Sore belly button

A Common Trouble

Many people have experienced pain in their bellybutton area. Thus, if you are troubled by it now, know that you are not alone and that this is not something unique. The pain may be followed by redness, as well as irritation around the bellybutton itself. Alternatively, it may even expel pus and produce the unpleasant smell. All in all, there are numerous different reasons for different manifestations of this problem, some more serious than the others.

Reasons Behind Bellybutton Pain

The most common case of bellybutton pain is caused by inflammation due to different things caught inside the area. Namely, clothing, dead skin, dirt or some other materials may pile up in your bellybutton, producing a good ground for microorganism development. Thus, bacteria, yeast or some other organisms trigger infections, thus causing you pain and discomfort in the area.

A more serious case involves a development of a cyst. This cyst however, is prone to bursting after certain periods of time. This action most often results in expels of smelling fluid out of one's bellybutton. Additionally, due to incorrect closing of one's umbilical cord during birth, urine and mucus may get expelled through ones bellybutton. In such severe cases, a surgical intervention is a must in order to correct the mistakes made, and do away with this uncomfortable problem.

As the list of possible reasons goes on, during winter, most of us prefer residing in dry and warm areas. These conditions, however, may cause our bellybuttons to get dried out due to this lack of humidity. This situation causes pain, discomfort and irritation as well.

Finally, those who had their navels pierced may have some problems as well. Namely, due to poor hygiene, lack of skill of the person who performed the piercing itself or some other reasons, it can get infected once different bacteria get inside one's piercing wound.

Possible Treatment for Bellybutton Pain

First and foremost, bear in mind that proper hygiene is the best prevention. That being said, gently clean your bellybutton every time you take a bath, removing all the dirt and clothes debris which might have gotten inside. This will prevent the bacteria from causing you bellybutton infections and therefore the pain as well.

However, if you are already experiencing pain, you may let your organism deal with it on its own, as it usually does. Still, help by eating fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin C, since this element will increase your immunity. Additionally, you may take some anti-inflammatory drugs in cases of infections or clean the spot with a mixture of warm water and salt. Finally, cold compression is known to help as well. If all else fails, seek medical attention as soon as possible.