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.

Sepsis that happened by a lick from a pet dog led to a woman losing all four of her limbs. Health and Me had previously reported that a Birmingham based woman, 56-year-old pharmacy worker Manjit Sangha caught sepsis from the lick of her pet dog. She spent her night in coma in the hospital and had to lose all her limbs. This happened because bacteria from dog's lick entered her body through a cut or a scratch. This led to sepsis, where the immune system's reaction to infection damaged the body's own tissues and organs.

This has brought a lot of attention on what sepsis is and what are the symptoms one must be aware of. As per the Sepsis Alliance, one must know about TIME to be aware of sepsis.

Unique Symptoms of Sepsis

TIME stands for temperature, infection, mental decline and extremely ill. If you notice these symptoms, rush to the hospital.

• T for Temperature: If you notice your body temperature rising or falling
• I for Infection: If you see signs or symptoms of any infection
• M for Mental Decline: If you feel confused, sleepy and difficult in rising
• E for Extremely Ill: If you feel severe pain, discomfort, shortness of breath

Unique Symptoms Of Sepsis: What To Know About Temperature

Your body temperature normally stays steady at about 98.6°F (37°C), with small changes based on activity, surroundings, and time of day. A reading of 100°F (37.7°C) or higher is considered a fever. During infection, the body often heats up to help fight germs. However, some people experience an unusual drop in temperature instead. Because of this, both a spike and a fall in temperature can be warning signs of sepsis.

Unique Symptoms of Sepsis: How To Know If You Have An Infection?

When an infection stays in one area, its symptoms usually match the site involved. A urinary tract infection may cause burning while urinating or frequent urges, pneumonia can bring cough and chest pain, and an infected cut may show redness or pus.

Read: Where You Get Your Rabies Shot Matters: Doctor Explains Why Rabies Vaccines Should Not Be Given In Buttocks

If the infection spreads through the body, broader symptoms like fever, tiredness, and body aches can appear. In some cases, an infection may not cause obvious symptoms at all. This is especially important to remember after surgery, medical procedures, skin injuries, or close contact with someone who is sick.

Unique Symptoms of Sepsis: What To Look Out For Mental Decline?

Sepsis can also alter how the brain functions. Some people, particularly older adults, may not develop the usual infection symptoms. Instead, they might suddenly become confused or show a sharp worsening of existing dementia. Marked drowsiness or unusual sleepiness is another common sign.

Unique Symptoms of Sepsis: Signs That You Are Extremely Ill

Many sepsis survivors recall feeling sicker than ever before. They describe overwhelming symptoms such as the most severe sore throat or abdominal pain they had experienced, along with a frightening sense that they might not survive.

Unique Symptoms Of Sepsis In Children

Unique Symptoms Of Sepsis In Adults

• High blood cell count
• Immature white blood cells in circulation
• Elevated plasma C-reactive protein
• Elevated procalctonin (PCT)
• Low blood pressue
• Low central venous or mixed venous oxygen saturation
• High cardiac index
• Low oxygen level
• Low urine output
• High creatinine in the blood
• Coagulation or clotting abnormalities
• Absent bowel sounds
• Low platelets in blood
• High bilirubin levels
• High lactate in blood
• Decreased capillary filling or mottling

Mounjaro, a popular weight loss drug that helped many lose weight, however, in this one case, a woman, who was on the same drug noticed something different. While she lost weight, she noticed that her breasts continued to grow. The 30-year-old Tianna Moon of East Anglia, a region in eastern England first realized something was not normal with her chest in 2024. This was when she started to use Mounjaro.

She was losing weight, but her breasts continued to grow. This is when Moon's doctor diagnosed her with a rare disease call gigantomastia, which causes breast tissue to grow rapidly and in excess.

Also Read: 15 States Sue Trump Administration Over Revised Vaccine Schedule

Woman Lost Weight On Mounjaro But Her Breasts Didn't Stop Growing: What Happened To Her?

Moon said that the doctors had thought that she had macromastia, a less severe, however, a similar condition. "But when I broke down medical history, the weight loss on Mounjaro and the increased growth and side effects, he was point-blank like, 'This is gigantomastia'," she said.

Moon also told that her breasts currently weight 39 lbs, which is approximately 20 per cent of her overall body weight.

Moon also said that while her large breasts are "normal" at this point in her life, she said the rare condition still comes with challenges.

"The side effects are having numb arms quite a lot and having quite severe indentations on my shoulders. I have some light scarring under my breasts where bras have rubbed and ripped the skin open."

She also said that laying on her back is something she cannot do for a long time, as it restricts the amount of airflow she can get in. She also said that when she goes out she tries to make her breasts look smaller than they are and strap them up. "I [still] get stares and double takes."

Also Read: Wegovy And Ozempic Will Cost Less In 2027, Novo Nordisk Slashes Weight Loss Drugs Prices By Half

Woman Lost Weight On Mounjaro But Her Breasts Didn't Stop Growing: What Is Gigantomastia?

As per Cleveland Clinic, it is a rare condition where your breasts become excessively large. It can also cause pain, infection, discomfort and issues with body image. It is also known as breast hypertrophy where one experiences rapid and disproportionate breast growth. The speed with which the breasts grow could vary depending on the person. It could take a few weeks to over several years. The tissue is almost never benign.

Gigantomastia is characterized by:

• Breasts that have an excess of at least 5 pounds of breast tissue.
• Extra breast tissue that equals more than 3% of your total body weight.

There are different types of gigastomastia:

• Juvenile gigantomastia: This type happens during puberty.
• Gestational gigantomastia: This is when gigantomastia occurs during pregnancy.
• Drug-induced gigantomastia (or medication-induced): This happens after taking certain drugs.
• Idiopathic gigantomastia: This is when the cause of gigantomastia is unknown or can't be determined. Idiopathic gigantomastia is the most common type.

Moon is now considering a breast reduction surgery. She has for now set up an account on OnlyFans. “I might as well try and reap the benefits of my medical condition rather than the negatives," she said.

The recent launch of the indigenous Td vaccine in India by Union Health Minister JP Nadda will boost immunity and reduce the risk of tetanus and diphtheria in children and adults, said health experts.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda formally launched the indigenously manufactured Td vaccine in Himachal Pradesh last week.

With the launch, the Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine has been replaced with the Tetanus and adult diphtheria (Td) vaccine in India’s immunization program for all age groups, including pregnant women.

The move comes amid increasing numbers of cases of diphtheria amongst older age groups. Tetanus and diphtheria can lead to hospitalizations or even cause death. The Td vaccine will help to decrease diphtheria outbreaks.

“In keeping with global practice, India has shifted from TT, which covers for tetanus, to Td, which covers for both tetanus and diphtheria. This vaccine is indigenously manufactured and is expected to significantly reduce the risk of both these diseases in older children as well as adults,” Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Ex-President of IMA Cochin and Convener of the Research Cell, Kerala, told HealthandMe.

What Is The Td Vaccine?

The Td vaccine, indigenously manufactured at the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, is a combination of tetanus and diphtheria with a lower concentration of diphtheria antigen (d), and is recommended for older children and adults.

The use of Td, instead of TT, is recommended during pregnancy to protect against maternal and neonatal tetanus and diphtheria during prenatal care.

Vaccination during pregnancy also serves to boost immunity and increase the duration of protection in pregnant women who have not received the full set of recommended booster doses.

The Td is a safe vaccine, and 133 countries are currently using it.

The Health Ministry, in a statement, said that the Central Research Institute will supply 55 lakh doses to the UIP by April 2026, with production expected to scale up progressively in subsequent years to further strengthen the Universal Immunization Program in India.

“India’s indigenous Td vaccine rollout marks a significant milestone in strengthening the nation’s immunization program by enhancing self-reliance, affordability, and supply stability,” Dr. Neha Rastogi, Senior Consultant - Infectious Diseases, Fortis Gurugram, told HealthandMe.

“Locally produced vaccines reduce dependency on imports, ensuring uninterrupted protection for adolescents and adults against tetanus and diphtheria. This initiative supports wider coverage, faster distribution to remote regions, and improved public health preparedness,” she added.

Tetanus And Diphtheria: Disease burden In India

As per the National Health Profile 2022, India has reported 1,586 cases and 22 deaths due to diphtheria in 2020, and 3,677 cases and 47 deaths in 2021.

Around 10 Indian states report the majority (84 per cent) of the cases.

As of 21 June 2024, Orissa has also reported six deaths and 21 suspected diphtheria cases. There has been more than 90 percent coverage of diphtheria vaccination in birth cohorts since 2014, but gaps in booster dose coverage are widely prevalent.

Plugging of gaps in the routine immunization, coupled with inclusion of booster doses in the national data on diphtheria vaccination, is the need of the hour.

“Diphtheria is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases known to man; it spreads easily through the respiratory route. It can cause death due to the bacterial toxin affecting the heart (Myocarditis). It is vaccine-preventable, but the immunity fades over time,” Dr. Jayadevan said.

Therefore, the Td booster shots at ages 10 and 16 are essential to maintain protection. Similarly, pregnant women should receive two doses to protect both mother and child.

Given the recent outbreaks of diphtheria in India and elsewhere, this transition is a public health priority, the expert said.