Why does the navel hurt and what to do about it

When to seek urgent help

Immediately call ambulance if, in addition to pain in the navel:

• there is vomiting with blood or blood in the stool;
• it hurts to touch the stomach, it is hard to the touch;
• you cannot defecate and you vomit;
• appeared dyspnea and chest pain radiating to the arm, neck, or jaw;
• there is pain in or between the shoulder blades, accompanied by nausea.

You need to be especially alert to these symptoms if you are pregnant, have recently been stabbed in the stomach, or are being treated for cancer.

If there are no dangerous signs, you can try to deal with the causes of pain in the navel area on your own. Please note: in some cases, you still have to call an ambulance.

Why does the stomach hurt in the navel and what to do about it

There are several options.

1. Normal during pregnancy

As the uterus grows in size, it gets stronger presses to the umbilical region. In addition, the muscles in the abdomen are stretched, and because of this, the amount of tissue between the navel and the uterus decreases, which increases the sensitivity to touch in this area.

By data experts of the American medical resource MedicalNews Today, discomfort in the navel area is normal for the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

What to do

Monitor well-being. The pain that occurs when you press on the navel area is usually harmless and goes away in a few minutes.

But if the stomach hurts on its own, although you do not touch it, and the discomfort does not go away, but intensifies, you need to consult with the gynecologist who is leading your pregnancy as soon as possible. Or, if this is not possible, with the ambulance doctor on duty at 103.

2. Umbilical hernia

Umbilical hernia occurs when the muscles of the abdominal wall diverge and a section of the intestine bulges through a gap that has appeared in the navel area.

Along with pain in the umbilical region, you can notice a slight bulge under the skin - this is the most common and unambiguous sign of a hernia.

What to do

Umbilical hernias are most common in infants. AND disappear by 1-2 years, when the rectus abdominis muscles become stronger. In children, such a protrusion of the intestine is not considered dangerous, but it is still worth consulting with a pediatrician.

With adults, the story is different. Their hernia rarely retracts on its own. Much more often, the strong muscles of the abdominal wall, trying to close, at some point pinch the protruding section of the intestine. This can lead to the fact that blood circulation stops in it and necrosis occurs.

Therefore, if your navel hurts and there is a suspicion of a hernia, you should contact a general surgeon as soon as possible. Usually in such cases, surgery is performed.

3. indigestion

Dyspepsia, it is also a functional indigestion, Maybe manifest itself as pain, burning or other unpleasant sensations just above or below the navel.

What to do

Indigestion is not an independent disease, but a symptom of some kind of malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract. It can occur, for example, if you have gone too far with fatty or fried foods, or simply overate. But more unpleasant reasons are also possible. So, dyspepsia is one of the signs of various diseases - from gastritis to diabetes and disorders in the thyroid gland.

The rule is simple. If an upset stomach appeared once and quickly passed, then you should not worry. But if pain in the navel and other symptoms of dyspepsia (bloating, nausea, feeling of heaviness in stomach) are repeated over and over again, it is necessary to consult a general practitioner as soon as possible or gastroenterologist.

4. Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory process, which can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. Pain or sensitivity to touch in the area just below the navel is one of the common early signs of this condition.

What to do

Pain in the navel, although a common symptom, is far from the only one. Crohn's disease also manifests itself with other signs: diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight, pain and cramps in the entire abdomen, blood in the stool. If you observe a similar set of symptoms in yourself, consultation with a general practitioner or gastroenterologist is required.

5. Appendicitis

The first signs of appendicitis are often are a slight increase in temperature and discomfort in the navel. Over time, the dull pain shifts to the right lower abdomen, other symptoms appear: nausea, weakness, pallor, cold sweat.

What to do

About how to make sure that you are dealing with appendicitis, Lifehacker wrote in detail Here. If you suspect an inflammation of the appendix, call an ambulance: this condition requires urgent medical attention.