— Written By Rhona Lewis Show
Updated on August 2, 2022 Common causes for pain around your belly button include indigestion, constipation, and umbilical hernias. Other, more serious causes include appendicitis, gallstones, and pancreatitis. Contact a medical professional for belly button pain that persists, is severe, or occurs with other symptoms. Depending on the cause, you might feel pain directly in or around the belly button. You might have pain that radiates to the middle of your abdomen. The discomfort may also involve your pelvis, legs, and chest. This article describes the causes for pain and related symptoms around the belly button. Keep reading to learn about potential remedies and the outlook. Understanding belly button pain
Belly button pain is also called periumbilical pain, meaning pain in the navel area. You may find that activities like stretching or urinating cause belly button pain. The pain can be dull or sharp. It may be sporadic or constant. The area behind your belly button contains parts of your stomach, small and large intestine, and pancreas. Learn about causes of abdominal pain by location. Digestive conditionsDigestive disorders are a common cause of pain in the middle of the stomach above your belly button. GastroenteritisGastroenteritis, commonly called “stomach flu,” is an inflammation of the digestive tract. A virus, bacteria in spoiled food, or a parasite can cause gastroenteritis. Symptoms usually resolve within a few days and may include:
ConstipationConstipation is a common condition in which you pass small, hard stool or have three or fewer bowel movements in 1 week. In the United States, about 16 out of 100 adults experience constipation. You can usually treat constipation by adding fiber to your diet and drinking plenty of liquids. Get tips to relieve constipation here. Bowel obstructionBowel obstruction is a partial or complete blockage somewhere along the intestine. The blockage can stop the contents of the small intestine from moving further into your digestive tract. Possible causes of bowel obstruction include:
Symptoms include:
Bowel obstruction is a serious condition for which you need hospital care. Bowel decompression is a procedure that helps to reduce pressure in your intestine and relieve pain. You may also need surgery. InfectionsInfectious causes of belly button pain include urinary tract infection (UTI) and skin infection. Urinary tract infectionUTIs occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and multiply in the bladder. You may feel pain in your abdomen and belly button area. If you have a UTI, you may need to urinate more often and may feel a burning sensation when urinating. Clinicians treat UTIs with antibiotics. Learn when to see a doctor about a UTI here. Skin infectionSometimes the skin within your belly button gets infected. Causes of infection include injury from rubbing or a buildup of bacteria from sweat. A pierced belly button also increases the chance of infection. Symptoms may include:
Treatment ranges from applying antibacterial ointments to oral antibiotics. Learn about skin and other types of bacterial infections. Umbilical herniaAn umbilical hernia occurs when abdominal tissue pushes through an opening in the muscles around the belly button. If you have an umbilical hernia, you may see a bulge and feel pain in the area. Umbilical hernias that cause significant pain may require surgery. Surgeons repair about 175,000 umbilical hernias every year in the United States. AppendicitisAppendicitis causes constant, sharp pain around the navel or on the lower right side of the abdomen. Additional symptoms of appendicitis can include:
Appendicitis can develop into a medical emergency that requires surgery. Without prompt treatment, the appendix can rupture and spread infection into the abdominal cavity. PancreatitisAcute pancreatitis is sudden inflammation, or swelling, of the pancreas that lasts a short period of time. Causes include:
You may feel:
A mild case of pancreatitis may resolve with bowel rest, IV fluids, and pain medication. More severe cases require hospitalization. If the pancreatitis is a result of gallstones, you may need surgery to remove the gallstones. Chronic pancreatitis is inflammation that does not improve. Excessive alcohol consumption may cause chronic pancreatitis. Treatment includes lifestyle changes and, in some cases, surgery. GallstonesGallstone pain usually occurs in the center of the abdomen. However, the pain can move to your upper right side and even to the shoulder blade. The pain, known as biliary colic, can be quite severe. You may experience gallstone pain after eating a fatty meal, but it may occur at any time. Gallstones typically cause symptoms when a stone is stuck in a bile duct. PregnancyBelly button pain is common in pregnancy. In the second and third trimesters, the growing uterus pushes on the abdomen and belly button. You may find that your belly button pops outward from the pressure. This can lead to a stretching feeling, sensitivity, and aching in your belly button area. After your child is born, these feelings will disappear. Diagnosing the cause of belly button painTo identify a possible medical cause of belly button pain, your doctor will ask for your full medical history. They also will give you a physical exam. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may ask for the following:
Ways to relieve belly button painSome simple causes of belly button pain will resolve on their own. Depending on the cause of your pain, you can relieve the discomfort in the following ways:
Contact your doctor if you experience belly button pain for more than a couple of days. Seek immediate medical attention for the following symptoms:
Learn about blood in your urine or stool. Frequently asked questionsThe following frequently asked questions have been reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C. What organ causes belly button pain?Parts of your stomach, small and large intestine, and pancreas all lie behind your belly button. Any infection in these organs can contribute to belly button pain. How do you relieve belly button pain?Relieving belly button pain depends on finding and treating the cause that is behind the pain. Possible remedies include changes in diet for constipation relief and cranberry juice for a UTI. A warm compress over the navel may help if your abdominal muscles are tense. SummaryBelly button pain can have many different causes. Some belly button pain will resolve by itself. If you experience continued belly button pain, talk with your doctor. Some causes of belly button pain are serious conditions that require medical treatment. Why do I have a sharp pain on the right side of my belly button?The classic symptoms of appendicitis include: Dull pain near the navel or the upper or lower abdomen that becomes sharp as it moves to the lower right abdomen; this is usually the first sign, but it occurs in less than half of appendicitis cases. Loss of appetite. Nausea or vomiting soon after abdominal pain begins.
What does appendicitis feel like at the beginning?Appendicitis typically starts with a pain in the middle of your tummy (abdomen) that may come and go. Within hours, the pain travels to your lower right-hand side, where the appendix is usually located, and becomes constant and severe. Pressing on this area, coughing or walking may make the pain worse.
When should I be worried about right side pain?If you have severe abdominal pain,especially on the right side, it's a good idea to consult a physician and rule out causes that need immediate attention, such as appendicitis, an ectopic pregnancy, ulcer or kidney stones.
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Sharp pain right side of belly button
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