Some of the most common causes of belly button pain are constipation or diarrhea, belly button piercings, and appendicitis. Both constipation and diarrhea can be caused by many things, including irritable bowel syndrome, but the result is usually pain around the belly button area. In addition, the pain of a belly button piercing can last for weeks, or months if the site is infected. Lastly, appendicitis is a common condition that can start with pain in the belly button, and is usually solved when the appendix is surgically removed.
Constipation is a very common cause of pain around the belly button area. Anyone can become constipated, but the elderly have a higher risk of constipation because they typically do not engage in a lot of physical activity. Besides lack of physical activity, it can be caused by more than a dozen conditions and problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, laxative abuse, and poor diet. The two most telling signs of constipation is pain in the abdomen and lack of bowel movement. Many people find relief with over the counter laxatives, but some cases require a doctor’s visit to help treat constipation.
Another potential cause of belly button pain is diarrhea, which is usually characterized by frequent watery bowel movements. Diarrhea can be caused by multiple things, but an infection many people refer to as the stomach flu is common. Other symptoms of stomach flu are vomiting and pain in other areas of the abdomen.
Belly button piercings are also one of the most common causes of pain around the belly button. After the initial pain of the piercing, it can hurt for an additional two weeks. Most belly button piercings heal within six months, but some people develop infections or experience rejection. An infection delays the healing process and must be treated with care in order to avoid scarring. The rejection rates for belly button piercings are relatively low compared to some body parts, but it is common and the person is usually advised to let the hole heal.
Appendicitis is the inflammation of an internal body part called the appendix, and causes pain on the right side. Sometimes this pain starts out as belly button pain, but gradually moves to the side. Fever, vomiting, and loss of appetite are other symptoms of appendicitis. The appendix no longer has a use in the human body, but scientists speculate that it was once an important part of the digestive system. A routine surgery can remove the appendix once doctors perform tests to rule out other potential causes of the belly button pain.
