Strangulated by hernia
A hernia is a protrusion of internal organs through holes in the muscles of the abdominal wall under the skin. In addition to umbilical and inguinal hernias, postoperative hernias are known. They are the most common - they occur in 32% of patients who have undergone surgery on the abdominal organs. The reason for the appearance of such hernias is the weakness of the connective tissue. You can expect a similar complication after surgery for those who suffer from obesity or hernia disease - an ailment in which a person already has both an inguinal and umbilical hernia or a combination of any hernia and varicose veins.
For the time being, the hernia may not bother the patient. And visually, the protrusion is often noticeable only when pressing or straining the muscles. However, even a “silent” hernia is dangerous. Especially if it is infringed. Its cause is compression of blood vessels. Just a few hours of delayed blood circulation is enough for gangrene to develop in the tissues, and this can cost the patient his life. The only way out in such a situation is immediate surgery.
According to statistics, about 10–12% of umbilical, inguinal and femoral hernias are strangulated. This often happens after lifting weights.
A set of exercises for children
If a hernia is detected in a newborn baby, traditional gymnastics with laying on the stomach and bending the legs is replaced with the following:
- do the “Frog” exercise: place your palm under your feet when the child is lying on his stomach so that he begins to reflexively crawl;
- holding the child by the arms or armpits, perform squats, but limitedly - no more than 10 times per approach;
- lift the child so that he keeps his legs straight;
- they sit the newborn on the adult’s lap, and then begin to tilt his back back so that his head is straight and does not fall back;
- place the child with his feet on the adult’s knees and, holding him in the abdomen, tilt him away from him;
- lay the newborn on its side and hold it there for 5-7 seconds, then turn it over to the opposite side;
- From a lying position, the baby is carefully lifted so that he sits.
Gymnastics for umbilical hernia
It is necessary to provide the most comfortable conditions possible for crawling on your stomach. This is useful for umbilical hernia, which is diagnosed in newborns more often than other pathologies.
You can also use a gymnastics ball for your baby’s gymnastics: place it on its stomach on a sports apparatus and gently swing it. The simplest exercise is no less effective - lay the child on his back and show him toys so that he reaches for them with his hands.
During physical activity, it is helpful to talk to your child in a friendly or playful tone. Children make contact better and cry less during gymnastics when it brings a smile and joy to them.
For schoolchildren with a hernia, the same exercises are chosen as for adults. And a doctor must do this. It is prohibited to perform a gymnastics program without consulting a physical therapy coach.
It is prohibited to pump the press during an umbilical hernia in adults and children. However, it is not recommended to completely exclude sports from life. Exercises should be light, not affecting the abdominal muscles at maximum load.
Patchwork technique
Wearing bandages can only delay, but not stop, the development of pathology. Therefore, treatment of a hernia is always surgical.
An outdated method is plastic surgery with local fabrics. The operation consists of stitching the edges of the “tear” together using the tension of the patient’s own tissues. Relapses of the disease in this case are up to 18%.
Plastic surgery using mesh polypropylene prostheses, similar to a patch, is a modern and much more effective way to treat hernias. There are practically no complications, since the synthetic material does not cause a rejection reaction. There are practically no relapses, since the prosthesis forms a frame in the leaky tissues of the abdominal wall that is much stronger than natural muscle tissue. Thus, this method is not only therapeutic, but also preventive. Thanks to its mesh structure, the polypropylene flap will soon be overgrown with the patient’s own cells, and after some time it will be impossible to distinguish it from native tissues.
During the rehabilitation period, the patient does not need to wear a bandage for six months, nor does he need to limit lifting weights for up to one and a half months, as is the case with traditional hernia operations.
Rules
To get the maximum effect from training, you need to do a little, but every day. There are many types of exercises with a fitball for the abs, but only one is suitable for a hernia.
Twisting on a fitball is one of the simplest exercises. First you need to place the ball under your back, then from this position slowly raise your head, neck and shoulders. If you are a beginner, especially with an intervertebral hernia, then 2 sets of 10 times will be enough for you. You can gradually increase the number of repetitions with each approach. The main thing is not to overdo it.
Spare your belly
To prevent hernia, you should avoid excessive stress, primarily heavy lifting. It is important to normalize stool: constipation contributes to the appearance of hernias. If you have problems with your intestines, a diet rich in plant fiber will help. It is also necessary to carefully monitor your own weight.
And of course, we must not forget about physical education. A loose, stretched abdominal wall is one of the main causes of the formation of umbilical and inguinal hernias. To strengthen your abdominal muscles, pump your abs daily and do the “bicycle” exercise for 5-7 minutes. It is useful to do exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles - alternately relax and tense the muscles of the anus. This will help strengthen the lower abdominal wall.
Contraindications
During some periods, it is strictly prohibited to perform abdominal exercises. The main ones are listed below.
- During an exacerbation of the pain syndrome, it is strictly forbidden to engage in any physical exercise. The patient should be completely at rest.
- If you are in the last stage of a pathological process, then it is unwise to engage in any kind of exercise. This will only make the situation worse.
- If you feel discomfort during or after exercise, it is better not only to consult a doctor, but also, most likely, to postpone training.
Treatment and prevention of umbilical hernia
For children under 5 years of age, umbilical hernia is treated using a conservative method. Surgical intervention is not performed, as there is a possibility of self-healing. Children at this age are prescribed a complex of restorative therapy, physical therapy and light massage of the hernial ring.
In adults, hernia treatment is carried out exclusively surgically.
There are several methods of operational influence:
- Traditional plastic surgery using local tissue (Sapezhko and Mayo method). The surgical technique involves suturing the edges of the umbilical ring. Disadvantages of this method: a long rehabilitation process with limited physical activity and the presence of a risk of hernia recurrence.
- Plastic surgery using implants. The method is based on the introduction of mesh implants, placing them above the umbilical ring or under the umbilical ring. There are no disadvantages to this method. Advantages: short rehabilitation period (less than 1 month) and a scanty relapse rate.
If the hernia is not treated, complications may occur:
- compression of the umbilical hernia
- hernia inflammation
- stagnation of feces in the intestines (coprostasis)
The main prevention of umbilical hernia is playing any kind of sports. But there must be moderation in everything. You should not allow yourself to lift heavy weights or exercise on exercise machines to the point of exhaustion.
To prevent a hernia from developing, it is necessary to monitor your health and promptly treat diseases that create intra-abdominal pressure such as cystitis, constipation, and chronic ailments.
Taking extra precautions will help prevent the development of an umbilical hernia.
These include:
- proper nutrition
- weight loss and obesity control
- abdominal muscle strengthening workouts
- wearing a bandage during pregnancy
- avoid abdominal wall injuries
The essence of the problem of umbilical hernia
Umbilical hernia is a widespread pathology occurring in children and adults. It is essentially a protrusion of the contents of the abdominal cavity (this can be a flexure of the intestine or an omentum) into the umbilical ring.
In infants, an umbilical hernia occurs very often, but usually goes away on its own as the child develops (the reason is the natural weakness of the children's abdominal muscles).
In adults, such a hernia is treated only through surgery; it does not go away on its own. The causes may be different:
- excessive loads;
- postpartum complication;
- significant excess weight;
- pregnancy (especially problematic).
With a weak muscle wall, the occurrence of pathology becomes more likely. Hence the frequent question: is it possible to pump up the abs with an umbilical hernia?
Health from a young age
If the question applies to a small child, the answer is positive: you can pump up the press with an umbilical hernia. But you need to understand that a set of exercises for an infant is in no way reminiscent of Schwarzenegger’s classes, and he doesn’t need “cubes” on his stomach either. Will help strengthen the abdominal muscles
- regular placement on the tummy;
- independent rolling over and crawling;
- “squats” with support (and then real ones);
- hanging positions;
- lifting and bending the legs.
Before performing gymnastics, the hernia must be corrected and fixed (you can simply stick a piece of adhesive tape on it) and the muscles must be prepared for the load with massage. Your pediatrician will give you more detailed recommendations.
For older children (the healing of the umbilical ring normally ends by the age of 5), pumping up the press is not only allowed, but also necessary. But this is not necessary for the treatment of a hernia (it should no longer exist), but for general physical development and prevention of disease in older age.
Causes of umbilical hernia
Umbilical hernias are divided into congenital and acquired:
- A congenital hernia has the appearance of a spherical protrusion and is detected immediately at the birth of the child. The reason for the formation of an umbilical hernia in a newborn baby is the slow fusion of the umbilical ring.
When a baby cries a lot, the abdominal muscles compress the abdominal cavity, causing a loop of intestine to move into the free space and the navel begins to protrude. Another reason why newborns develop an umbilical hernia is frequent constipation.
- Acquired umbilical hernias appear mainly in adults, but in rare cases they can occur in children under 5 years of age due to slow fusion of the umbilical ring.
Predisposing factors that weaken the umbilical ring are:
- inheritance of umbilical ring weakness factor
- obesity
- postoperative scars
Umbilical hernias are formed due to strong abdominal pressure, which occurs in the following cases:
- during heavy physical activity associated with heavy lifting
- during pregnancy after bearing a child
- in the presence of chronic constipation
- with a large amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity
- with prolonged hacking cough
Umbilical hernias in adults more often develop after 35 years of age, usually in the female half of the population, this is due to the expansion of the umbilical ring during pregnancy and childbirth. Any increase in intra-abdominal pressure creates a condition for the development of an umbilical hernia.