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The navel is a scar at the midpoint of the abdomen that remains after the umbilical cord falls off. When a baby is born, a stump remains on the abdomen after the umbilical cord is cut. After some time it dries up and comes off by itself. In the place where the umbilical cord was, a navel is formed.
The navel, or the umbilical cord scar, consists primarily of connective tissue. It is a point on the body with reduced resistance, which means that the abdominal wall is slightly weaker at this point and there may be lesions, such as a hernia. The navel is the trace of the umbilical cord, or vein, which provides nutrition to the developing fetus in the womb and which carries away the products of the baby’s metabolism. The umbilical cord grows as the baby grows, forming a kind of cord that connects him to the mother. When childbirth takes place, the umbilical cord is cut off and the rest of it is secured with a special clasp, which is removed after a few days. After about two weeks, the remaining umbilical cord dries up and falls off by itself. If this is not the case, then there is no need to worry – sometimes the umbilical cord site takes a little longer to heal. Under no circumstances should you remove the umbilical cord stump yourself, as this may result in complications.
Some time after giving birth, ligaments form in the place where the umbilical cord was located, leading from the inside of the navel to the liver. In the deeper layers of the navel, there are blood vessels that used to connect the baby with the mother’s bloodstream, and after the baby is born, they transform into a part of his blood system, supplying blood to the bladder, digestive system and urinary system. The navel is not a very innervated place, but pressure on it causes a specific feeling and reaction. This is because the nerve bundles that come out of the navel connect to the nerve bundles of the bladder and urethra.
- The navel can have different shapes depending on how the baby’s skin grows on the fetal cord before birth.
- Concave navel – this is the shape of a navel that most people have. This type of navel indicates that the inguinal ligaments are in good condition and that the abdominal muscles were properly formed in the fetal life.
- The convex navel indicates that in utero there were umbilical hernias or inflammation occurred during the healing of the navel.
In rare cases, the absence of a navel may occur – although the popular opinion is that every person has a navel. Some babies are born with an umbilical hernia or a cleft abdominal wall. Then an operation is performed which causes the navel to be sutured, hence its absence. The navel can change its shape over the course of life. For example, during pregnancy, the previously concave navel may become convex.
The navel, like all parts of the human body, can be affected by disease. The most common pathological changes within the navel include:
- Inflammation of the navel – it occurs as a result of a bacterial infection, usually staphylococcus. Such infections occur most frequently during the healing of umbilical cord debris in early infancy. Untreated or improperly treated navel inflammation can lead to peritonitis and sepsis. In the treatment of this ailment, antibiotics selected according to the type of bacteria causing the inflammation are used.
- Navel granuloma – this is a complication that occurs in a few cases during the healing of the navel in infants. There is an overgrown tissue in the place of the umbilical cord, which does not heal and is susceptible to infection. Typically, a topical ointment with an antibiotic is used.
- Umbilical hernia – This is a condition in which the abdominal muscles are not strong enough to support the abdominal wall. The umbilical hernia is evidenced by a convex navel. In such a case, special patches are applied that bring the rectus abdominis muscles closer together in order to close the hernia opening. Sometimes surgery is necessary.
- Navel tumor – this is a cancerous change that indicates disseminated cancer of the colon, ovary, stomach or pancreas. The umbilical tumor is usually painful, with ulceration, necrotic tissue, and purulent or bloody discharge.
- Navel pain – This is often a symptom of serious diseases such as enteritis and appendicitis. Sometimes, however, it can also be the result of too tight clothing or pressure on the navel, for example by a belt buckle.