"At the navel, you have the ability to stimulate not only the skin overlying the navel, but also the fibres of the inner lining of your abdomen. So, as you stick your finger into your belly button, it sends a signal from the deeper fibres that line your inner abdominal cavity to your spinal cord.
"The internal lining of the abdominal cavity at your umbilicus (belly button) is called your parietal peritoneum. This structure is exquisitely sensitive and its sensory nerve fibres relay input back to the spinal cord at the same level as the nerves that relay sensation from your bladder and urethra."
Your belly button marks the spot where your umbilical (say: um-BIL-ih-kul) cord was once attached. This cord is a soft, bendable tube that carried nutrients — vitamins and minerals — from your mother to you, back when you were in her belly (womb). A belly button is also called a navel.
Your belly button, also called the navel or umbilicus, has no function after birth and is simply a scar or remnant of the umbilical cord that connected you to your mother. The umbilical cord provides oxygen and nutrition to a baby during pregnancy, and it is cut and removed after birth, leaving a scar.
Keep your hands off your belly button
“The belly button harbors a high population of bacteria,” Dr. Richardson says. “It is largely inaccessible, so it remains dirty even after showering.” The shape of your navel makes it easy to collect dirt, which can even cause a strong smell.
Belly buttons are barely a few millimetres deep at a young age. At a young age, belly buttons have an elongated shape. The diameter of the navel varies from fifteen to twenty millimetres. The body weight, pregnancies and abdominal wall hernia can influence the appearance.
So when you push your belly button, you're stimulating the same area. This can trick your brain into thinking it's receiving signals from elsewhere, mimicking the feeling of needing to pee – or a tingly feeling in your groin.
Apparently this happens because the spinal cord relays signals to the bladder and which can be mistaken for the same bladder discomfort that we feel when we need to the toilet. So, there you have it – you aren't weird, your body is!
Dr Christopher Hollingsworth of NYC Surgical Associates explained to Lad Bible that often, despite inducing the feeling of needing to pee, touching the belly button actually stimulates the lining of the stomach, so that you think you need the loo, even though you may not.
Accumulation of dirt and debris.
Your belly button is home to many types of bacteria. You may also have fungi (like the yeast called Candida) and other germs in there. Combine that with dead skin cells and the natural oils from your skin and you've got the recipe for an unpleasant odor.
Sinkkonen pointed out a study by Charles Puckett and colleagues of the University of Misouri, which asked people to choose from a number of navels the one that was most attractive. The subjects agreed: the best-looking navels were vertically oriented with a T-shape.
The navel stone itself isn't a health problem or a symptom of an underlying condition. It's just an accumulation of dirt and oil in a spot that is hard to clean. But a stone can start to irritate the skin in and around your navel. The irritation might lead to a skin infection inside your navel.
Without getting in there and cleaning your belly button on the regular, the lingering gunk — e.g. dirt, sweat, dead skin cells, clothing fabric, and bacteria — can collect and "cause odor or even an infection," says Dr.
Dip your finger or a soft washcloth in a solution of saltwater (about a teaspoon of table salt in a cup of warm water) and gently massage the inside of your navel. This should loosen stubborn germs that can cause odor. Then rinse with plain water and pat it dry.
The sebaceous glands release oil in the skin. If one of these glands in or near the belly button gets backed up or clogged with dirt and oil, a cyst may form under the skin. If the cyst is infected and leaking, a thick off-white to yellow discharge will often come from it.
Bellybutton pain can occur for many reasons, such as an infection, an umbilical hernia, pregnancy, or a problem with the digestive system. A doctor can help resolve any underlying issues. Anyone experiencing bellybutton pain, or periumbilical pain, should talk with their doctor to determine the cause.
It usually forms when the surface skin is folded in on itself, which is often the case in a belly button. As skin grows, dead skin cells can't be shed like it can elsewhere on the body. It can leak a cheese-like substance and have a foul-smelling odor, but it is typically not dangerous and does not require treatment.
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.
The depth of your belly button can change throughout your life, depending on how much fat your are storing around your middle. Innie belly buttons often get deeper when someone puts on some weight. DON'T poke at your belly button with anything sharp.