Share:
Navel Pain Causes and Therapy
contents
- Definition navel
- Cause: growing pains
- Cause: Functional navel pain
- appendicitis
- Umbilical hernia / umbilical hernia
- Belly button pain in pregnancy
- Therapy options for belly button pain
- Naturopathy for abdominal pain
Definition navel
The term "belly button" (Latin: "Umbilicus") or "navel" for short refers to the plump depression located in the center of the front of the abdomen. This occurs in all higher mammals after birth, since during pregnancy, the umbilical cord has grown, which connects the embryo or fetus in the womb via the placenta with the bloodstream of the mother. As a result, the supply of the unborn child with nutrients and oxygen via the umbilical cord (in Latin "funiculus umbilicalis") is also disposed of via this tubing string - which is about 50 to 60 cm long until birth - metabolic degradation products (for example carbon dioxide).
Picture: S. Perkiewicz Once the blood in the umbilical cord no longer pulsates after birth, the so-called "Abnabelung" or severing of the umbilical cord by this usually two centimeters from the abdomen is tied off with sterile disposable clamps twice. Between these two points, the cord is finally severed with the help of a pair of scissors or a knife - which is unproblematic because of the painlessness of the umbilical cord for the newborn. The remaining 2 to 3 cm remnants usually dry out between the fifth and fifteenth day after birth, eventually fall off on their own and leave a small wound - which, however, also causes no pain due to lack of nerves. This then usually heals quickly and easily with the help of an appropriate navel care, until finally the final navel can be recognized.
Depending on the predisposition, the condition of the abdominal muscles or the carrying out of the navel care, this can vary completely from person to person - whereby a distinction is generally made between the frequently occurring inwardly inverted and the convexly plate-like outward-turned navel.
Cause: growing pains
Frequently, children between the ages of three and five experience growth pain that affects the legs as well as the navel. These usually express abdominal pain, which in some cases may even become colicky and cause the children to scream loudly and persistently, holding their bellies and barely able to keep upright or even in pain. The reason for the discomfort is the growth of the abdomen, on the one hand in the length and width, on the other hand also forward, whereby the navel is pulled forward and a painful stretching or straining of the stigma is called out. Since the umbilicus pulls forward especially after eating rich foods, it is characteristic of these growth-related complaints that they usually occur about 20 to 30 minutes after eating and are the more violent the more the child has eaten. In addition to the pain but when romping, running or jumping can suddenly be better again, which is due to the fact that can spread better through the movement of the chyme, whereby the pain subsides in many cases quite quickly.
Cause: Functional navel pain
If a child repeatedly experiences severe abdominal pain in the umbilical region and upper abdominal pain, it can also be a so-called "umbilical colic". This usually occurs in children between the ages of 4 and 12 and affects girls more often than boys. An umbilical colic is characterized by the fact that there are no other complaints between the pain episodes, while the episodes - which often take only minutes to an hour - can lead to accompanying symptoms such as facial blanching, headaches or sweating. This form of colic is not based on organic causes, but instead are so-called "functional" complaints, mainly in stressful situations (examinations, conflicts, unpleasant situations or appointments such as dentists, etc.) or overloading or excessive demands of the child, for example school requirements, occur. In addition, it can come to the aforementioned complaints but also when children experience "positive" stress, be it, for example, the long-awaited own birthday or the anticipation of a particular experience. If it comes again and again to such symptoms, a pediatrician should be consulted in any case as a precaution - if an acute episode does not subside and additionally nausea and vomiting exist, even immediately. The same applies to pain that initially occurred in the umbilical region, but then migrate in the direction of the right lower abdomen - in this case, the child must be brought in any case immediately to a doctor or hospital to be able to exclude a possible appendicitis.
appendicitis
Bellybutton complaints can also be a first sign of appendicitis (appendicitis). This is a bacterial inflammation of the appendix, a small appendix of the cecum, whereas the appendix itself is not affected, despite its name. An appendicitis is very common and usually affects older children and adolescents - infants and the elderly, however, rarely fall ill. In most cases, the disease starts with pain in the umbilical region, which shifts to the right lower abdomen within the next few hours. At this time, the abdominal wall is often so sensitive that pressure on it causes even more pain, and fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, an accelerated pulse, and night sweats may occur. The course of an appendicitis is different, with a general distinction between a simple (appendicitis simplex) and a destructive appendicitis (appendicitis destructiva). In most cases, the disease takes a positive course and usually heals completely - if the inflammation is detected promptly and treated accordingly. On the other hand, it becomes problematic if it is already well advanced (gangrenous appendicitis), because then in an emergency it can happen that the appendix bursts or breaks and the contents of the intestine and bacteria enter the abdominal cavity ("appendectomy"). If the bacteria spread, the inflammation can go down to the peritoneum (peritonitis) - which can be extremely dangerous and, if left untreated, can even be fatal. If a peritonitis has formed, sufferers usually notice it in suddenly increasing pain, which now affect the entire abdominal area, also tighten the muscles and the abdominal wall becomes rock hard.
An appendicitis can have various causes, but often the inflammation is due to a blockage or narrowing of the output. Here, in most cases, fecal stones or hard bowel movements are the trigger, in addition to the worm appendage but also can bend and thereby cause a secretion jam and inflammation. More rarely, obstruction and associated appendicitis is caused by foreign bodies (e.g., cherry, grape, or melon seeds), tumors, parasites, or worms. In addition, an inflammation of the appendix vermiformis may also occur in connection with inflammatory bowel diseases such as chromosome, as well as bacterial infections (for example, with enterococci or coli bacteria) come into question by which the worm appendage is attacked and inflamed.
Umbilical hernia / umbilical hernia
Even with a so-called "umbilical hernia" (medical: umbilical hernia) it can lead to navel problems. However, the term is somewhat misleading, because it is not an actual "break" of the navel, but a congenital or acquired gap in the abdominal wall (hernia), through which tissue from the abdominal cavity can bulge outward through (hernia ). The hernia bag consists of peritoneum, which is pressed outward by the pressure in the abdomen from the so-called "fractured bag content" (abdominal fat, intestinal components, etc.). The result is usually the characteristic bump under the skin near the navel, which may be small as a cherry, but also as big as a tennis ball.
Often an umbilical hernia occurs immediately after birth as the abdominal wall at the navel is not fully developed at this time. As a result, as a result of a healing disorder of the navel wound or increased pressure in the abdominal cavity (for example, when shouting or severe cough) it can quickly come to visibly emerge through the hernia of the navel. Accordingly, about every fifth baby is affected, premature births are even more common, of which about two thirds of babies less than 1500 g are born with an umbilical hernia. But even in adulthood, there may be an umbilical hernia, caused by increased stress on the abdominal wall, which lead to such a strong pressure in the abdomen that the weak area around the navel has to yield to it. For example, overweight, a familial predisposition in the form of connective tissue weakness, exercise, frequent lifting of heavy loads, pregnancy or severe cough are possible.
An umbilical hernia is usually painless both in children and in adults and is therefore often not noticed at first. Sometimes, however, there is a feeling of pressure or pinching in the area of the fracture, especially during pressing. Likewise, a digestive disorder or nausea is possible, but the clearest indication in these cases is usually the characteristic "bulge" in the navel. However, if there is still a burning or burning pain and / or a red-bluish discoloration of the fracture, fever, nausea and vomiting, special care should be taken, as in this case it could well be a medical emergency that must be treated promptly. Because a painful umbilical hernia indicates a rare Brucheinklemmung (incarceration), in which due to a sudden increase in the intra-abdominal pressure (for example, when coughing, pressing) trapped intestinal tissue in the Bruchpforte. As a result, the tissue can no longer be properly supplied with blood and threatens to die off - accordingly, a trapped umbilical hernia is a life-threatening emergency and must be operated on immediately.
Belly button pain in pregnancy
Frequently, there is pain around the navel during pregnancy, which in most cases is due to the fact that with increasing size and weight of the child and the abdominal wall is increasingly burdened. This not only bulges the belly, but also the navel. It is often said in this context that the "navel passes", so the umbilical recess disappears and the navel protrudes. This occurs in many pregnant women and is in most cases completely harmless, it is dangerous only when parallel to the protrusion forms a kind of bulge in the umbilical region - because this indicates an umbilical hernia. Umbilical hernias occur relatively quickly in pregnancy due to stretching of the abdominal wall and divergence of the abdominal muscles, but in most cases are harmless and have no effect on further pregnancy or childbirth. Most of the time a fracture does not cause discomfort - however, in addition to the bump, acute abdominal pain and / or red-bluish discolouration as well as fever, nausea and vomiting or stool irregularities (especially constipation) occur, should pregnant women immediately seek medical treatment. In this case, it could be an entrapment of intestinal tissue in the Bruchpforte, whereby the intestinal sections inside the fracture bag can no longer be properly supplied with blood. As a result, there is an increased risk that these die off - which in turn can lead to sequelae such as sepsis (blood poisoning) or peritonitis.
Therapy options for belly button pain
Treatment for growth pain
If a child experiences growth pains in the area of the belly button, the most important thing is first of all attention, because the pains can sometimes become very massive and accompany fears and insecurity. As the chyme spreads better during exercise and thus usually relieves the symptoms quickly, susceptible or sensitive children should above all be animated to become active after eating, for example by gently bouncing up and down the bed or running around a bit. In addition, a gentle abdominal massage is often helpful: for this, the massaging person should first warm his hands in warm water. The child now lies relaxed on the back at a pleasantly warm room temperature, then gently massage with two to three fingers in a circular motion and in a clockwise direction around the belly button. The circles are gradually drawn larger until the fingertips reach the ribs and the pubic bone, then the massage process is repeated, again starting with initially small, but then ever-increasing circles around the navel. If no massage oil is available, an edible oil (such as cold-pressed olive or sunflower oil) can also be used - but as it is much more fluid, it should be carefully dosed. The oil should also be slightly heated before use in hot water or in a water bath and can also be enriched for even better effect with some caraway oil from the pharmacy - here parents should, however, necessarily in terms of dosage and use advised by a pharmacist to let. If the child has additional diarrhea, but should be massaged counterclockwise, also in case of navel pain and a massage of the lower back can be very beneficial for the child - which is then also carried out with gentle circular movements either with or counter (in case of diarrhea) in the clockwise direction.
Dealing with functional complaints
If the symptoms can be attributed to an umbilical colic, parents should above all be aware that it has no organic causes, but rather a combination of stress-inducing situations and a predisposition or increased susceptibility to these with complaints in the stomach. Bowel area to respond. Accordingly, it is important to respond with great patience and attention, and parents should pay attention to a quiet, stress-free environment and atmosphere. Even with a navel colic is a gentle massage in which the stomach is massaged with previously warmed hands circularly clockwise. Also beneficial are a hot water bottle or warm and moist abdominal wrap. On the other hand, painkillers should rather be dispensed with in this case, because as these usually only work after 20 to 60 minutes, a boost is usually already over.
Therapy of appendicitis
If the cause of abdominal discomfort is appendicitis, it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible to prevent complications such as a breach of the appendix. Accordingly, patients with suspected appendicitis usually remain in the hospital for observation, where they can not be eaten until the final diagnosis so as not to take any health risks in the event of any necessary surgery under general anesthesia. If the diagnosis is clear, the inflamed appendix is usually surgically removed (appendectomy), where more and more frequently minimally invasive surgical methods (laparoscopy) instead of the classic "open" surgery with laparotomy (laparotomy) are performed. After the procedure, the patient can usually be discharged home after about four days - even if the threads have not yet been removed, because this can be done without problems on an outpatient basis. Afterwards, however, attention should be paid to rest and protection, since walking in the first time after the operation is usually still associated with pain, and this usually only has to be slowly "learned" again.
Treatment for umbilical hernia
If a child is suspected of having an umbilical hernia, parents should immediately consult a pediatrician to clarify the symptoms clearly and, if necessary, to discuss the next treatment steps. In most cases, however, an umbilical hernia is harmless and is due to the strengthening of the abdominal muscles in the first two years of life, so no special therapy is necessary. Accordingly, parents should by no means even attempt to break the umbilical cord with a navel patch or similar. may push back, because these measures may even further harm the child under circumstances, for example, allergic reactions or inflammation may occur or the intestine is trapped by a too loose patch while healing. Instead, a "normal" break should only be checked regularly. The situation is different, however, if the umbilical hernia after the second birthday is still over 1 cm wide or constantly increasing or if a Brucheinklemmung exists - then it may be necessary to close the fracture in a small operation under general anesthesia. Nevertheless, because of the very high rate of recovery in the first years of life, umbilical hernias rarely require surgery.
By contrast, as an umbilical hernia in adults can not heal on its own, it is usually operated on to alleviate any discomfort and to minimize the risk of life-threatening entrapment. However, if the umbilical hernia is already trapped, it is a medical emergency that requires immediate surgery to prevent the death of intestinal tissue. The course of the operation is dependent on the size of the umbilical hernia: If the tear is less than about 2 cm, the abdominal wall is then sutured directly to the abdominal cavity after backward displacement of the hernia sac Reduce risk of further breakages. Most interventions take place under general anesthesia, with smaller fractures, however, local anesthesia is sometimes sufficient. In some cases it is even possible to operate on an outpatient basis so that the patient can leave the hospital the same day.
Naturopathy for abdominal pain
If more serious reasons (Brucheinklemmung, advanced appendicitis, etc.) could be medically excluded for the pain in the region of the navel, alternatively offer various treatment methods from the field of naturopathy and home remedies for abdominal pain. While nausea and diarrhea indicate a gastrointestinal infection, stomach aches or stomach cramps, for example, are often a sign of stress and grief - which is why it is always worthwhile to use natural remedies instead of using the painkillers right away. However, it is important to always consult a doctor if you experience fever, increased heart rate or prolonged nausea, as it is often an abdominal irritation in the case of belly button pain.
Flax Seed Wrap generally has a calming and soothing effect on abdominal pain or abdominal cramps. For this, put a cup of flaxseed in a saucepan, fill with enough water until covered and boiled. The finished, warm porridge is now distributed in the middle of a kitchen towel on palm size. Then the edges of the cloth are turned over and the packet is placed on the aching area for two to three hours - until the mass has cooled down.
In addition to this, a variety of medicinal herbs are available for abdominal discomfort: here, above all, chamomile has proven its worth, which has a relaxing, calming effect and can be used as a tea or tincture. In addition to the own but also caraway, fennel, coriander, apple mint or ginger (pure or as a tea) very good. Heat is also a popular way to counteract painful cramps in the stomach or stomach. Here, either the proven hot water bottle can be used, but also - especially in children - cherry stone or grain pillows often proven, since there is no risk that hurt the small patients on hot water.
In addition, especially children feel a massage in pain at the navel often as very beneficial, because not only the painful areas are "processed", but it also often creates a positive psychological effect by the proximity and the touch of the familiar person. Here, for example, it is advisable to massage some warmed fennel or chamomile oil with previously warmed hands circularly clockwise into the abdomen, with the circles are gradually drawn around the navel more and more.
In order to counteract psychosomatic navel problems caused by stress, grief or worry, care should also be taken to (once again) find one's "own center" and, accordingly, to develop appropriate strategies in order to be able to cope with the demands in the professional and private sphere. There are a variety of exercises and procedures for stress relief such as yoga, autogenic training or meditation. A psychotherapeutic treatment can also be a sensible way to recognize the causes of pain or to be able to work on deeper conflicts or fears. (No)
