The bulge can often be pressed back through the hole in the abdominal wall, and may "pop out" when coughing or otherwise acting to increase intra-abdominal pressure.

[4][5][6] An acquired umbilical hernia directly results from increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by obesity, heavy lifting, a long history of coughing, or multiple pregnancies.

Treatment for cosmetic purposes is not necessary, unless there are health concerns such as pain, discomfort or incarceration of the hernia content.

[clarification needed] Incarceration refers to the inability to reduce the hernia back into the abdominal cavity.

[citation needed] In some communities mothers routinely push the small bulge back in and tape a coin over the palpable hernia hole until closure occurs.

Most umbilical hernias in infants and children close spontaneously and rarely have complications of gastrointestinal-content incarcerations.

Operation and closure of the defect is required only if the hernia persists after the age of 3 years or if the child has an episode of complication during the period of observation like irreducibility, intestinal obstruction, abdominal distension with vomiting, or red shiny painful skin over the swelling.

[citation needed] At times, there may be a fleshy red swelling seen in the hollow of the umbilicus that persists after the cord has fallen off.

[13] The hernia content becoming trapped combined with severe pain, inability to perform bowel movement or pass gas, swelling, fever, nausea and/or discoloration over the area could be signs of a prolonged compromise in blood flow of the hernia content.

If so, emergency surgery is often required, since prolonged compromise in blood flow otherwise threatens organ integrity.

[13] If hernias are symptomatic and disturb daily activity or have had episodes of threatening incarceration, preventive surgical treatment can be considered.

The surgery is performed under anaesthesia, while the surgeon identifies the edges of the defect and bring them together permanently using either suture or mesh.

The most common complications for both techniques are superficial wound infections and recurrence of the hernia[16] and some people experience pain at the surgical site.