Navel Pain - What is it?

[maylee]

Hi, I have a been experiencing pain in my navel for about two weeks now.  It's happened once in the past (3 months ago?), but I thought it was caused by wearing jeans that were too tight (the button pressing into my abdomen in the belly button area).  The pain went away and I didn't think twice about it afterwards.

The pain returned about two weeks ago.  It's not intense, but more like an uncomfortable "pressure."  It occurs if I bend over, lean forward, or stretch.  It also occurs while lying in bed, if I turn over to lay on either side.  If my waistband touches my navel, or if I brush against it by accident, it hurts.

There is no discharge or bad smell coming from my abdomen.  I'm pretty sure it's not appendicitis (since I've had this for weeks now with no severe complications).  However, when I try to look inside my navel (I have an innie), it appears to be swollen in the lower part of the navel.  I pressed on it yesterday and it was firm (not rock hard) and caused discomfort.

Does anyone have any idea of what this may be?  I was going to go to my doctor last week, but it felt like it was going away so I cancelled the appointment.  Now it's back and seems like it's getting worse.  Any help will be appreciated - thanks!

[MissPat32]

Hi Cyrus

I had an operation for a hernia when I was 19 it is not that bad, takes about 2 weeks to heal and you will go back to normal life soon after.

[Dr_Wakefield_Biochemist_PhD]

I would bet it might be an ingrown hair.    Just a thought.  

[specialmom]

This post is from years ago.  But thank you for trying to help.

[Dmjohnson2744]

I have had internal ultrasound, peed in a cup twice and CT scan with contrast. The next thing they want to do is a catheter into my bladder. I have refused at this point. Has anyone else does this???

[Bless4444]

I have been experiencing navel pain for the past two weeks now.... if I press it... it really painful.. and my abdomen hurt too.... I suppose to see my period 2nd of this month... but just yesterday I saw red blood and today it's Brown... can someone please explain to me better

[1620]

Now how did you come up with this method. Of getting rid of the pain

[Adeolakate]

it works.tanks. others pls try dat step. at first it was painful but later I got relieved. tanks San2011

[suzyK1958]

I have had a pain in my belly button, off and on, since I was a teenager. I have ultra sounds scopes and every test that I can think of since then. I was also very thin as a teen and for many years after, at first they found nothing and said it could be because I wore tight pants as a teen. As I have gotten older and gained a few pounds I find that when I lift, or do yoga bending twisting aggravating that area seems to make my belly button feel as the other ladies described as a sharp pain like someone is pulling from the inside. I have also been diagnosed with PID ( Pelvic Inflamatory Disease ) sorry not sure of spelling on that one. I have also had my Gualbladder taken out ( again spelling ). I was told surgery would not be an option as it would not help. Just be careful it could be a hernia from scar tissue , put ice on it and relax for a couple days. I know its aggravating but it seems it will be one of those things we women will have to put up with

[navelpaintoo]

I too have the same issue and just had surgery on Monday for a hernia. My husband told me the doctor said they did not find the hernia even though the scan showed there was suppose to be one there.

[sannieB]

this exact thing has been happening to me for years,even as i'm typing this, and as a teenager my doctor told me it was just a minor urinary infection, so i usually just drink a lot of water and eventually it goes away( normally i don't drink a lot of water so it reoccurs).

[Cjayee1234]

I have started to have awful bellybutton pains since this morning, I have just looked within and I have a ***** discharge, my stomach has swollen and ive been feeling ill, im worried about what it could be, help please?:/

[jmeme05]

I had hernia repair in my belly  button back in 2011 and I have a mash to cover my hole were my intestines coming out. And still to this day I have sharp pain shooting in my belly button.

[tlc662]

That is me too!  Let me know what comes of this.  Thank you, TLC

[AllaynaD]

I had similar pain to what you are describing. I was having the pain but they completely ruled out a hernia. In my tenth grade year of high school they found out that the line from my umbilical cord to my bladder never closed up after birth, turning my belly button in to a giant hole to the inside of me that would occasionally get infected. They told me that usually this is caught when a child is an infant but for some reason it slipped by my doctors. I don't remember the term for it. I do remember them doing an ultra sound and not seeing it. They could not see it until they did a dye test to look at my bladder. It's very rare but it DOES happen.I hope that helps.  

[abby_help]

Your symptoms mirror mine.  What has transpired since your post several years ago? Did your problems cease, or did you have any medical intervention that helped?

[abby_help]

Started having problems after a routine pap test. I'm having navel & abdominal pain, with recently enlarged abdomen and sudden stretch marks, despite eating little since I feel so full that I can barely eat/drink/breathe. Going back in time, I went to a free government clinic 7 months ago for a routine pap test, started spotting 3 weeks later, and 3 months later went into labor and delivered a fetal-looking tissue with a tail, leg buds, curled head area, and black "eye" area. Two days later, a bifurcated cord attached to a placental-looking tissue with arteries/veins on one side and a whitish almost fat looking marbling look on that side, but the flip side had no veins only looked like red tissue. Lochia was discharged appx 6 weeks, as is normal. Began sudden hemorrhaging 5-6 times over 14 day period, I presumed from retained tissue. Had ultrasound, showed 1.5" x 1.5" x 1" hypoechoic mass inside lower uterine segment and enlarged uterus. Several days later discharge began smelling very awful with small pieces of brownish tissue. I called DR, but on vacation, so I reached in vagina w/2 fingers and felt cervix dilated with something poking out that I was able to grasp between 2 fingers and tug until it came out. It was appx 1.5" X .75" X .5 red fluffy mass (under microscope saw a few flat crystal-like fragments with jagged edges that when lifted off the tissue and pressed with a needle they shattered (what could these be?); also, were a few dark blackish long thread-like things that seemed very long and winding, sparsely imbedded in tissue, some single, some in groups that I dug out with needle and examined under microscope at 20X---hard to identify as I am a lay person, but looked somewhat like blood flukes (but blood test showed zero eiosinophiles (sp?), or Morgellen fibers, also saw what might have looked like Loa Loa (with spots interior of its body) in some of the previous brownish discharge,but I have never been to Africa, nor out of U.S.  A day later I reached in vagina to try to remove more tissue, and tugged out a piece of cylindrical red tissue that was firmer than prior, and had nothing embedded. Tissue removal solved smelling problem and the cervix is now closed but discharging tiny pinkish fragments seen in toilet bowel and brownish liquid daily on pads non-stop--I presume this is he uterus breaking down and the retained tissue, I can only hope. Abdomen is enlarged and now pain around navel for about 2 weeks and hurts so bad that I feel so full that I can barely eat or drink, and it is difficult to get a deep breath. A small amount of food or two glasses of water make me feel that I overstuffed at Thanksgiving. Meals cause immediate pain around navel, strong pain. Can barely have BM for last 45 days, when never had problem previously in my life. I have limited food intake last 2 weeks to clear what might be impaction caused by possibly "sympathetic contractions" in uterus/front lower pelvic area as BM is about to begin---center front pelvic area contracts painfully when attempting to BM that I react by preventing. Never before took a laxative in my life, but tried Senna on advice of pharmacist to evacuate digestive system in event of impaction---what a nightmare---the most painful diarrhea and abdominal pain--worse than being in labor and I had mine naturally. If I press on my navel area I get chest and heart area pains. Having bad nightmares of abdomen problems now due to ongoing pain during the night that is infiltrating dreams. Gas hurts painfully and intestinal system is not working properly. What should I do? Something is very wrong. One possible complication I forgot to mention is that prior to pulling the tissues out of the cervix, I started eating 3 bunches of parsley every 2 days made into pesto with olive oil, 12 garlic cloves, a cup of walnuts and cup of Parmesan cheese, put on crackers. The parsley intake was done to try to get cervix to dilate and uterus to contract to get the retained tissue out, which I think I got most of. (Could it be the garlic or excess parsley components that might have done something to the intestines? I read something about the oil overdose can be deadly and can affect intestines. I do not smoke or drink, and eat organic home grown fruits, went years without sugar, but did begin drinking coffee over the last year. I realize none of my problems are from my diet, with the exception of the parsley/garlic excess recently. Also, I read that with In Vitro Fertilization, that if an excess of follicle stimulating hormone is given to a women that it can cause complications with pain around navel that radiates up to the shoulder (right I believe), and cause pelvic inflammation, among other problems. My symptoms seem to mirror that information. 7 months ago after the pap test, the phlebotomist inserted a large needle into my arm and kept pushing the plunger in while she dug it deeper into my arm and twisted it a bit---not sure if a hormone was injected or what, or if nothing. I am post menopausal. All seems strange, confusing, interesting, frustrating, but mostly concerning now as I am in pain and need my abdomen and digestive system to return to normal. I feel like I am going to pop. I can only wonder if something passed through the fallopian tubes and ovaries and has gotten into the abdominal cavity and attached or is causing other complications not detected by the pelvis ultrasound; I did not have an abdominal u.s. What should I do? Where should I go, and what should I have done? Who should I trust? I was healthy and fine until 3 weeks after the pap test at the government-run clinic, then all this started...yes, I am convinced the clinic is doing some of kind of undisclosed research on postmenopausal women, or else they inserted an unclean pap brush or speculum or ? that had cells from someone else, but I lean toward the research aspect. I had not had intercourse for over a decade. Is there anyone else out there who had any similar kind of experience after going to a clinic for a routine pap test? Most of you out there who are sexually active of child-bearing years would never know the difference between your own tissue being miscarried, or foreign tissue. I however was sure nothing came from intercourse. No, it was not a hydatidiform mole. I would love to post the photos if there is any way to, for feedback. the sequence of events and timing are too coincidental to not be questioned.  

[abiodug]

It works San2011, thanks. could you possibly provide explanation for this...

[BellaPi]

I went to bed with intense navel pain and the surrounding area last night and when I woke up this morning it was still there, so when I asked my brother about it he told me that means my belly is getting bigger and that I eat too much smh. Im not sure if he was kidding but he has a big belly so i figured he was speaking from experience. So that's another theory. But I will monitor it over the next couple of days

[JillsStory]

IF THE DOCS CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO!

Ok sorry, I just read ALL of the stories and want to add a few things I noticed. We have got to figure this out. I am disgusted that docs are clueless and won't explore this to come up with an actual diagnosis. Here's a bit about me... Maybe we can start to put pieces together.

My issues/symptoms that may help us figure it out.
-I have stabbing pain always within one half inch of edge of belly button. Now... It's actually dead on BB. I can put my fingertip on the sharp pain.
-Pain has gotten worse after eating but not always.
-Pain has gotten worse when bladder is full at times. Peeing can cause quick burst of same pain if I'm in "flare up" mode.
-Pain worse when walking/ straightening body.
-Pain may subside if I sit on couch in crouched position (like knees bent, feet up beside me, but not all the way under my bottom)
-Pain may not be bad all day. I never eat til dinner time. My eating patterns are 1 full meal a day, snacks later, 1 decaf coffee/day, 1 reg/coffee/day.
-I rarely eat fruits/veg.
-I AM VERY THIN. NOT OVERWEIGHT. 107 lb.
-I live a SEDINTARY (sit a lot and poor posture) lifestyle.

Medical:
- I have had cysts on ovaries repeatedly.
-I've been on birth control for years.
-It doesn't matter if I drink soda or Gatorade, or water. Pain still same.
-I have constant worry about my health and MID REGION is always the problem.
-3 months ago I had fingertip sized pain on very edge of rib cage (this is what covers your actual stomach organ) Doc suspected ulcer. Took Prilosec Perscription strength 45 days- pain went away but new pain started in entire stomach organ, with twisting ache, full feeling, knotting pain in the organ. Caused me to obsess and get depressed, didn't want to leave home. Finally got angry enough to "denounce" the pain & start moving around. It went away within a few days.
-JUST PRIOR TO (THE WEEK PRIOR) the stabbing belly button pain, the week before, I had pain that I thought was urinary tract. My friend, a doc, called in Cipro for me. The pain was strange. It hurt at top/center/inch left of pubic bone. Pain came in "throbbing waves", and was mostly IN my crotch, on left side of vaginal area (where ones panties cover, directly RIGHT of where your LEFT leg meets crotch, ON THE BONE. No amount if water helped, Cipro failed. Doc said its not a urinary infection. It went away yet FADED INTO the belly button pain, the SAME WAY my supposed ulcer faded into twisting pain.
-I've had, in last couple months, chest burning (severe) upon exercise/carrying laundry. This came with tightness in chest. A general doc did stress test and blamed SMOKING, and diagnosed COPD/emphysema. I doubt these are related but some of you said you had chest burning too, so I'm including it. This was one month prior to bb pain.
-I smoke a LOT.
**Once my bb pain flared up when a man was emotionally hurting me.
**Again a man is hurting me and this immediately started. ARE ANY OF YOU HAVING EMOTIONAL ISSUES WHILE IT'S HAPPENING?

And here's a really weird one, just for kicks. Try this. I have had nail fungus on toe and athletes foot. If you rub the webbing between your 2nd & 3rd toes, you'll feel an instant "twinge" in your middle abdomen. It feels funny, and strange. It's almost like there's a trigger there between toes. I looked it up. Sure enough I found there's a pressure point there that hits mid abdomen.

Anyone else - can you please document any weird other happenings before or during your "flare ups"? We have GOT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS!

March 2013
Length of pain- on/off 2.5 yrs.

[JillsStory]

Lemango- or anyone here... I have EXACT THING as Lemango has. Please... Has anyone (especially Lemango) been treated for anything??? Mine started 2 yrs ago, stabbing tiny pain at belly button, goes away for month, comes back for a weak, disappears a few months, comes back a few days... Goes away several months, comes back after turning the wrong way, or while changing, etc... It's BACK WITH A VENGEANCE! I have no insurance and am fighting going to ER. I'm afraid. Someone please advise if they've been diagnosed, and WHAT IT WAS, and if your problem has been FIXED. PLEASE..... I'm desperate. Thank you!

[Jomae789]

I know you posted about this all the way back in 2008 but I really hope you can help me...I have the exact exact pains u have described! It's been going on for 3 or for years now just here's and there's....but very painful and I was hoping u may have found out what it was from..

The weirdest part of it all is I had the pain maybe a hand full of times in the 1st yr..then while at work I decided to empty the very larg trash can & to get the bag out I had to lift both arms all the way up to get bag out of can...wen I did this it caused very intense and worst time for the pain in belly button area..it was almost like something tore on the inside & ripped about one inch to my right of belly button then ripped straight down to my vaginal area...It took every thing inside me not to cry...I wrote an accident report and made dr apt dr couldn't feel anything so they wanted me to do ultrasound but bc I had told my boss of the pain feeling like someone was cutting my belly button...and how I have had sharp pain there b4 workmanship comp denied my claim and I was un able to afford the ultrasound....sorry to make this so long I just really need input frm someone who has similar pain...thank u so much!

[Defiancegirl]

i have acid reflex, you would have pain in the chest and upper stomach area, not your belly button.

[Chaserzxzx]

Hey guys, I am an ER doc, and my wife is an OB/GYN-  she is having the exact same kind of pain and we have no idea-  umbilical hernias generally protrude or have some physical evidence of herniation.  If it was more serious (appendicitis or infection) she would be much sicker by now.  It's probably just some irritation to the umbilicus and deeper tissue causing this vague pain.  An ultrasound should sufficiently rule out anything scary like cancer.  Appendicitis should not be confused by this dull, long standing pain.  If you are having severe abd pain in the right lower quadrant, have fever, and/or can't eat, please go to the ER

[Tldolli]

What type of doctor was able to help you??

[AllemandeLeft]

My belly button problem started suddenly, after having a rash on my stomach around it.  I had a very itchy stomach rash first with tiny red sores all over my stomach, and I was diagnosed with scabies (but it wasn't conclusive).  The stomach sores are fading.  But now suddenly I have the same red sores, like little red spots, inside my belly button and it hurts alot.  It feels almost lke the way stitches feel after surgery.  My belly area hurts around my belly button, too.   And the smell coming out of my belly button is really bad, I can smell it even when I lean forward.  It's like a colicky stitchy pain, not severe but getting there.   THe pain gets worse when I press the area, or when pants are too tight.  My belly feels harder than usual, too.  ANd like some of the previous posters, I had a laparoscopy for endometriosis, through my belly button a number of years ago.  It left scar tissue, but no pain or rash until now.  What can this be?