Sharp Pulling Pain in Belly Button - Part 2

It seems like its unheard of which is bad bevause i have the same problem. Its obviously something that if not anyone, women can get.

Same here! Let me know if you figure it out!

BE INFORMED!

I couldn't read every comment but hopefully I'm not repeating someone else. Maybe this link will provide some helpful or comforting information to others.
***Not mentioned in article:
There are nerves between the bladder and reproductive organs in females (G spot/T spot) that can connect sensations between the two and through the urachus(explained in article) and umbilicus(bellybutton)

https://urology.ucsf.edu/patient-care/children/urachal-abnormalities

https://urology.ucsf.edu/patient-care/children/urachal-abnormalities
Maybe this will help

Has anyone tried acupuncture for the pain?
I'm growing desperate to find relief.
I've been going on 3 months with chronic pain.

oddly enough I'm female with this problem have had it since I was 13. I'm 19 years old now and recently had exploratory surgery done to find the problem, of course they didn't. I had to withdraw from my college classes because the pain was so severe I couldn't sit. glad to know I'm not some freak of nature with this problem tho. I thought it was a mystery..well clearly it is

Yup, its the urachus guys. its a ligament that connected your bladder through the umbilicus whenyou are in utero, and its suppsed to close off and go away as you grow. For some people it doesnt. It can be completely open (an issue which is usually caught in childhood and corrected since you literally leak urine from your belly button). Or be partially open at one end or the other, and prone to infection or irritation. A cyst can also result in problems. Mine is a minor irritant most times, but if i have a bladder infection it tightens up a lot.

As a kid I got horrible recurrent bladder infections, but when they resolved the doctors basically stopped looking for the cause. Odds are my diverticulum was minor and resolved on its own, but the remnants of the ligament remain.

It took an internet search about the "string tied between my belly button and genitals" before I found an article from a fellow sufferer who did the anatomy research herself when doctors had no idea. My guess is since this issue usually arises and is treated in childhood, its something doctors simply dont think about when hernias and such are so much more common for adults.

I have the exact same thing. My name is Chris Wright from Ontario Canada. How are you now? Has the treatment helped? I know the pain you speak about. Doctors look at you like you are crazy. Initially they thought it was a hernia. So they did an ultra sound and nothing came up. Then they did an exploritory surgery and there was actually a hernia. After the surgery the pain continued. As hernias are not normally this painfull. I don't know what step to take next.

I have the same exact thing drs think I'm crazy. Did you get yours removed?

Wow! I'm experiencing this pain currently. I saw someone say, "drink lots of water". This helps! I always thought it was from being dehydrated. In this case, just coming of a cruise with lots of beer, I think this could be the case again. So, where's the deer park!?
Glad to know, I'm not the only one.

I'm a 19 year old male. I've been having these "string" pain for years and normally happened after urinating. People normally suggest UTD but after talking to family/friends and doctors about how they describe it I just couldn't feel it was something different as it didn't last too long but managed to occur too often. Doctors a no help to what it is but I've been wanting to find out for ages

I have also experienced this sharp, pulling pain, maybe once a year since as far back as I can remember - I'm now 25 (female).

I understand why people would believe that it could be related to strenuous exercise etc, but I woke up at about 3am this morning, half assuming that I needed to pee (I hadn't woken up properly), and had to roll off my bed in agony as I couldn't straighten my body. Hence, why I am on here doing some research.

I have NEVER been woken up by it before!! The pain seemed to travel around my lower back too, which I've never experience. Everything still feels sore...

Did you ever figure out what is was bc the exact thing happens to me

I have the same pain everyone on here has...for yet another repeat story, please see description below for what I told my physicians. But in short, sharp pulling pain happens 1-4x / year and slowly goes away over 3-10 days depending on severity of "initial pulling pain" as I nurse the area. For me, the sharp pulling pain is instant and seems to originate just to the right of my belly button. Anyway, I had hernia surgery like so many because they thought it must be (never proved there was a hernia) and pain came back. After a trip to the gastrologist, urologist, primary care, general surgeon, orthopedic,etc. and a ct scan which they all studied, the diagnosis is "all looks ok structurally" so try physical therapy. I have been going for a few weeks and the current thought is it's some legacy damage to my TRA muscle (deep abdominal muscle) and/or it didn't heal properly from the accident such that it is doing weird things when stretched. The pain is almost always triggered after a sharp movement (reaching for car door, sitting up from deep sitting position,etc.) after physically exerting the abdominal area or exercise. If they're right, it could have been caused by a legacy tennis accident. All doctors are saying it's muscular so whether it's a recurring abdominal strain, pull, spasm etc., increasing flexibility and strengthening my core they say will help and makes sense to me. I have become better about preventing potential triggers (hydration, stretching etc) and have yet to have a severe reoccurence. That said, it's too early to know if PT is truly helping or I'm just not "due" for another sort of random episode. There have been times where I have felt sensitivity in the area and it feels as if it's about to "pull", but I quickly stopped what I was doing and stretched. I do sometimes feel sensitivity in the area as I finish urinating and those muscles expand, but again they think it's the muscle on top of the bladder and has nothing to do with my urinary tract.

I've played tennis competitively growing up and am still in decent shape, albeit not flexible at all. Does this sound like anyone out there? Apparently rowers and tennis players have recurring ab issues quite often from the stress of repetitive sharp movements. If this issue comes back when I'm hydrated and not post a workout, I'll have to rethink my entire thesis. For now, it seems attacking the problem with PT is my hope and completely rebuilding my core.

Here is what I described to my doctors

"Over 10 years I've been getting a sharp pulling pain behind belly button a few times a year (1-4x/yr). I first discussed with primary physician a yr ago.


When episode occurs, feels as if I have sharp pulling pain on a string behind belly button that stretches down towards bladder (8 on pain scale). Once aggravated I have to stand up slowly and stay hunched over. I push in area when I go pee for fear area becomes stretched. Within days it generally goes away as I lay off things that would cause pain.

Triggers that bring about sharp pain include - standing up too quickly and stretching torso from seated position post a workout (dehydrated), stretching awkwardly and flexing ab muscles. Much more likely to happen after a long workout and/or bowels are full or I'm bloated. "

A couple clarifications - I don't remember ever having an accident growing up. What I should've said is doctors think I could've injured it as a youth and not thought too much about it or Injured the muscle slowly over time and in either case the muscle healed funny. Apparently muscles can do weird things when they heal per my PT therapist. She also thinks by nursing it over last 10 years and avoiding exercise, I may have actually made the issue worse as the muscle was never used / stretched / strengthened.

She thinks it's the TRA as it's a deep pain and not on surface of abdomen.

I also should've said I asked the urologist if it was it the tensing up or charley horse of the median umbilical ligament as others have suggested on message board and he thought that was crazy. Per him, the ligament has no nerves and no way of tensing or spasmimg. He said he would cut it out if I wanted, but was 100% positive it wouldn't help.

I also asked about the urachel remant, which doesn't seem to be an issue for me. Literally the CT scan showed no abnormalities, which is great. Every doctor agrees this pain is not threatening my health, just comfort.

Lastly, I haven't had an MRI but plan to if severe sharp pain returns. That said, every doctor has said don't get your hopes up because 1) it's still hard to see soft tissue damage with MRI and 2) likely won't be able to diagnose issue as it'll likely just show inflammation and 3) they won't go in and operate on a small tissue or tear or strain. "Hence try PT for months and see if that helps."

Sorry for long note but I've been reading all these posts for months and wanted to share my experience in hopes someone can see a common theme or learns something that will finally put this issue to bed for all of us.