I had to go to the ER this past weekend and was told by the attending physician that I had an abscess on my wrist and it was causing a lot of pain and fever. I was prescribed sulfur for an antibiotic and sent home. This is taking a long time to heal.
2007-01-04 15:43:41 · 6 answers · asked by nanashouse0405 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Skin Conditions
An abcess or a boil are caused by the same basic thing, with the exception that a boil usually happens in a hair follicle or sweat gland. There is an infection of some sort that has gotten into the skin, and is walled off by the immune system. The pus which fills it is a mixture of the dead bacteria and white blood cells killed in the fight. The fever is a result of the immune response to limit the bacteria's ability to reproduce, body cells can handle the heat where bacteria and virus' can't. The pain is just because you have a lump where it doesn't belong, taking up room where there isn't any extra to spare. Take your antibiotics, and apply heat to the area. That will encourage extra blood supply to the area to help fight, and will make it drain sooner. As soon as it comes to the surface and drains, it will immediately feel much better pain-wise. When it drains you will likely notice a rather foul odor from the drainage, the bacteria involved is usually a staph bacteria which is a really smelly one as a rule. Sulfa drugs do a good job at killing them. When it drains, keep putting on the heat and keep it covered with a bandage to absorb the goo. Be very careful changing it and tossing the bandage so you don't transfer any infection to any other place- like your face or eyes. Use an antibacterial soap to clean the skin in the area and your hands. Usually abscesses and boils drain within a week of showing up, if you take the antibiotics and apply heat. The sooner it drains, the sooner it will completely heal up. Aspirin, Tylenol, or Motrin will help with the fever and pain, rest the arm, and eat well. You will be better soon.
2007-01-04 15:53:20 · answer #1 · answered by The mom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your pore gets blocked with skin cells and hair and suchlike. Bacteria and infection build up in there and pus forms. When it comes to a head, that is a boil.
2007-01-04 15:53:12 · answer #2 · answered by terry b 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Abscess and boils can be MRSA. A good clinician will do a culture. To make sure its not MRSA. MRSA is a severe drug resistant staph infection.
2007-01-04 20:20:47 · answer #3 · answered by Iceplayr 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes i just had a boil on my butt as a matter of fact last week...very pain ful...i used an antibotic called cipolacin and i use echenemel ointment and boil ease very painful...this is what causes boils...http://www.emedicinehealth.com/boils/article_em.htm
2007-01-04 15:52:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've always thought it was from an infection of some sort.
2007-01-04 15:45:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
a bacterial infection that gets into your blood stream
2007-01-04 15:51:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋