The Hidden Insights of Your Belly Button on Your Health

Welcome to another insightful piece where we explore the fascinating world of belly buttons. Whether you call it a navel, a belly button, an innie, or an outie, this small part of your body could actually provide valuable insights into your overall health.

Some people have a fear of belly buttons, known as omphalophobia. Others see them as a fashion statement, whether displayed in a crop top or adorned with a body piercing.

Regardless of your thoughts on belly buttons, one thing is certain - it used to connect you to your mother. At birth, the umbilical cord is cut, leaving behind a small clamped stump that eventually dries up and drops off within a week or two.

In most cases, what remains is a small wrinkled depression, especially if you have an "innie" like 90% of us do. The belly button may seem useless, other than collecting dust and lint.

However, there is more to your navel than just being a shallow indentation.

The belly button serves as a gateway for the blood vessels that transport nutrients to and from the fetus. These vessels originate from the placenta and travel through the umbilical cord, which is covered in Wharton's jelly - a protective gel-like tissue that surrounds and safeguards them.

Usually, the cord contains three vessels. The umbilical vein is responsible for carrying oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. It runs through the umbilicus and connects to the developing fetal circulation. Additionally, there are two umbilical arteries that transport deoxygenated blood and waste products in the opposite direction back to the placenta.

Once the baby is born, the circulation through the umbilical vessels is no longer necessary. As a result, the vessels naturally close up once disconnected from the placenta. However, the small remaining stump of the cut cord can still be useful for a short period, especially for sick newborns. In such cases, the vessels can be used for infusions of medicine by inserting drip lines, or for taking blood samples for testing.

The umbilicus is a special opening in the abdomen wall. Here's an interesting fact: when you were still developing as an embryo, your intestines had to temporarily move out of the abdominal cavity due to space constraints. However, they eventually returned through the umbilicus a few weeks later, passing through the cord.

The umbilicus serves as more than just an access point; it can also be a point of weakness. In some cases, an umbilical hernia can occur when a section of the intestine protrudes through a gap in the abdominal wall. This condition may necessitate surgical intervention to correct.

Sister Mary Joseph Dempsey, a nun who dedicated her life to caring for patients at a hospital in Minnesota, had a background in nursing and eventually became a surgical assistant to Dr. William Mayo. During this time, she made an important observation.

In the late 19th century, cancers in the abdomen and pelvis were often diagnosed at a later stage, leading to more extensive spread. This spread of cancer from one organ or location to another is known as metastasis.

Mary Joseph observed that some patients with metastatic cancer developed a new noticeable swelling or bump in their belly button. She reported this to Mayo, who had not noticed it himself. Mayo then published these findings under his own name without giving credit to Mary Joseph. It was only after the deaths of Dempsey and Mayo in 1939 that another doctor, Hamilton Bailey, rightfully named the discovery Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule.

The nodule is firm, can have different colors, and is caused by the cancer spreading to the tissue around the belly button. This type of nodule is less common now because more cancers are being diagnosed earlier before they spread extensively.

READ MORE: What your earwax and tears can tell you about your health 

Medusa’s head

Other interesting signs found in the navel have roots in mythology. For instance, there is a connection between the liver and the umbilicus.

The skin surrounding the navel contains superficial veins that flow back towards the deeper circulation. These veins carry blood into the hepatic portal vein, a large vessel that transports nutrients absorbed from the gut into the liver.

If the pressure in the portal vein gets too high, usually due to liver diseases such as alcohol cirrhosis, it can cause pressure to build up in the connecting vessels as well. Veins have thinner walls than arteries and can expand under pressure.

This increased pressure can cause the normally small veins around the navel to enlarge and become visible beneath the skin, spreading out in all directions. This visible sign is called caput medusae, or Medusa's head. In Greek mythology, the gorgon Medusa, whose head was cut off by the hero Perseus, had the power to turn anyone who looked at her into stone.

Ever wondered about the dirt and dead skin that can collect in our belly buttons? Well, it's worth mentioning that if left for a long time, this buildup can harden and turn into a stony mass. This is known as an omphalolith, or umbilical stone.

So, the belly button can actually give us clues about our health. But let's also consider whether you have an innie or an outie - which do you prefer?

Dan Baumgardt is a senior lecturer at the School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. Baumgardt has no financial interests related to this article and has shared no other affiliations apart from their academic role.

Editor's P/S:

The article on belly buttons delves into the fascinating and often overlooked aspects of this humble body part. It sheds light on the belly button's role as a gateway for fetal nourishment and waste removal, highlighting its importance during embryonic development. The article also explores the significance of Sister Mary Joseph's discovery of a nodule in the belly button as a potential indicator of metastatic cancer, underscoring the belly button's potential as a diagnostic tool.

Moreover, the article discusses the connection between the belly button and the liver, explaining how increased pressure in the portal vein can lead to the formation of visible veins around the navel, known as caput medusae. This observation provides insights into the potential for the belly button to reflect liver health. The article also raises awareness about omphaloliths, hardened masses of dirt and dead skin that can accumulate in the belly button, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good hygiene. Overall, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the belly button's various functions and its potential implications for our health, shedding light on this often-neglected body part.