Body odor is natural part of human physiognomy, while some people may experience less of it, it can be stronger in others. This odor is not uniform throughout your body, certain body part smell more, like your armpits, groin and feet. The Cleveland clinic explains that this smell is due to bacteria and smell on your skin. Your body odor can also change if you are on medication, or ate a certain food or even experience some hormonal changes.

Similarly, It's common for belly buttons to have a slight odor, but sometimes it can become noticeable and unpleasant. While a little smell is often nothing to worry about, a strong, foul odor, especially when combined with other symptoms, could be a sign of a more serious problem. It's important to understand the possible causes of a smelly belly button so you can take the right steps to address it. Knowing when to simply clean it better versus when to seek medical help is key to keeping yourself healthy.

Possible Causes of Belly Button Odor

If your belly button smells bad and you also have redness, swelling, pain, or bleeding, you should see a doctor. These symptoms could be a sign of an infection that needs medical treatment Here are some reasons why this may be happening.

Not Cleaning It Well

Just like any other part of your body, your belly button needs regular cleaning. If you skip cleaning it with soap and water, things like dirt, sweat, and natural oils can build up inside. As explained above, his buildup creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to a musty or unpleasant smell. This is especially true if you have a deep belly button, as it has folds and crevices that are harder to reach and clean properly. A deep belly button is a warm, damp place, which is exactly what bacteria love.

Stuff Getting Stuck

Even if you take regular showers, your belly button can still collect things like dead skin cells, lint from your clothes, and other small pieces of debris. WebMD explains that these things can get trapped inside, and when mixed with moisture from sweat or water, they can start to smell bad. Sometimes, these things can clump together and form a hard, smelly lump called a navel stone. This stone can be quite smelly, even though it's usually not painful.

Bacterial Infections

We all have bacteria on our skin, but sometimes they can cause infections. According to WebMD if bacteria get inside your belly button, especially through a small cut or scratch, they can multiply and cause an infection. Infections like impetigo and cellulitis can cause redness, swelling, pain, and pus, along with a bad smell. People with weak immune systems or poor blood flow are more likely to get these infections. If these infections are not treated, they can lead to serious problems, so it's important to see a doctor.

Yeast Infections

Yeast, which is a type of fungus, can also grow in your belly button, especially if it's warm and moist. According to the Cleveland Clinic a common type of yeast is Candida. Yeast infections can cause a sour, bread-like smell, along with redness and itching. Sweating a lot, wearing tight clothes, or taking antibiotics can increase your risk. People with diabetes or weak immune systems are also more likely to get yeast infections. These infections usually go away with antifungal creams, but it's important to keep the area dry to prevent them from coming back.

Cysts

Cysts are small, fluid-filled bumps that can form under the skin. They can happen when dead skin cells and oils get trapped in your belly button. Most of the time, these cysts are harmless and don't cause any problems. But sometimes, they can become infected, which can cause them to swell, become red, and release a gray or white discharge with a cheesy smell. If a cyst gets infected, it might need to be drained by a doctor.

Piercings

If you have a belly button piercing, it's very important to keep it clean. If you don't clean it properly, bacteria can build up around the piercing and cause an infection. Signs of an infection include pain, redness, swelling, and smelly pus. If the infection is not treated, it can spread to your bloodstream and cause serious health problems. Cleaning your piercing regularly with warm, soapy water can help prevent infections.

A smartphone app called Are You Dead? has rapidly climbed the charts in China, striking a chord with young adults who live alone in fast-growing urban centres. The app asks users to regularly confirm that they are still alive, and in recent weeks it has become the country’s most downloaded paid application.

Its stark idea may sound unsettling, but that very premise appears to be what draws people in. Beyond its novelty, the app reflects a deeper issue, showing how living alone, along with rising mental health concerns, is increasingly being viewed as a public health issue.

What Is Are You Dead?

An app named “Are You Dead?” hardly sounds inviting at first glance. Still, for many people who live by themselves, it has turned out to be more comforting than alarming. Its strength lies neither in flashy features nor complex technology, but in how plainly it speaks to a fear most people keep to themselves.

The app, known as Sileme in Chinese, was launched in May and has already become the most downloaded paid app in the country. It is designed for those who live alone and worry about what could happen if they fall ill, meet with an accident, or suddenly collapse with no one nearby to help. For users without close family or regular social contact, this fear is not abstract. It is part of everyday life.

The idea behind the app is straightforward. Users are required to check in every two days by tapping a large button to confirm they are okay. If they fail to do so, the app alerts a pre-selected emergency contact, signalling that something may be wrong.

When it first launched in May last year, the app attracted little attention. That changed dramatically in recent weeks, as large numbers of young people living alone in Chinese cities began downloading it.

On the Apple App Store, the app is described as a “lightweight safety tool designed for people who live alone, offering quiet protection through regular check-ins and emergency contact features to make solo living feel safer.”

Who Is Are You Dead For?

Are You Dead? refers to itself as a “safety companion” for people who live alone, whether due to work, education, or a personal preference for living independently. It is aimed at those vulnerable to social isolation, including students, working professionals, and older adults living by themselves in cities. According to the Chinese media outlet Global Times*, China may have as many as 200 million single-person households by 2030, underlining why digital tools like this are finding a ready audience.

How Living Alone Can Lead To Increased Health Concerns

Living alone can affect health in several ways, mainly through loneliness and reduced social contact. These factors are linked to higher risks of depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, weakened immune function, and even early death. Living alone can also influence daily habits, increasing the likelihood of falls, poor nutrition, smoking, and unsafe alcohol use, particularly among older adults, while making it harder to manage existing health conditions.

When people think about staying healthy, they usually focus on diet, exercise, and sleep. The role of social connection in protecting health is often overlooked. Loneliness, and the rise in stress hormones like cortisol that often comes with it, can quietly take a toll on the body.

“We clearly understand how sitting too much, smoking, and obesity contribute to chronic disease,” says psychologist Amy Sullivan, PsyD. “Loneliness should also be seen as a risk factor for long-term health problems.”

Health risks linked to loneliness include:

• High blood pressure.
• Cold and flu.
• Cardiovascular disease.
• Stroke.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Dementia.
• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Suicide and self-harm.
• Premature death.

“We know how stress affects the body, and loneliness is a powerful form of stress,” adds psychologist Adam Borland, PsyD, as cited by the Cleveland Clinic. “When people feel lonely, they are less likely to care for themselves properly, and that can eventually lead to serious health problems.”

Been feeling a certain tightness across your chest, wheezing or coughing uncontrollably? Your lung health may be at risk

Dr Killol Patel, a board certified pulmonologist in New Jersey, explains that respiratory symptoms are common when running in cold weather due to a lack of moisture in the air and lung spasms.

He said: "The moist lining of your nose and mouth normally warms and moistens inhaled air before it goes to the lungs. But when it’s dry and cold and you’re breathing fast during exercise, the air may not get as conditioned.

"That can lead to not only coughing and wheezing, but trouble catching your breath, chest tightness and the urge to cut your run short."

The lungs have a defensive natural protective mechanism known as bronchospasm which activates whenever the organ detects a sense a potential irritant or damage. "When you breathe in air that’s dry and cold, your lungs may spasm as a means of protection. They think there’s something noxious in the air," he elaborated.

Those suffering from respiratory issues such as exercise-induced asthma or have irritated or inflamed airways may experience worse symptoms of bronchospasm, Dr Patel warns.

The expert said: "In those cases, your lungs are already on edge, so there’s no buffer. Exercising in the cold, dry air can take you over the edge more quickly. Your heart may then start racing, and your body tells you to stop. Mucus may also build up to clog your airways."

What Can You Do To Protect Your Lungs?

Dr Patel advises staying warm and dry through moisture-wicking layers for comfort. The expert adds that runners should consider covering their nose and mouth with a scarf or mask as they start moving.

“It creates a small bubble of warmer air to breathe,” Dr. Patel says. (Once you acclimate, however, you may not need it anymore, he adds.)

He also recommends hydrating well before starting a run as dehydration can make you "more prone to bronchospasms, especially people with asthma".

Dr Patel suggests avoiding smoggy routes and dirty areas as pollution as well as germs can further amplify symptoms and worsen the situation. “If it’s cold on top of that, [poor air quality] can make breathing and symptoms worse,” he told Hackensack Meridian Health.

A 2023 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology study suggests that when the temperature inside the nose drops in cold weather, it may hamper the nose’s first-line, natural defense mechanism against viruses that cause upper respiratory infections and make the body more prone to illnesses.

Do Breathing Exercises Help?

• Warm up your airways
• Inhale through your nose rather than your mouth
• Slow down your pace and focus on rhythmic breathing

Lastly, Dr Patel advises avoiding tobacco smoke and air pollutants (both indoors and out) and getting regular health checkups.

Dementia patients in the United States continue to be prescribed stimulant medications known to carry serious risks, despite long-standing safety warnings, according to new research. The study, set to be published January 12, in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA, highlights ongoing concerns around medication use in older adults with cognitive decline.

While overall prescribing of these drugs has fallen over the years, the decline has not been even. Among all Medicare beneficiaries, usage dropped from 20 percent to 16 percent over the nine-year study period. Yet individuals with cognitive impairment remain more likely to receive these medications, even though they are particularly susceptible to harmful side effects.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a significant decline in mental function that interferes with daily life. It affects memory, thinking, and reasoning, and can also influence mood, behavior, and personality. Dementia is not a single illness but a syndrome caused by different conditions, most commonly Alzheimer’s disease.

Symptoms tend to worsen gradually, making everyday activities such as communication, decision-making, and self-care increasingly difficult. While there is no cure, certain treatments can help manage symptoms, according to the National Institute on Aging.

“Although the downward trend in prescribing was a positive sign, by 2021, more than two-thirds of patients who were still receiving these medications had no clear clinical reason documented for their use,” said senior author Dr. John N. Mafi, associate professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, as per Scitech Daily. “This points to persistently high levels of prescribing that may be unnecessary and potentially harmful.”

He added, “Compared to patients with normal cognitive function, older adults with cognitive impairment were more likely to be prescribed these drugs, even though they face a greater risk of adverse effects. These findings highlight major gaps in care quality and safety that affect millions of older Americans.”

Unsafe Medications Being Prescribed To Dementia Patients

For the study, researchers linked survey information from the Health and Retirement Study with Medicare fee-for-service claims data. They reviewed prescribing patterns for potentially inappropriate central nervous system, or CNS-active, medications between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2021. Older adults were divided into three groups: those with normal cognition, those with cognitive impairment without dementia, and those diagnosed with dementia.

The medications assessed were grouped into five categories: antidepressants with strong anticholinergic effects, antipsychotics, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics.

Higher Use Among Those With Cognitive Impairment

Clear differences emerged across the three cognitive groups. CNS-active medications were prescribed to 17 percent of older adults with normal cognition. This figure rose to nearly 22 percent among those with cognitive impairment but no dementia. Among individuals living with dementia, about one in four received these medications.

Looking more closely at specific drug types among all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, trends varied. Benzodiazepine use declined from 11.4 percent to 9.1 percent. Prescriptions for non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, commonly used to treat sleep problems, dropped sharply from 7.4 percent to 2.9 percent. In contrast, antipsychotic use increased from 2.6 percent to 3.6 percent. Rates of anticholinergic antidepressant prescribing remained unchanged at 2.6 percent throughout the study period, while barbiturate use saw a slight decrease from 0.4 percent to 0.3 percent.

Signs of Progress Alongside Ongoing Concerns

Prescriptions backed by a clear clinical justification declined slightly, from 6 percent in 2013 to 5.5 percent in 2021. At the same time, prescriptions considered likely inappropriate fell more noticeably, dropping from 15.7 percent to 11.4 percent. Much of this improvement was linked to reduced use of benzodiazepines and sleep medications, along with fewer inappropriate prescriptions overall.

The researchers acknowledged several limitations. The analysis did not include data from Medicare Advantage plans, some clinical details such as agitation may not have been captured, and the study focused on how frequently these medications were prescribed rather than how long patients remained on them.

“CNS-active medications can be appropriate in certain situations,” said Dr. Annie Yang, a scholar in the National Clinician Scholars Program at Yale University, as per Scitech Daily, who led the study while training as a UCLA internal medicine resident. “But it is essential for older patients and their caregivers to work closely with their doctors to confirm that these drugs are truly necessary. When they are not, care teams should explore other treatment options and consider whether it may be safe to gradually reduce or discontinue the medication.”