The body of a healthy person does not emit any harsh and unpleasant odors. The only exception is sweat. Its isolation is not a pathology, but an indication of the normal thermoregulation of the body. Sweating does not need treatment, but every adult has to mask and prevent its appearance with the help of deodorants and antiperspirants.
Disturb and smell from the navel should alarm and prompt a doctor. Women can have many reasons for this strange manifestation. By the way, any changes in this part of the body often signal the development of serious diseases.
Main reasons
The scar that forms at the site of the umbilical cord should remain dry throughout the subsequent life. Among the causes of the smell from the navel in a woman, it is worth noting inflammation or the presence of abnormalities in the genitourinary sphere - these problems in the fair sex are most often diagnosed. By itself, a scar in the central abdomen, as a rule, does not emit any aroma. Regardless of the reason, the smell from the navel in a woman arises from the discharge.
Fetid liquid from the rumen is often found in medical practice. The following factors can cause unpleasant odor and discharge from the navel in women:
- Poor or irregular care for the body and the umbilical zone in particular.
- The defeat of a bacterial or fungal infection.
- Genitourinary system disorders.
- Inflammation against a background of chronic diseases.
Before starting treatment, the doctor must understand the reasons why it smells bad from the navel. Despite the fact that this symptom brings a lot of discomfort, you do not need to try to get rid of this symptom yourself. Be sure to consult a qualified professional.
Hygiene
First of all, the doctor should pay attention to the anatomical features of your navel. In some women, the scar is too narrow or deeply drawn. This structure is most favorable for the accumulation of sebum and dead cells, and therefore for the reproduction of bacterial microflora. So, for example, if dust, particles of clothing, garbage, sand get into the area of ββthe retracted scar, it is likely that tissue injuries and their infection. At first, there may not be any smell from the navel. Most likely, itching and burning in the abdomen will be felt . If the scar is not treated in a timely manner and foreign bodies are not eliminated, decay processes will begin, which will become the very cause of the unpleasant smell from the navel of a woman.
Infections and inflammation
If the fetid discharge becomes purulent and other symptoms appear (fever, swelling, hyperemia of the umbilicus and umbilical region), the doctor may suspect omphalitis. This is one of the common diseases of the bacterial type, provoked by anaerobic microorganisms. The prominent stench pus with omphalitis has a yellowish tint, but as the disease progresses, the fluid may turn brown and acquire a thicker consistency.
Another potential cause of a womanβs belly button smell is a fungal infection. Usually, the scar is very itchy, burning, the skin is peeling or getting wet (depending on the type of pathogen).
Among the representatives of fungal microflora, Candida is most often found. This microbe prefers to live in the navel even in a healthy person, without interfering with normal health. Problems begin when Candida actively multiplies. This happens in two cases - against the background of a weakened immune system and in the presence of constant moisture in the scar zone. A characteristic feature of candidiasis is cheesy discharge with a sour milk aroma.
Pathology of the genitourinary system
Diseases of the urinary tract and genitals, as well as anomalies in their development, can provoke the occurrence of unpleasantly smelling discharge from the umbilical region. In women, the cause of odor from the navel with a high degree of probability may be:
- Bladder cyst. This pathology is manifested by the occurrence of pain in the abdomen, persistent subfebrile condition.
- Endometriosis A very common disease in women of young and mature age, which is characterized by the growth of the uterine mucosa and its penetration into the peritoneum. Pathology can only be cured surgically.
- Abnormal structure of the urinary ducts. Between the navel and the bladder, each person has a kind of connecting tube - urachus. Normally, after birth, this duct closes, but sometimes for reasons that we will not understand, this does not happen. As a result, a cyst or fistula of urachus develops, problems with urination are possible, as well as mucus and an unpleasant odor from the navel. In childhood, pathology may not manifest itself in any way, this really happens, but sooner or later it is detected with age. An anomaly can be cured only by surgery.
What else can cause discharge
You can not remain silent about other possible causes of the smell of a belly button in a woman. The treatment of the problem depends on the provoking factor. Inflammation of the umbilical region and the release of purulent fluid can lead to:
- Postoperative complications. Most often, the navel becomes inflamed after gynecological procedures for female sterilization (tubal ligation).
- Diabetes. This chronic disease is often accompanied by candidiasis. Discharge of a sickening sour smell from the navel is not a rare case in women with this diagnosis.
- Benign tumors. These include adipose and atheroma, which do not have a direct effect on the scar, but when infection or minor injury provokes the development of a painful inflammatory process.
- Excess weight. As stated at the beginning of the article, sweating is not a disease. But overweight people are prone to increased sweating, which makes their body constantly wet, which means that it creates all the conditions for the rapid multiplication of bacteria on the body, especially in the skin folds and the navel.
Navel in pregnant women
Discomfort and unpleasant odor from the umbilical cavity sometimes worries women who are expecting an addition to the family. With an increase in the volume of the abdomen, the expectant mother may notice that the skin around the scar is constantly wet. The cause of this phenomenon is most likely a slight inflammation due to changes in tissue stretching.
Consequences of Piercing
Often a woman with a symptom such as discharge from the umbilical zone is visited by fashionistas who have decided on a piercing. If the puncture was made without the use of antiseptic drugs and hygiene rules, the consequences can be unpredictable: from severe inflammation to bleeding and blood poisoning.
Treatment options
Let us dwell on how to get rid of the smell from the navel. Any of the diagnosed diseases and pathological conditions requires appropriate treatment. For instance:
- An umbilical fistula or cyst is a direct indication for surgery. Otherwise, serious complications are possible.
- With omphalitis and other inflammations of an infectious nature, doctors resort to conservative therapeutic methods. The main principles of treatment for this disease are the regular treatment of the umbilical scar with antiseptic and antibacterial drugs, maintaining dry and clean body.
- If discharge from the navel is a consequence of pathological processes caused by diabetes, a woman needs to undergo a treatment course to reduce the percentage of sugar in the blood.
Prophylactic scar treatment
In diseases of the genitourinary sphere, which provoked an odor from the navel, they are primarily treated. In all other cases, you can get rid of such an unpleasant manifestation by washing the scar daily with a soft washcloth and soap, and after water procedures, by disinfecting with Chlorhexidine or Miramistin. It is important for a woman, especially overweight, to prevent the formation of mud plugs in the navel.