Pain is your body's way to tell you that something isn't just right. It is your brain's response to indicate injury, damage, or illness. Similarly, pain behind your belly button shows there's another underlying issue. It is obvious to get worried about the situation because there are many organs in this area. It is due to this reason that various conditions can be associated with sharp pain in belly button and it usually depends on the organ involved. You need to identify the cause to find the most suitable and effective treatment option.

Possible Causes of Pain Behind Belly Button

1. Eating Issues

The food you eat may well be the reason of pain behind your belly button in your case. Overeating will lead to excessive pressure in your stomach, whereas eating too little will cause acid reflux. Sometimes, you're allergic to certain ingredients and when you eat something unknowingly, then you experience pain. Viral or bacterial infections may also cause pain and produce excess gas.

2. Urinary Tract Infections

Caused by bacteria, a urinary tract infection can lead to pain behind your belly button. These are basically bladder infections and aren't that serious in the beginning. If left untreated, the infection may spread to your kidneys. Your abdominal pain may well be due to other common infections, such as gonorrhea and cystitis.

3. Hernia

A hernia is a condition in which a certain part of your internal organs displaces and protrudes through the tissue wall of the cavity that contains it. This produces a bulge and often causes pain in your abdominal area. Similarly, hernia of the stomach, bladder, umbilicus, and intestines may also cause belly button pain. If you notice a protrusion and your pain becomes worse with activity, this is usually due to hernia.

4. Side Effects of Medications

If you don't follow the directions when taking medications, this may produce certain adverse effects. Pain behind belly button is one of those effects. This usually happens when the drug disrupts your digestive function. Sometimes, certain drugs may interact with others to cause a reaction.

5. Pregnancy

Due to the expansion of the baby inside the womb, you may end up experience belly button pain. You will experience minor pains during pregnancy, but the pain isn't usually incapacitating. You should, however, bear in mind that sharp pain around your belly button is usually a sign of something more serious in nature. It is therefore a good idea to go see your doctor to identify the underlying issue.

6. Ulcers

Your belly button pain could be due to intestinal and stomach ulcers. Several factors lead to the erosion of your digestive tract lining. Some of the most common factors are stress, bacterial infections, and hyperacidity. Ulcers usually become worse when you eat spicy or acidic food or are emotional upset. If left untreated, this may lead to intestinal bleeding.

7. Pancreatic Problems

You may experience belly button pain if you're suffering from a pancreatic disease. You will experience several other symptoms as well, such as nausea, fever, and headaches. Several conditions such as pancreatic cancer and diabetes mellitus may cause pancreatic diseases. It is important to consult your doctor because these diseases can have serious implications if left untreated.

8. Crohn's Disease

This serious digestive tract ailment is characterized by the inflammation of different parts of the digestive tract. This usually leads to swelling and causes pain behind belly button as well. Genetics play a big role in Crohn's disease, and you usually get it from your parents, but several environmental factors work as triggers. If left untreated, you may experience serious symptoms that sometimes cause death as well.

9. Appendicitis

If you experience belly pain while walking or soon after eating, this could be due to appendicitis. It is basically the inflammation of the appendix, which is a piece of intestine usually four inches of length. So many things can cause the appendix to become inflamed or infected, and it always causes mild to intense pain around your navel area. You may also notice several other symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, constipation, low fever, abdominal swelling, gas retention, and diarrhea.

10. Gallbladder Disease

Gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located just below your liver, which can become inflamed or infected due to gallstones. Your liver produces bile and your gallbladder stores it, but you may experience inflammation if the flow of bile is not normal. You may experience several other symptoms as well if you have a gallbladder disease such as belly pain when urinating, abdominal fullness, abdominal pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, chills, and so on.

11. Surgery

If you have recently undergone abdominal surgery, this may well be the reason behind your belly pain. The pain is usually mild, but it can be acute in some causes and also accompanies with constipation and diarrhea. You usually don't need any treatment in this case because the pain will subside once your body heals from surgery.

12. Infections

Infections of urinary tract or stomach can lead to belly button pain. Sometimes, the infection spreads rapidly and cause serious pain. Several urinary tract infections, including cystitis, can cause sharp pain behind belly button– you will also experience pain while urinating.

What to Do

As you may have gathered already that your belly button pain could be due to several conditions, it is therefore important to discuss it with your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis. This will help identify the underlying condition and your doctor will be able to prescribe medications to alleviate pain. Proper diagnosis is also important to keep the underlying condition from getting worse. Your doctor may suggest certain tests to identify the real cause of trouble.

It is also important to go see your doctor immediately if your belly button pain isn't subsiding in a few days and is getting worse with time. In most cases, the pain is usually the outcome of a more common and benign condition, but it may sometimes indicate a life-threatening condition. Your doctor will consider all possibilities and help suggest a good treatment plan to free you from belly pain.