Belly Button Infectionsby Tristi Pinkston | More from this Blogger 26 Jun 2007 01:00 PM We most often think of belly button infections as something suffered by persons who have pierced their naval. While this does account for a significant portion of the infections, piercing is not the only way you can get an infection in your belly button. When I was a little girl, my father (I think it was my father, but he's denying all knowledge) told me that I shouldn't stick my fingers in my belly button or it would turn black. Being the impressionable soul that I was, I've never stuck my fingers in my belly button, and yet last week, it started to bleed, and then ooze. No piercing, no fingers - what was going on? The doctor told me that I had a bacterial infection which is actually fairly common. A bit of bacteria gets in there and, encouraged by the dark conditions, spreads and causes problems. It's something akin to a yeast infection, which also grows in dark conditions. The infection seems to occur more commonly amongst persons like myself who are a little bit larger. (Maybe because our belly buttons are more in the dark?) Symptoms include bleeding, the excretion of a white, smelly substance, and in some severe cases like mine, the oozing of pus. Sometimes pain and soreness accompanies the other symptoms. I also experienced nausea, which isn't uncommon given the extent of the infection. Frequently, when an infection is present, the body reacts with feelings of overall sickness. Because my case was severe, I was put on a strong antibiotic. The symptoms began to abate within the first two days. If you have any soreness or excretions in the area of your belly button, go get it checked out. There aren't any tests - the doctor will look at your belly, probably nod or grunt or whatever it is your doctor does - and then write you a prescription. It's best to treat it before it gets too severe. Ways to avoid getting an infection - wash your naval thoroughly, yet not roughly, every day. Allow it to become completely dry before dressing. You can even blow the area with your hair dryer for a moment to ensure that it is fully dry. Especially in the summer months, when sweating is just a fact of life, this extra care will pay off. It seems like a silly ailment, and I did feel very ridiculous calling for a doctor's appointment. But I'm so very glad I did. (Tristi Pinkston is a full-time blogger in Movie and Media Reviews. Click here to read more of her blogs.) Related Blogs: A Warning About a Potentially Deadly Staph Infection Learn more about Tristi Pinkston  I've been a blogger for Families.com since August of 2006. Relevanthealth tags User Comments  Katie Parker (85) 26 Jun 2007 05:46 PMTo be honest, I didn't even know you could get a belly button infection. It makes sense, though. Thanks for the heads up!  Tristi Pinkston (10839) 26 Jun 2007 08:14 PMWell, if there is a sickness to be had, trust me to be the one to get it! :)  Pam Connell (2559) 26 Jun 2007 11:59 PMTristi--that's about how I'm feeling right now. Diet, exercise and medication recommendations for one condition are contraindicated by another condition and I can't seem to get off this hamster wheel. Hang in there. TipsOfAllSorts (50) 28 Jun 2007 09:03 AMThanks for sharing your experience! I guess I won't be taking my belly button for granted which is usually one of the neglected areas. landsurfer (5) 31 Aug 2008 06:06 PMThanks, Tristi, I am fighting my third belly button infection in 6 months. My practitioner wants to admit me to the hosp. for lots of tests, which I dread. She's an alarmist and I thought I was the only one in the world with anything like this! Thanks for sharing..... Tristi Pinkston (10839) 31 Aug 2008 09:59 PMTests don't sound like fun, but you know what, I'd go ahead and do it just to be on the safe side. Three in six months is probably a good indication of something else going on. fsomolinos (8) 10 Jan 2009 10:24 AMSo being an overweight child and healthy i rarely was sick, as i matured new things surfaced, large boils under my arm ( aka my arm pit) very painful and a cyst on the base of my spine ( aka right above my butt crack sory for the crudness, but you get the idea) basically a puss filled sac pressing agian my tailbone under the skin, after getting that operated on, my belly button started feeling sore, it got worse over a few days and then suddenly it kind of burst i guess you could say, staining my shirt from the inside with clear fluid, after that it didnt hurt as bad, but being a nasty smell and crusting around the outside, my mom ensured me it was totally infected and that i should have gone to the doctors a week ago when she told me.,.. anyway i made an appointmet for monday, hopefully i'll reamnber to comment on how it went, thanks for the blog!!! francesca miami beach FL p.s i found your blog off webmd, i typed "BELLY BUTTON INFECTIONS" everything turned up about pericing the belly buttons or infants , and im so glad i found one with another option thanks for wrtieing it, this is my frist time responding a "blog" but thanky ou! Tristi Pinkston (10839) 10 Jan 2009 11:16 AMYou are quite welcome. I hope everything goes well for you, and make sure you take all the antibiotics they give you! muincat (5) 10 Feb 2009 04:48 PMThank you so much for this post! My mom is going through this right now. She never likes to go to the doctor so she hadn't told anybody about it until it got super bad and she had reluctantly made a doctor's appointment for this Friday. She came home from work today crying hysterically because she was sure she had some kind of major internal infection going on. I found your post, printed it and gave it to her and told her she'd probably just need some antibiotics. She calmed down considerably after she read your post. Thank you for the peace of mind you haven given my entire family, but especially my mom! Tristi Pinkston (10839) 10 Feb 2009 09:51 PMI'm glad I was able to offer some comfort! And really, the antibiotics work pretty quickly. It wasn't too long before I was out of pain. Mellady (6) 14 Mar 2009 11:46 AMWhat antibiotic did your dr prescribe. I have this problem and went to my dr and she wanted to refer me to a dermatologist. I did not want another dr fee so I didn't go. I just recently had upper respiratory infection and had two rounds of antibiotics...amoxicillin and levaquin. Neither one did a thing for the belly button! Tristi Pinkston (10839) 14 Mar 2009 12:21 PMHmmm... I'm trying to remember. It's been a little while and my memory isn't very good. :) But it was a pretty strong antibiotic, I remember that much. Keep in mind that different antibiotics will target different kinds of infections, and that different illnesses will need to be treated in different ways. The pills you were taking for the other illnesses might not have an impact on the belly button because of that. Ashli8907 (5) 22 May 2009 11:35 PMHi Tristi, Im experiencing the exact same thing you went through. I went to the doctor because I was worried that it might be severe enough to have surgery. The doctor looked at it and said it was nothing. It was leaking and had a bad smell...I dont know how that's nothing. Do you have any suggestions as to how to take care of it myself and stop the pain? Tristi Pinkston (10839) 23 May 2009 12:19 AMI really recommend you get on some antibiotics. Have your doctor prescribe some for you, and then put Neosporin or some other kind of cream on topically. If your doctor won't write you a prescription, go see another doctor. If it's not treated, it could get worse. My doctor was concerned that mine might become systemic. You aren't obligated to stick with one doctor - go find another one if yours won't help you. Community Tags antibiotics, belly button, belly button infection, belly button infections, infections, navel, navel infection, secretions Discuss this article
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