If left untreated, some belly button infections can become serious. As mentioned above, some infections are caused by bacteria that can spread to other parts of your body (including organs and blood), causing sepsis and other deadly conditions.
Bacterial Infection
If you think you have an infection in your belly button, you should call your doctor so that you can have the area cleaned carefully. You may also need prescription antibiotics to kill the bacteria before it spread to other parts of your body.
Tenderness, yellow, green or bloody foul-smelling discharge, swelling, pain, and a scab or ulcer can develop in the belly button. If deep skin infection occurs, it can lead to cellulitis – a spreading bacterial infection usually caused by staph or strep bacteria.
Omphalitis is an infection of the umbilicus and/or surrounding tissues, occurring primarily in the neonatal period. It is limited to around the umbilicus in the majority of newborns. However, it can rapidly progress to systemic infection and death, with an estimated mortality rate between 7% to 15%.
It may be so small that you don't know it's there. But if it gets infected, you could have belly button pain, fever, and bloody urine. Your doctor may give you antibiotics, drain or remove the cyst, and possibly repair the area with surgery.
Intra-abdominal sepsis and abscess symptoms
Symptoms may include fever, pain anywhere in the abdomen, diarrhoea or ileus. A subphrenic abscess can cause chest pain and also shoulder pain. Psoas muscle abscesses may lead to flank pain which radiates to the groin. The principal feature of peritonitis is abdominal pain.
The most common symptom of a belly button yeast infection is a bright red rash in the skin folds of your navel. The rash is typically extremely itchy. It may burn. You may also see scaling, swelling or a white discharge.
If your belly button is “leaking” clear or colored discharge or blood, you may have a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection. Crusty skin, strong odor, itching, and redness are also signs of infection. If discharge and crust stick around after you wash your belly button, you should see your doctor.
Treating infections
Share on Pinterest Antibiotic and antifungal ointments or creams may be used to treat belly button discharge. Bacterial infections are usually treated with antibiotic ointments or creams. Fungal or yeast infections are also typically treated with antifungal powders or creams.
An umbilical hernia occurs when part of your intestine bulges through the opening in your abdominal muscles near your bellybutton (navel). Umbilical hernias are common and typically harmless. Umbilical hernias are most common in infants, but they can affect adults as well.
Omphalitis is an infection of the umbilical stump. It typically presents as a superficial cellulitis that can spread to involve the entire abdominal wall and may progress to necrotizing fasciitis, myonecrosis, or systemic disease.
Diabetic patients are prone to infections, and the disease may also prevent rapid healing of infections. Diabetics with belly button infections may suffer from an unpleasant smell emanating from the belly button, as well as oozing of cheese-like fluids.
Apply an over-the-counter antibacterial cream.
An ointment with bacitracin (like Neosporin®) can treat the infection and assist in wound healing.
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.
Sepsis can be divided into three stages: sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock.
Bacterial infections are the most common cause of sepsis in newborns. Bacteria such as E. coli, Listeria and Group B streptococcus (GBS) are common bacteria that can cause infections that lead to sepsis.
Sepsis is the body's overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection which can lead to multiple organ systems failure. It is the body's immune system overresponse to infection following the release of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines into the blood circulation [3, 4].
The shape and dent of your navel essentially determines how the umbilical cord heals. Belly buttons don't necessarily mean anything in particular about your health, however some people would argue that your belly button says a lot about you as a person.” Belly buttons are low-key gross.
Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E if:
a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis. difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast.
Early symptoms include fever and feeling unwell, faint, weak, or confused. You may notice your heart rate and breathing are faster than usual. If it's not treated, sepsis can harm your organs, make it hard to breathe, and mess up your thinking.
Fever, shivering, or feeling very cold. Confusion or disorientation. Shortness of breath. Extreme pain or discomfort.
If you develop redness, swelling, pain, or discharge, your belly button could be infected. This is especially likely if you have a navel piercing. In this case, you may require antibiotics or other treatment and should visit UPMC Urgent Care right away.