My umbilical hernia is hurting really bad. What can I do ?

Thank you for your question. I am really sorry to read that you are in pain as this must be very distressing for you. My initial concern here is that you are in discomfort. Most hernias are not painful and essentially are the underlying bowel/ abdominal contents pushing at weak points. This pushes the fat above then which tends to be seen in umbilical hernias. Sometimes these hernias are large enough that the the bowel itself is pushing through. Nonetheless, first and foremost I would suggest that the area is scanned to assess the extend of the hernia. Usually a scan (Ultrasound/ Ct or MRI) is useful. If the hernia is painful and you are not able to reduce it , then this needs to be seen quite urgently as it can indicate that the hernia has strangulated within the opening and is unable to come back out. If you can reduce the hernia (ie when you press it it goes back in) then this is not as urgent a problem as that described in the previous paragraph.There are ways of fixing the the hernia sand it really depends on the size of the hernia. This can be as straightforward as making and incision around the belly button, locating the hernia and reducing it and then placing permanent stitches in the defect to prevent repeat herniation. Larger hernias would require an additional mesh to make sure the defect has a strong enough support. If the hernia itself has been long standing then this can give the appearance of an "outie" and both the hernia and belly button shape can be addressed at the same time.In our clinic, we see similar patients and both myself and my colleague Rohit Seth routinely fix these conditions. It would be useful to attach a picture such that wwe could see the extent of the concern and then we could advise accordingly. I hope this helps and you find a solution to sort out your discomfort.Kind regards 

You may have an incarcerated umbilical hernia, meaning that the herniated sac may be stuck in the abdominal wall defect.  This can be dangerous because it may lead to strangulation of the herniated sac, meaning the blood supply to the sac and its contents can be compromised.  Bottom line.... you need to see a surgeon ASAP for an exam.  Good luck and be safe.John T. Nguyen, MD, FACS, FICSDouble Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

You need to see your primary care doctor as soon as possible for a referral to a general surgeon.   Since it is hurting really bad, it could be a sign that you need it repaired sooner than later, perhaps even today. If you can not get into the doctors office you should visit an emergency department as significant pain and inability to push back in can be a sign of something serious.