This Pain Map Could Help Reveal Exactly Why Your Stomach is Hurting

Epigastric Hernia (Upper Middle Abdomen)

Hernias are bulges of tissue or fat that push through a weak spot or hole in the abdominal wall, the abdomen muscles that are meant to hold your abdominal organs in place. Hernias can happen anywhere on the abdominal wall. Most are present from birth, but they can also develop later, well into adulthood, usually without a known cause. Epigastric hernias on the upper abdominal wall can cause pain and tenderness in the upper part of the abdomen up to the chest. They may appear as a raised bump, usually above the belly button.

The only treatment for epigastric hernias is surgery to repair the opening in the abdominal wall to prevent the growth from getting larger or causing severe complications. If not treated, these types of hernias can increase in size, risking blockage of the intestines or the part of the intestines pushing through the hernia.