the threat of infringement of the hernia.

The sooner an umbilical hernia is detected, the sooner a bandage should be put on. It is much easier to remove a protrusion of small sizes than the formation of solid sizes.

Taping

Another option for external fixation, which prevents the protrusion of the hernial contents outward. The most modern version is physiotape , a wide tape resembling a band-aid.

The tape is fixed on the skin of the abdomen for a long time and creates an obstacle in the umbilical ring. Taping does not hinder movement, is not noticeable under clothing, and has practically no contraindications.

Physiotape has a number of advantages:

• securely fix the umbilical ring;
• contribute to the improvement of lymph and blood circulation in the umbilical region;
• improve muscle tone;
• have an analgesic effect.

Only a specialist should install teips and determine the duration of their wearing.

Therapeutic gymnastics and massage

With the help of special gymnastic exercises and massage, you should not expect complete relief from an umbilical hernia in an adult, but improvements are a must. A specific set of exercises is created after consulting a doctor, taking into account the physical capabilities of the patient. Massage involves stroking movements around the umbilical ring.

It should be understood that umbilical hernia in adults is treated with conservative methods difficult and not always successfully. However, regular attention to one's own health always brings positive results.