Belly Button Pain
A belly button pain is something that should not be ignored especially if the cause is unknown. There are various reasons for the navel or the belly button to be in pain and among the reasons could be serious. The pain can be intermittent or it can be unswerving depending on the cause of the pain.
Pain in the belly button is often felt when stretching, bending or leaning forward although the pain is not that too intense. The pain felt is often just a discomfort instead of a true pain or an excruciating pain. The pain however, can be sharp for some and the incidence is quite alarming as the area of the belly button consist of so many organs around it.
People would often think that pain in the belly button is nothing serious and something that can just be ignored. The pain itself is something that should be thought about as pain the natural response of the body when something is not going right inside the body.
Belly button pain can be experienced by everyone regardless of age, gender and racial group. The pain can be mild or it can be serious depending on the underlying cause. It is pain that usually does not go away with rest.
The onset of belly button pain can be consistent or it can be sporadic. The symptoms of belly button pain depend on the underlying cause that brings pain in or around the belly button.
Stomach infection for example, does not only bring pain to the belly button but mostly bring patient to experience diarrhea or constipation depending on the causative agent.
The pain in belly button is varying depending on the cause or the underlying condition that brought pain directly or indirectly to the belly button. The pain can be mild to moderate or it can be severe while for some the pain can be discomforting or can be tolerated. The pain is also especially felt when stretching the body or doing stretching exercise, bending and leaning forward.
Causes
There are many reasons for the belly button to be in pain and it is important to determine what is causing the pain to give it an appropriate attention. The cause of pain in and around the belly button can be due to minor problem or may be due to a serious problem where belly button pain is part of the manifestation.
Minor problems causing belly button pain include the following:
Urinary tract infection results to an increase urge of the patient to urinate which is caused by the infection. The pain is often felt and is severe while urinating although throughout the day mild to moderate pain is experienced around the belly button.
Vigorous exercises involving the abdomen can cause the pain in or around the belly button. This is mainly the result of the abdominal muscle being stretched too much or may have been too strenuous for the abdominal muscle and is manifesting in the form of pain in the belly button.
Manner of eating is another reason for the belly button to hurt. It is among the most common cause of belly button pain which may be due to too much eating or eating a little. Overeating can cause pressure to the stomach as it expands to accommodate the size of food taken in while eating a little will trigger acid reflux which can trigger the pain in the belly button.
Food poisoning causes the stomach to expand as a result of gas buildup in the stomach caused by the increasing numbers of bacteria. The expansion of the stomach brings pressure in the abdominal muscle that causes pain in and around the navel area.
Medications can also bring pain to the navel particularly medications used for the treatment of stomach pain and others. The pain in the belly button is generally an adverse reaction towards the intake of the medicine which is probably not absorbed properly.
Pregnancy causes the stomach to expand to accommodate the increasing size of the developing fetus. As the stomach expands, the belly button is also expanding thus causing pain. The pain of the belly button however should not be disregarded and should be observed as it may indicate a problem such as ectopic pregnancy.
Post surgery of the abdomen can cause the patient to experience pain in and around the belly button. The pain can be mild or severe and should resolve as the incision site heals.
Stomach infections such as from the bacteria and virus can cause the stomach to expand due to swelling. The swelling thus causes the pressure in the abdominal muscle leading to pain in and around the belly button.
Major problems causing belly button pain include the following:
Disorder of the small intestine can result to pain in and around the belly button. The small intestine is situated near the belly button that when it winds through the abdomen as a result of a disorder, this will bring the pain within the area of the navel.
Gallstones generally cause no symptoms except when it is already in its severe form or when there is already the presence of a complication. The usual symptom is pain in the upper abdomen which may radiate towards the belly button.
Hernia is a condition characterized by the protrusion of an internal organ resulting from the inability of the weak abdominal muscle to contain it in its position. The protrusion in the abdomen results to pressure buildup in the muscle which could possibly lead to pain in the belly button.
Treatment
It is important to identify the cause of pain in the belly button as this condition should not be disregarded especially if it exists for an unknown reason. Proper identification of the cause is tantamount to a proper approach in treating pain and its cause.
The treatment of pain in the belly button depends on what caused the pain. Belly button pain from overstretching the body for example can be managed through cessation of stretching exercise until the pain has died down. Medications are also available to help relieve the pain and reduce inflammation if pain is caused by an ongoing inflammation. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen may be given depending on which medication the patient can tolerate or which the patient has no allergic reaction.
Surgery is necessary if belly button pain is due to an impending appendicitis or if due to hernia.
Remedies
Belly button pain due to minor problems can be addressed with home remedies such as:
Application of ice pack over the belly button will help relieve the pain. The coldness of the ice pack will help constrict the blood vessels thus reducing the pressure and relieving the pain.
Frozen vegetables can also relieve pain by applying it over the belly button in case an ice pack is not available.
