Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 2/8/2008

Question
Do Umbilical Hernias in adults ever get better?  Do they heal themselves, or do they only get worse?

Answer
They don't heal themselves but if they are very small, they don't usually cause problems and you can live with them without surgery. That being said, if you are very active or overweight, they do tend to get worse.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston