What causes pain around the navel?

I had a dull ache around my navel last week that turned out to be a mild stomach infection. Drinking lots of ORS and eating simple curd rice helped me recover, but do consult a doctor if the pain becomes sharp.

When my daughter complained of pain right around her navel, we realized she was severely constipated. A high-fiber diet and plenty of water solved it, but please watch out for any signs of fever or vomiting.

I completely understand the panic when you feel pain near your navel and start thinking of appendicitis. It is a very scary feeling, but most of the time it is just gas, so try to calm down and let a doctor reassure you.

Mostly, this is caused by gas or indigestion from spicy food. Try a cup of warm water with a pinch of hing (asafoetida) first, and if it doesn't settle down, then go to the local clinic for a checkup.

I can only speak from my own experience when I had a small umbilical hernia that caused pain around my navel when lifting heavy bags. A quick physical exam by a doctor cleared it up, so I highly recommend just getting it looked at.