Folk methods for umbilical hernia in children
An umbilical hernia in children is not uncommon, and many parents have to deal with such a problem from the moment the baby is born. It is necessary to distinguish between congenital and acquired types of pathology. In the first case, intrauterine anomalies take place, and then surgery is indispensable. Surgical removal of the protrusion in infants is carried out in the period from 6 to 12 months.
Acquired umbilical hernia in children occurs both in the first days from the moment of birth, and in any period of development, when negative factors affect the umbilical ring. The latter include high muscle loads, increased intra-abdominal pressure, and poor tissue scarring after cord cutting.
Before treating an umbilical hernia in newborns, the type and variant of the course of the pathology is determined, which will determine the therapeutic methods and the choice of non-traditional means that can significantly help with the pathology of the umbilical ring.
Acquired umbilical hernia in newborns and its treatment at home is, first of all, the responsibility on the shoulders of the parents. It is possible to cure pathology without surgical intervention, using only folk methods, but only under the guidance of a doctor and at the age of 6 years.
Why treat a hernia in a child
The problem of umbilical and supra-umbilical (epigastric) hernia in newborn boys and girls is always relevant. In infants, against the background of muscle weakness, any external factor can cause a subcutaneous protrusion in the navel. By itself, this disease is not dangerous, but it must be treated.
Without timely reduction of the organs with an umbilical hernia, infringement occurs, that is, they are squeezed. This phenomenon leads to necrosis (death) of tissues, which then have to be removed.
The absence of clear symptoms of pathology and a slight protrusion of the navel delay the operation, and many parents wait for the moment of self-reduction of the formation. Surgical removal of an umbilical hernia in newborns is not always necessary, but then conservative measures are indispensable.
What are the dangers of umbilical and umbilical hernia without treatment:
- infringement of organs in the hernial sac - the most frequent and dangerous consequence for the child, occurs with a sharp increase in pressure inside the peritoneum, as a result of which the hernia gate first expands, then sharply narrows;
- inflammation of the abdominal cavity or peritonitis is a serious surgical condition, when, due to perforation of an organ or its rupture, an inflammatory process occurs that actively spreads to all internal organs;
- intestinal obstruction - at first the child is worried about frequent constipation, which occurs against the background of the accumulation of feces in the intestinal loops located in the hernial sac, then emptying becomes completely impossible, which without surgical intervention ends with intoxication of the body and rupture of the organ wall;
- severe pain - this phenomenon can constantly disturb the child due to bloating, constipation, which is aggravated by the addition of other gastrointestinal pathologies, including reflux esophagitis.
A complicated hernia in an infant will be indicated by a non-reduction of the formation, a pronounced pain syndrome, and a lack of stool. Breastfed babies lose their appetite and refuse to breastfeed. An older child may point to a place that hurts. Symptoms of infringement and inflammation are also pale skin, general malaise, nausea with vomiting.
After 1-2 hours from the moment the complication develops, an imaginary relief of the condition occurs, but the pathological processes do not stop, and the child needs immediate help from a surgeon.
To avoid such conditions, the attending physician prescribes preventive measures in the form of wearing an umbilical bandage, dieting, limiting physical activity and using some folk methods. When the protrusion is small, the child is also recommended therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.
Folk methods
Non-surgical removal of a hernia includes the implementation of a number of doctor's prescriptions. Before treating newborns with folk remedies, they must be agreed with a pediatrician or surgeon. Getting rid of a hernia in a month-old baby is much easier than dealing with a protrusion in older children.
Alternative medicine for the treatment of subcutaneous protrusion in newborns offers the use of local remedies in the form of compresses and ointments, as well as medicinal solutions for oral administration, which have a tonic effect.
Many methods of alternative treatment can only aggravate the disease. These include tying beans to the navel. This cannot be done, because in the umbilical fossa the reproduction of pathogens will begin, which will end in infection. Copper nickel is also not recommended for the same reason.
Compresses
Local remedies in the form of compresses for the treatment of hernia in infants:
- a cabbage leaf is applied to the navel, fixed with a bandage for the night;
- from thick oatmeal , applied for 1-3 hours;
- gauze is moistened in a decoction of oak bark and fern
- sauerkraut is applied to the hernia, fixed with a cabbage leaf.
It is permissible to use compresses only if there are no wounds on the skin, and when the navel is easily set into the abdominal cavity.
Pork fat, on the basis of which ointments are prepared, will also be a good local remedy. This therapeutic mixture is suitable for treating the skin every day before going to bed. Clay with a hernia of the navel is also used. It is applied to the skin, removed at the time of drying.
Each home remedy for treating newborns can cause skin irritation, an allergic reaction, and inflammation. With an increase in the symptomatic complex, you should immediately inform the doctor about it. Complications can appear at any time, even with the observance of preventive measures.
Means for oral administration
General tonic for children, which are taken with an umbilical hernia:
- Rosehip decoction. Dry fruits are filled with water and boiled. The decoction, which has been infused for an hour, is taken 2-3 times a day.
- Birch juice. You can give your child half a cup every day for a month.
- Ginseng . More often, alcohol tincture is used for treatment, but it is categorically contraindicated for children, but the remedy on the water is suitable for almost all babies for recovery, in particular, metabolic processes improve, which is extremely important for a hernia.
- Melon juice . You can give your child ¼ cup up to 4 times a day. Such a remedy compensates for the lack of vitamins in the body, replenishes the deficiency of iron and folic acid. Melon juice is a good cough remedy, which is undesirable for hernia, because it is a factor in its occurrence and complications.
Plaster and bandage
Therapeutic patches and bandages are aids for hernia, which are prescribed by a doctor in order to fix the protrusion to prevent its complications. Adhesive plasters are more suitable for newborns, but for older children a supporting belt is shown.
The medical patch has many disadvantages. Although manufacturers guarantee a cure without adverse reactions, many children experience skin irritation after a few days of using this remedy.
As for the bandage, it securely holds the organs in place, preventing infringement, and evenly distributing the load on individual muscle groups.
Massage
Massaging the abdomen with an umbilical hernia in a child can be started from 1-2 months, depending on the development of the baby, its weight and general condition. Therapeutic techniques are performed by a specialist. Parents can give their child preventive abdominal massage at home after consulting a doctor.
You can massage the entire body of the baby, which will contribute to normal blood flow and strengthen muscles. With an umbilical hernia, you need to start the massage from the abdomen, stroking the skin around the navel. Then apply the technique of rubbing, pinching, circular motions. You need to massage the baby's stomach without the use of creams and powders.
During the session, the navel must be set, and it can be fixed with a medical plaster or bandage.
Simple massage techniques to perform at home:
- Pressing on the navel with the thumb. This can be done only with a slight reduction of the hernia. Repeat 10-15 times before feeding.
- Laying the baby on the tummy.
- Slight tingling of the skin around the navel.
- Circular movements with the palm in a clockwise direction.
Infringement - an indication for surgery
When the pathology is complicated by infringement, the treatment of an umbilical hernia is performed only surgically. The child is assigned an open hernioplasty, that is, the removal of the hernial sac with the return of the organs to their place and the suturing of the defect with the patient's tissues. At the last stage of the operation, a mesh implant can be installed in the child, which eventually fuses with natural tissues and prevents pathological protrusion of organs through a weakened umbilical ring.
How is a hernia removed?
When home treatment is ineffective and the risk of complications is high, the child undergoes surgery. With an uncomplicated process, the surgeon can perform laparoscopic hernioplasty, after which the risk of complications is almost completely eliminated. Laparoscopy involves creating access to the hernia through small punctures in the abdominal wall. There are no traces of intervention left after the operation.
During open surgery, a wide incision is made on the abdomen, which, after hernia repair, is closed with sutures.
Rehabilitation of the child after removal of the hernia is fast. The growing body is actively restored, tissues grow together without complications. The installed mesh implant eliminates the risk of developing a ventral (postoperative) hernia.
Relapse prevention
Measures for the primary prevention of hernia of the umbilical ring:
- breastfeeding on demand;
- performing gymnastic exercises with the baby;
- regular preventive examination by a pediatrician;
- timely treatment of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
- exclusion of prolonged crying and screaming of the child.
