Umbilical Hernia Causes

When a woman is pregnant the umbilical cord will travel through a small opening that is in the baby’s abdominal muscles. This opening should be closed before the mother gives birth to them.

However, if by chance the muscles are not able to come together completely then a weak area will form in the abdominal wall. This is able to cause the umbilical hernia when they are born or later in their life.

If you are an adult this weak area combined with certain types of pressure to the abdomen will cause the umbilical hernia to form. This is able to be caused by:

• Lifting of heavy items
• Obesity
• Coughing
• More than one pregnancy
• Fluid that is trapped in the abdominal cavity

These types of hernias are more commonly found in infants that are premature or those who have very low birth weight. There is no proof that boys are more affected then girls or the other way around. They are affected by this equally.

If you believe that your infant has an umbilical hernia then you should make an appointment with your doctor. They will be able to examine them and diagnose the problem for you. In most cases there is nothing to worry about and it will not bother the child. It should also be able to fix itself when they turn one.

There are cases in which the infant experienced pain, vomiting, or the lump is tender, swollen, and discolored. When this is the case it is imperative that you take them to the hospital immediately. This is true for adults also. This may be indicative of a deeper problem or that the hernia has become strangulated.

Written by admin on August 24th, 2009 with 3 comments.
Read more articles on Hernias and Umbilical Hernias.

• [+] Digg: Feature this article
• [+] Del.icio.us: Bookmark this article
• [+] Furl: Bookmark this article

Related articles

• Strangulated Hernia (August 24th, 2009)
• Femoral Hernia Causes (August 24th, 2009)
• Femoral Hernia Symptoms (August 24th, 2009)
• Pretty Serious Inguinal Hernia Pictures and Images Posted (August 5th, 2008)
• Femoral Hernias Are The Third Most Common Hernia (June 23rd, 2008)