Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIndigestionConstipationHerniaUTIGastroenteritisH. pyloriInfectionPregnancyCrohn’s DiseaseAppendicitisGallstonesPancreatitisBowel ObstructionWhen to Get Help
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Indigestion
Constipation
Hernia
UTI
Gastroenteritis
H. pylori
Infection
Pregnancy
Crohn’s Disease
Appendicitis
Gallstones
Pancreatitis
Bowel Obstruction
When to Get Help
To address the pain, first consider if your diet may have led to constipation, indigestion, or a food-borne illness. If the pain persists or you develop symptoms like fever, nausea, or vomiting, reach out to a healthcare professional right away. Your provider can diagnose the issue and recommend treatment, which might range from home remedies to more advanced care.
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Indigestion, also calleddyspepsia, is a common cause of belly button pain. It is often due to something you ate. Indigestion feels like a burning or aching sensation mainly between the breastbone and belly button.
Indigestion is often treated with over-the-counter antacids likeMylanta (aluminum hydroxide)or H2 blockers likePepcid AC (famotidine).
Constipationis another common cause of belly button pain, and one of the most common reasons people see a healthcare provider. You may be constipated if you have fewer than three bowel movements in a week. The stool that does pass is usually hard, dry, and pebble-like.
Constipation can cause pain—often sudden and sharp—in the belly button area as well as the lower abdomen. With constipation, you might also feel bloated, uncomfortable, or sluggish.
Causes of constipation include:
Aherniais when a part of your insides bulges through a weakness in the muscles or tissues containing them. Aventral herniais a type that involves the abdominal wall. Those that occur near or adjacent to the belly button are calledumbilical hernias.
Anumbilical herniacan cause a bump or bulge around the navel. You may feel pain, pressure, or a pulling sensation that radiates from the belly button to the lower abdomen. The pain can be especially sharp when coughing, sneezing, exercising, or stretching.
Hernias can berepaired surgically. The surgery may beopen(involving a scalpel and large incision) orlaparoscopic(involving specialized tools and tiny “keyhole” incisions).
Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)can affect any part of the urinary system.
Lower UTIs cause lower abdominal and pelvic pain. If the infection spreads to the ureters and kidneys, pain may shift to the middle and upper abdomen, including around the belly button. The pain can be dull, sharp, or both.
UTIs can cause pain with urination, frequent urination, the inability to empty the bladder completely, and blood in the urine. The infections are typically bacterial and treated withantibiotics.
Gastroenteritis usually goes away on its own in several days to a week. The treatment is mainly focused on managing symptoms and preventing dehydration.
Helicobacter Pylori
The pain is mostly confined to the upper left abdomen but can be felt in the middle abdomen during acute flare-ups.
Symptoms ofH. pylorican be managed with antacids, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors like Nexium (esomeprazole). The infection itself can be cleared with a combination of antibiotics given over seven to 14 days.
Belly button infections happen when a fungus or bacteria infect the skin in your belly button. Common causes of belly button infections include an infected piercing and poor hygiene.
People with “innie” belly buttons are most at risk, as deeper belly buttons can harbor more sweat, dirt, and bacteria.Your risk of belly button infection may also be higher if you have obesity, as extra fat folds in the stomach area can accumulate more moisture and bacteria.
In addition to pain in or around the belly button, other signs of an infection in your belly button include:
If you notice signs of an infection around your belly button, see your healthcare provider. For mild infections, your provider may recommend a topical antifungal or antibacterial ointment. More severe infections may require oral and/or topical medications.
A stretched round ligament can cause sudden, sharp pains in and around the belly button, especially when laughing, coughing, or making sudden movements. Though the pain is usually not a cause for concern, speak with your healthcare provider if the pain is severe or persistent.
How Being Pregnant Affects Your Belly Button
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract that can cause abdominal cramping and pain. The pain is typically located in the middle to lower abdomen and around the belly button, and can range from mild to severe. The pain often occurs in waves duringflare-ups.
Other symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, blood in the stool, weight loss, and fatigue.
Crohn’s disease can be treated with a combination of medications (including steroids and biologics), changes in diet, stress reduction, and, in some cases, surgery.
Appendicitisis inflammation of the appendix. When inflamed, the appendix swells and becomes filled with a thick, infectious fluid called pus.
With appendicitis, the pain is generally dull when it starts around the belly button. The pain will then migrate to the lower right abdomen and become increasingly severe. Othersymptomsinclude fever, indigestion, nausea, gas, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, and a loss of appetite.
Appendicitis requires emergency medical care. Left untreated, the appendix can spontaneously burst and cause potentially life-threatening complications.
Gallstonesare calcium crystals that can block the ducts of the gallbladder, a non-essential organ located under the liver on the right side of the abdomen. Thegallbladderis a responsible for storing and secreting the digestive fluidbile.
Gallstone pain can be felt in the middle to upper-right portion of the abdomen. The pain is often sharp and stabbing and can last from minutes to hours. Pain may also radiate to the back or right shoulder. Nausea and vomiting are common.
Most gallstones clear on their own and get passed into the intestine for removal in feces. If you are experiencing chronic symptoms, your provider may recommend a common surgery calledcholecystectomyto remove the gallbladder.
Pancreatitisis inflammation of thepancreas. This is the organ situated just below and behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes andinsulin.
Causes of pancreatitis include:
The pain is often intense and persistent and can be felt in and around the middle abdomen. The pain can also radiate toward the back. Other symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and bloating.
The treatment of pancreatitis varies based on the underlying cause.
A bowel obstruction is a blockage in the intestines that prevents stool passage, causing severe cramping pain from the belly button to the lower abdomen.
The pain can come in ever-increasing waves until either the blockage is cleared or the intestine bursts. Nausea, vomiting, and bloating are common.
A bowel obstruction requires immediate emergency care. Medications and procedures likebowel decompressionmay help clear the obstruction. If these don’t work, open surgery may be needed.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Summary
There are many possible causes of belly button pain. The pain may occur (or initially occur) on its own in people with indigestion, constipation, appendicitis, pregnancy, or an umbilical hernia. Or, it may occur with other symptoms in people with Crohn’s disease, urinary tract infections, stomach flu,H. pyloriinfection, gallstones, pancreatitis, or bowel obstruction.
Why Does My Belly Button Smell?
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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