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!
The reason is that your belly button, or umbilicus, connects to fibers that lead to your spinal cord. This also relays information from your bladder and urethra to your brain. So when you push your belly button, you're stimulating the same area.
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.
There is a ligament byproduct of the connection of the bladder with the umbilical chord during your fetal stage of life, which is connected to your urethra and by extension your genitals. When you touch the insides of your belly button you stimulate its nerve endings causing that sensation.
A navel stone is sometimes called an omphalolith or umbolith. It is a condition where substances like sebum, or skin oil, hair, dead skin cells, and dirt can accumulate and form a hardball. The stone is usually a dark color and firm to the touch. They may resemble a large blackhead in the opening of the navel.
“If you stick a fingernail in there and really scrape to get the fluff out, that can break the skin and could lead to an infection,” he explains. Some people also clean their belly buttons with cotton swabs soaked in alcohol, which he says can cause dryness and irritation.
If you put your finger in your bellybutton, you are stimulating the nerves that trigger your spine to tell urethra and bladder it is time “GO”. While it may not be exciting news, you can now ask your friends to do the same and see them run to the potty and have a nice giggle…all in the name of medical science.
Those with deeper navels may need to get a little more aggressive about cleanliness. 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.
“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. Dr. Richardson cautions against touching your belly button with your germy fingers, as it can lead to serious infections.
When your healthcare provider presses on your belly, they are feeling to see if any of these organs are enlarged or painful. That might be a sign of problems that need more assessment. Healthcare providers use two ways to look at your belly: Palpation.
A deep hollow belly button typically occurs when the hood of skin casts a shadow on the inside of the button, giving the visual impression of it being quite deep. This shape is also common in people who have some excess belly fat around the abdomen.
Few people wash the belly button with soap so germs can develop. The most common cause for a belly button smell is poor hygiene. All areas of the body need to be washed regularly to stay clean and healthy. Skin is home to trillions of bacteria, which develop naturally and are usually harmless.
Is it okay to poke my pregnant belly? Sure…if that's what you want to do. It might seem weird at first, since baby is so small and still developing. But your baby is incredibly well cushioned in there.
Dr. Khetarpal recommends simply washing the area with water and/or gentle soap when you shower or bathe. Just be careful not to scratch your belly button with your fingernail or whatever you use to wash your body, because you could pierce the skin, leading to bleeding or increased risk of an infection.
"So, as you stick your finger into your belly button, it sends a signal from the deeper fibers that line your inner abdominal cavity to your spinal cord. "Because your spinal cord at that level is also relaying signals from your bladder and urethra, it feels almost the same.
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.
Wherever you talk, you point your belly bottom. So if I talk to you over here, I point my belly button. If I move over here, I point my belly button. That's the belly button rule.
The best way to prevent belly button odor is to keep the area clean. To do that, you can apply antibacterial soap to a washcloth or your finger and gently clean your belly button when you take a shower or bath.
Most often, a lump in the abdomen is caused by a hernia. An abdominal hernia occurs when there is a weak spot in the abdominal wall. This allows the internal organs to bulge through the muscles of the abdomen. A hernia may appear after you strain, or lift something heavy, or after a long period of coughing.
The blood vessels surrounding your stomach and intestines constrict and the digestive muscles contract. It's that drop in blood flow that makes you feel like winged insects are fluttering around in your stomach.