What are the symptoms of umbilical hernia in adults?
Matthew Barrera
Updated on March 11, 2026
What are the symptoms of umbilical hernia in adults?
Symptoms in adults with umbilical hernias include:
- Bulge in or near the bellybutton that usually gets bigger when straining, lifting or coughing.
- Pressure or pain at the hernia site.
- Constipation.
- Sharp abdominal pain with vomiting — this can be a sign of a strangulated hernia and is a medical emergency.
What does pain from an umbilical hernia feel like?
Typically, patients with ventral hernias describe mild pain, aching or a pressure sensation at the site of the hernia. The discomfort worsens with any activity that puts a strain on the abdomen, such as heavy lifting, running or bearing down during bowel movements. Some patients have a bulge but do not have discomfort.
How do you know if you have a hernia in your belly button?
What are the signs and symptoms of an umbilical hernia?
- A bulge or swelling in or near your belly button.
- A bulge that gets bigger when you cough, strain to have a bowel movement, or sit up.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Constipation.
Where does an umbilical hernia hurt?
An umbilical hernia creates a soft swelling or bulge near the navel. In babies who have an umbilical hernia, the bulge may be visible only when they cry, cough or strain. Umbilical hernias in children are usually painless. Umbilical hernias that appear during adulthood may cause abdominal discomfort.
Can a hernia cause gas and bloating?
Feeling Full. An inguinal hernia can cause someone to feel like they had an enormous meal when in fact they did not. This very common type of hernia can also make you feel bloated accompanied with pain in the groin and lower abdomen.
Can umbilical hernia cause digestive problems?
If the trapped portion of intestine is completely cut off from the blood supply, it can lead to tissue death. Infection may spread throughout the abdominal cavity, causing a life-threatening situation. Adults with umbilical hernias are somewhat more likely to experience a blockage of the intestines.
Is umbilical hernia serious?
An umbilical hernia is not dangerous in itself, but there is a risk that it will get trapped (incarcerated). This can cut off the blood supply to the contents of the hernia, causing life-threatening conditions such as gangrene or peritonitis (if this happens, the hernia is said to be strangulated).
Do Umbilical hernias affect bowel movements?
For inguinal, femoral, umbilical, and incisional hernias, symptoms may include: An obvious swelling beneath the skin of the abdomen or the groin. It may be tender, and it may disappear when you lie down. A heavy feeling in the abdomen that sometimes comes with constipation or blood in the stool.
Do umbilical hernias hurt?
Most umbilical hernias are painless in children. Adults can get umbilical hernias as well. The main symptom is the same — a swelling or bulge near the navel area. However, umbilical hernias can cause discomfort and be very painful in adults.
