Inflammation of the navel can have various reasons and causes. The causes can vary depending on the age of the patient. Medical experts also call the inflammation of the navel “omphalitis”.
Omphalitis occurs mainly in the newborn. In adolescence and young adulthood, piercings, among other things, can be a reason for an inflammation. Also certain chronic skin diseases like psoriasis inversa, which is a special form of psoriasis, can lead to an inflammation of the navel. Contact allergies can also cause inflammation of the navel.
Symptoms
An inflammation of the navel, like many other inflammations of the body, presents itself with the typical signs of inflammation. This results in redness, swelling, overheating and pain in the navel. It is possible that an inflammation of the navel is accompanied by the discharge of purulent or bloody secretions from the navel.
The belly button can also bulge out in the event of inflammation. In addition, an inflammation of the navel can cause it to wet and smell unpleasant. Possibly an inflammation leads to itching in and around the navel.
In addition to redness, pus and weeping can also be signs of an infection of the navel. The pus is caused by the fact that the pathogens that settle in the area of the navel trigger the body’s immune system. This then activates the white blood cells, which begin to render the pathogens harmless.
The degradation product becomes visible in the form of pus. After the first reddening of the navel, a weeping of clear fluid usually occurs. This can then be followed by turbid fluid in the form of pus. Pus formation is evidence of an existing infection. As a rule, treatment should be started promptly.
Causes
Inflammation of the navel in newborns leads to infection of the small umbilical cord remaining after delivery. Since it is an open entry portal for a few days to weeks, bacteria and other germs have a particularly easy time to enter the body and cause infection and inflammation. This often leads to mixed infections of bacteria that are normally found on the skin without causing illness.
These bacteria are called Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Klebsiellen, Proteus mirabilis or E. coli, for example. Since newborns do not have a fully developed immune system after birth, they are much more susceptible to pathogens than adults or older children. This is why newborns can become infected at the navel by these otherwise rather harmless pathogens.
This pathogen can also be found in navel inflammation in children. For an inflammation of the navel in newborns there are certain risk factors that make an infection more likely. These include above all a low birth weight of the baby, other existing infections, a congenital immune deficiency or a poor general condition of the baby.
It can be concluded from this that premature babies are particularly susceptible to an inflammation of the navel. An unusually long birth or a previous infection of the placenta during pregnancy can also be risk factors for an infection of the newborn’s navel. In the inversa form of psoriasis, the normally typical skin areas such as the extensor sides of the extremities are not affected.
Here a different distribution pattern typically occurs. In the inversa form, the affected skin areas are more likely to be located in areas of the body where skin folds are found. Typical locations for the inversa form are therefore skin folds under the arms, in the groin area, on the anal fold or even in the navel.
The affected skin appears reddened and possibly very slightly scaly. The typical scaling as known from “normal” psoriasis does not occur in the Inversa form in most cases. The scaling is much weaker and maybe there are no scales at all, but only redness.
The cause of an inflammation of the navel can also be a nickel allergy, for example. This can be triggered by buttons on pants, for example, which then lead to a so-called contact allergy through direct skin contact. In adolescence and young adulthood, piercings can also be a reason for inflammation and contact allergies in the navel area.
Laparoscopy (laparoscopy) is a minimally invasive method for examining the abdominal cavity.Several small incisions are made in the abdominal wall, including in the area of the navel, through which the surgeon can insert various instruments as well as a camera and a suction device. In this way, a large number of abdominal operations such as a biliary operation are possible, but without having to make a large abdominal incision. By avoiding a large wound, the associated risk of infection is reduced.
Nevertheless, it is possible that bacteria will settle in the small incisions after the laparoscopy and cause local inflammation, which significantly slows down the healing process. In addition, the abdominal skin is an area that is tensed and thus strained with almost every movement. It is therefore recommended that you have as much bed rest as possible after a laparoscopy.
If the scar in the area of the navel is inflamed, the classic signs of an inflammation of the navel can occur. In most cases there is redness and swelling of the tissue surrounding the navel and the development of pressure pain. Many affected patients also describe a strong oozing from the scar.
In this case, one should allow plenty of air to enter the scar and use it as little as possible. If there is no improvement, a doctor can prescribe an anti-inflammatory ointment or antibiotic. With a navel piercing a small channel is usually stung in the upper part of the navel.
Since there are two connections to the skin, the puncture site and the exit site, there are also two possible entry points for bacteria. Especially in the time directly after the piercing, when the wound has not yet healed, there is a high risk of infection. For this reason it is important to keep the piercing and the surrounding area as clean as possible and to wear an air-permeable plaster over the navel, so that the clothing cannot cause additional friction and irritation of the wound or bring bacteria into the wound.
Also with the choice of the piercing studio you should pay attention to extensive hygienic precautions. If it comes to an inflammation of the navel nevertheless, it helps to let as much air as possible to the inflamed place. In this way the wound can heal well and the bacteria are denied the pleasant humid habitat.
In case of aggravation a doctor should be contacted who can prescribe an anti-inflammatory ointment or antibiotic. In most cases it is still not necessary to remove the piercing. In case of an early infection of the navel in newborns a local disinfection may be sufficient.
If the inflammation is already advanced, often a hospital stay as well as an antibiotic administration is necessary. The antibiotics used for this often belong to the group of so-called penicillins and aminoglycosides. The therapy of inverse psoriasis is often difficult and lengthy.
It is important here to keep the affected areas as dry as possible and not to wear too tight clothing, as this can chafe on the skin and lead to a worsening of the symptoms. Anti-inflammatory baths with chamomile or calendula can have a soothing effect. In the short term, a cortisone cream can also be applied to the inflamed areas.
However, this should really only be a short-term treatment as cortisone cream has a skin thinning effect. If a navel piercing or a trouser button is the cause of an inflammation of the navel, these should be removed immediately. Contact allergies caused by buttons can be avoided by tucking your T-shirt into your trousers, for example, thus avoiding direct skin contact.
The inflamed area should now be disinfected and treated with anti-inflammatory creams such as Betaisodona. If the inflammation worsens or the wound starts to fester, it is important to consult a doctor immediately. This is because the risk of complications is high, similar to the risk of the infection spreading to the navel of a newborn baby.
If an inflammation of the navel has occurred, which manifests itself with redness, weeping or pus, treatment should be initiated promptly. Disinfectant solutions or tinctures can be given into the navel, or ointments can be applied locally into the navel. Bepanthen® is particularly effective for mild infections of the navel.
The ointment can be given into the navel several times a day and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Betaisadona® Ointment or Betaisodona Wound Gel has a stronger disinfecting effect. The ingredient iodine also has an antibacterial effect. In the case of more severe infections that do not respond to the above-mentioned ointments, a direct antibiotic ointment should be given into the navel.Various preparations are available here. The antibiotic neomycin, which is very effective against bacterial infections in the region of the navel, is frequently used.
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