What is an inflamed navel piercing?
A piercing can look good and is quickly stung. But even with the greatest care an inflammation risk by a piercing can not be completely excluded: After all the process of piercing is an injury of the most potent protective layer of the body, namely the skin. By this intentionally caused injury pathogens, like bacteria, can get into the wound. This can happen even with the best care and disinfection. An inflammation at the site of the stab wound can then become noticeable as a result.
I recognize by these symptoms that my navel piercing is inflamed
In medicine, an inflammation – regardless of where it is located – can be recognized by five “signs of inflammation”. If these signs also concern the piercing at the navel, it can be assumed that it is inflamed. First of all an inflammation causes a redness and overheating of the affected area.
The body tries by the increased blood circulation to bring more immune cells to the place of the event and thus to provide for a faster healing process. This increased blood circulation is manifested by reddened and warm skin. Another sign is pain: Inflamed areas become hypersensitive and painful due to messenger substances, so that they are protected from touch or stress.
In addition, an inflammation is manifested by swelling of the affected area. On the one hand this is again a consequence of the increased blood circulation, on the other hand it is also the result of the increased permeability of the blood vessels. This should ensure that immune cells can enter the surrounding tissue faster and fight the pathogens there.
However, it also ensures that fluid from the blood enters the tissue, causing the region to swell. The last of these signs of inflammation is the disturbed function of the inflamed area. In the case of an inflamed navel piercing, this is usually the poor healing of the stung wound.
Beside these signs of inflammation an inflamed piercing can also fester or take on an unpleasant smell – more about this in the following.
- Redness
- Overheating
- Pain
- Swelling
- Disturbed function
From a medical point of view, pus is a matter of sunk (i.e. “dead”) white blood cells called leukocytes. This is mixed with tissue that has been dissolved at the inflamed area.
Pus thus indicates an ongoing inflammatory reaction, which was triggered by bacteria and which is already recognized and fought by the immune system. A purulent inflammation of the navel piercing is therefore not necessarily worse or more dangerous than a non-purulent inflammation. An abscess is a clearly definable accumulation of pus in the tissue.
The pus accumulates and forms a cavity that would otherwise not naturally exist at this site. An abscess can also develop next to the canaliculus of the navel piercing: This is then usually the result of an inflammation, in which the body’s immune reaction causes pus to form. Even though you may be tempted to puncture or push the abscess open, you should refrain from such methods – this only spreads the pathogens even more and considerably delays the healing process.
An unpleasant odor emanating from the navel piercing can indicate the beginning of an inflammatory process. The above mentioned signs of inflammation are not necessarily present. Rather, the unpleasant smell is a “harbinger” of an inflammation, as it indicates that bacteria have settled on or in the canaliculus. This can happen quickly, especially at the navel, because this is a part of the body that is naturally difficult to clean and does not always come into contact with air. A bad smell at a piercing should therefore cause a change in the cleaning habits of the pierced area.
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