Why does my belly button stink and hurt?

Discharge and smells can be a result of several different factors, though slight navel odors are typically normal. If you have a combination of foul smell and discharge, it could be a sign of: A fungal infection or yeast infection of the belly button. A bacterial infection of the belly button.
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Can a smelly belly button be serious?

Sometimes a stinky belly button can be a symptom of a condition that needs medical attention, such as an infection or cyst. Look for other symptoms that come along with these conditions, including: white, yellow, or green discharge. swelling and redness or discoloration.
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How do you get rid of a deep smelly belly button?

Using warm water and mild soap, use a washcloth to gently clean around and just inside the belly button. Rinse with clean, warm water and dry with a towel to make sure that all water has been removed from the belly button. Showering or bathing regularly can help to prevent skin problems and odor.
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Why does my belly button smell even after I wash it?

Washing your belly button should stop the unpleasant smell if it's from a buildup of dirt and germs. However, if the odor persists even after cleaning, you may want to see a health care provider. If you develop redness, swelling, aching, or discharge, your belly button may be infected.
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Is belly button infection serious?

If the belly button becomes infected, a person should see a doctor for advice and prescribe medication if needed. The symptoms of an infection are redness, itching, and swelling. Sometimes, there may be fluid or pus, which can harden to form a crust around the area.
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Why Does My Belly Button Smell? How To Clean Navel? Clean Umbilicus-Dr. Rasya Dixit| Doctors' Circle



Will a belly button infection go away on its own?

Belly button yeast infections often get better on their own when you keep your navel area clean and dry. Healthy people can usually treat belly button yeast infections with an antifungal medication.
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Why is my belly button wet and stinky?

Dirt, bacteria, fungus, and germs can get trapped inside your belly button and start to multiply, which can cause an infection. If you develop a belly button infection, you might notice white, yellow, brown, or bloody discharge seeping out of it. That discharge might also have an unpleasant smell.
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Why does inside of belly button hurt?

There are many reasons a person can experience bellybutton pain. Some causes can be minor, including indigestion, constipation, and pregnancy. Others may be more serious, such as gallstones, appendicitis, or pancreatitis. Bellybutton pain can range in severity from mild to sharp.
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How do you cure an infected belly button?

Call your doctor if you suspect a yeast infection in your belly button. They may suggest treating it with an over-the-counter, anti-fungal cream. They may also advise you to keep the area clean and dry. If that doesn't work, they may prescribe a stronger anti-fungal treatment.
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How do I keep my belly button clean?

To prevent sweat, dead skin cells, oils and other kinds of gunk building up inside your belly button, it's important to keep the area clean using warm water and mild soap. Use a damp cloth to gently clean in and around the belly button, then rinse with clean water and dry off with a towel.
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Should you wash your belly button?

Your belly button should be cleaned just like all the other parts of the body; otherwise, the area can develop gnarly smells and infections, often paired with red, itchy, and scabby skin—especially if you have a navel piercing.
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How do I know if my belly button infection is fungal or bacterial?

If your belly button is “leaking” clear or colored discharge or blood, you may have a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection. Crusty skin, strong odor, itching, and redness are also signs of infection. If discharge and crust stick around after you wash your belly button, you should see your doctor.
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How long does it take for a belly button infection to go away?

While most belly button piercings heal without issues, bacteria can infect the area before healing is complete. Infections are usually minor. Symptoms can include pain, redness, and swelling, and improving hygiene can help. Complete healing can take 9–12 months.
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What cream is good for infected belly button?

Treatment: Use an antifungal cream such as miconazole nitrate (Micatin, Monistat-Derm) or clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex), and keep your navel clean and dry.
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When should I go to the doctor for belly button pain?

When should I see a healthcare provider about belly button pain? Pain that is severe, doesn't go away after 30 minutes or so, or is accompanied by other worrying symptoms such as fainting, bleeding, fever, or nausea or vomiting that won't stop are reasons to see a healthcare provider.
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What organ is behind your belly button?

Periumbilical pain is a type of abdominal pain that is localized in the region around or behind your belly button. This part of your abdomen is referred to as the umbilical region. It contains parts of your stomach, small and large intestine, and your pancreas.
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Can I put Neosporin on my infected belly button?

Apply an antibacterial cream

Consult a dermatologist before using an over-the-counter antibacterial cream, like Neosporin, as there's a risk for allergic irritation of the skin and reduced airflow to the piercing site, which may increase risk for infection.
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Why is my belly button itchy and smelly?

Summary. When your belly button smells, it is usually because of a hygiene need or infection. The belly button contains several tiny skin folds that can trap sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Possible infections include candidiasis, bacterial infections, or an infected urachal cyst.
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Are belly button infections contagious?

Lipoff says, the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is often behind belly button infections because it tends to cause many skin infections in general. A staph infection can manifest in a number of ways, including as a highly contagious condition called impetigo, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
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Why is my belly button dirty?

Even if you don't develop a yeast infection, the accumulation of sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, and lint can cause your bellybutton to smell. Omphaloliths. As dead skin cells and sebum — the oil secreted by your skin — accumulate in your bellybutton, they can form an omphalolith over time.
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What your belly button says about your health?

The shape and dent of your navel essentially determines how the umbilical cord heals. Belly buttons don't necessarily mean anything in particular about your health, however some people would argue that your belly button says a lot about you as a person.” Belly buttons are low-key gross.
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What is inside belly button?

Internally the veins and arteries in the cord close up and form ligaments, which are tough connective tissues. These ligaments divide up the liver into sections and remain attached to the inside of the belly button.
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Is your belly button connected to anything inside your body?

This photo shows what the belly button looks like from inside the abdomen. As you can see, it is not attached to anything in the body. The belly button is where the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus, connecting the developing baby to the placenta.
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Why does cleaning my belly button feel weird?

Dr Christopher Hollingsworth of NYC Surgical Associates explained to Lad Bible that touching the belly button actually stimulates the lining of the stomach, causing us to feel like we need to dash to the loo – even when we actually don't.
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How do you know if your belly button is infected?

Infected belly button symptoms
  1. Red, itchy skin around the navel.
  2. Foul smells.
  3. Swelling.
  4. Yellow, green, or dark-colored discharge.
  5. Persistent pain, particularly around a piercing.
  6. Blistering around the navel or piercing.
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