Abdominal pain near belly button

Pain in the abdomen usually near belly button could occur due to multiple causes –causes outside the abdomen, local causes within the abdomen, and causes affecting the whole body. This pain originating from the abdomen could arise from the different abdominal organs like liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines or from the peritoneum or abdominal wall.

The pain may originate from:

Appendix: Pain of appendicitis is worsening and sustained.  It usually starts as an aching pain near the belly button or umbilicus and then shifts to the right abdomen. This pain is mild but real.

Stomach: Pain ofgastritis also called inflammation of the stomach and stomach ulcer is of burning type and often relieved with antacids and affects the upper mid-abdomen.

Intestines: Inflammation of the intestines is accompanied by fever, diarrhea and sometimes rectal bleeding.  The viral infections usually resolve itself and bacterial infections need antibiotics to cure.  Scrounging infection commonly causes abdominal pain in children and teenagers.  Pain precipitated by intake of milk may point to lactose prejudice.  Food poisoning or Food allergy is also commonly associated with abdominal pain. Gastroenteritis or poisoning including with lead can also cause abdominal pain.  Fever, typhoid can also cause intestinal inflammation and pain of diverticulitis is often located on the left side.

Pancreas and Gall Bladder: Pain of pancreatitis is of gradual onset, steady and remorseless.  It is usually located in the upper abdomen and upper back and gives rise to abdominal pain.

The pain varies in intensity, quality, duration and location depending on the reason.  Therefore, a careful history is often sufficient to diagnose the cause of pain or ache.  Brief overviews of different causes of abdominal pain along with their type are as follows:

General causes of abdominal pain near belly button are:

• Dyspepsia: The dyspepsia also known as Indigestion or overeating causes many mild stomachache
• Gastroenteritis: A viral infection of the intestines causes vomiting and diarrhea or both, with stomach cramps
• Food Poisoning: vomiting or diarrhea lasting less than 12 to 24 hours is often due to consumption of un-refrigerated foods which contain bacterial overgrowth
• Constipation: it is one of the biggest causes for pain in abdominal that need to pass stool causes lower abdominal cramps
• Strep: A strep throat causes up to 10% of acute abdominal pain and include appendicitis, kidney infections, intussusceptions. Look forward to appendicitis if pain low on the right side of the abdominal, won't hop or jump and prefers to lie still.
• Stress: It is the common cause of recurrent stomachaches commonly called the (worried or unhappy belly). More than 10% of children have them and these children tend to be sensitive, conscientious, serious, even model children. Stress can make them more vulnerable to the normal diseases, like changing schools, family or moving disagreements. Stress cause pain, mostly occurs in the pit of the stomach or near the belly button.

Pelvic causes of causes of abdominal pain near belly button are:

·         Menstruation

·         Endometriosis

·         Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

·         Ectopic Pregnancy

·         Urinary Bladder