Anybody ever have a boil?

[cruisnfamily]

Does this require a doctors treatment? Or does it go away on its own? Is it a good idea to "puncture" it and let it drain or is it better to leave it alone and let it break open on it's own(it looks like its gonna burst).

Thanks for the info ...

 

[maps]

Try putting some warm (not hot) compresses on it. Don't pick at it or squeeze it. If it doesn't drain on its own, then call your doctor.

 

[grinningghost]

Many years ago. If I remember, I let it go until it was ready to burst, then popped it gently on my own. I had it on my wrist, which was weird, I thought.

 

[oogieboogie]

I thought the title was refering to a crab boil. ROFL. Sorry, don't know anything about that kind of boil.

 

[momsal]

DH gets them hot compresses work then when it starts to drain we put icthomal ointment ( black salve) ( ask a pharmisist) on it until it goes away completly

 

[hercamore]

I agree with maps answer. Let it drain on it's own or you may get an infection.

herc.

 

[piratesmate]

Hmmm - DD had one 2 summers ago on her thigh. We weren't sure about it & took her to the doctor. I think he put her on an antibiotic...either oral or in a cream. It was quite painful at one point & the warm compresses really helped she thought.

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

They can be quite painful. And no - do not pick it - definately leave it alone until it does it's own thing. To get it to that point a little quicker you can do two things, one may seem odd, but it worked.

1) Hot compresses several times a day.
2) Take the membrane of an egg (the inside of the egg shell spearated from the shell itself) and place it over the boil - wet side down. Leave this in place until dry (just a few minutes). This helps to draw the boil to a head.


Ick! Reading back over what I've written, this is really nasty sounding. I know it's not funny. It is painful and I do hope it goes away quickly for you.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I get these often - one of the joys of my disease.

My docs have told me to let them come to a head on their own if at all possible by using warm compressed constantly. One time it got SO bad that we came very very close to lancing it, but held off another day and it broke on its own.

I have had some that were so excrutiatingly painful that I cried and cried until it popped. Immediate relief when it does.

 

[DMickey28]

I don't know if it was a boil, but I think so.

It was on the side of the bridge of my nose right next to my inner eye. It was huge, about the size of a grape and it did interfere with my vision. Looked like a zit but large and red and vainy. Sounds nasty. My doctor told me not to touch it and one day I think about a week later I rubbed in by accident and it popped..... I don't know if was a boil or HUGE zit but I never got one again.

I was a waitress at the time and couldn't take off work. Can you imagine me waiting on your table like that??????

 

[AZKathy]

My DH had one that got real bad that the egg membrane treatment did not work and the warm compresses did not work and it got so bad he started running a fever. I think the stress with his father's terminal illness was the big root of the problem (this started from an ingrown hair at his hairline at the back of his neck!) and the day his dad passed away, he had to run to urgent care and get IV antibiotics and get it lanced. Then two days later, he still was running high fevers and we had to fly to Kansas to bury his father, so we took him back to urgent care and get another IV bolus of antibiotics in before we got on the airplane. It was awful. He also was on oral antibiotics and Vicodin. He finally got back to feeling decent in around a week.

If you start running fevers, or the area gets really red and swollen, please contact your doctor.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Thanks! I'll keep you posted.

It's definitely red and swollen...has grown and become sensitive in the last week. Now it looks like it's gonna do something on its own. I was waiting to go to the doctor when the kids go back to school next week but now I don't think this thing is gonna last that long.

So, warm compresses and then if it bursts, it will drain and I should get salve from the drug store specifically for boils....does that about cover it?

No doctor visit necessary unless there is fever or other problems?

Thanks guys! The DIS knows everything!

 

[cruisnfamily]

A little smile for you guys... ...You know the "similar threads" link at the bottom of each post? The similar threads for this one are talking about cocktails and brownies.....Um, no, I think there's very little similarity there! Anyway, it just got me giggling

 

[minkydog]

Take the membrane of an egg (the inside of the egg shell spearated from the shell itself) and place it over the boil - wet side down. Leave this in place until dry (just a few minutes). This helps to draw the boil to a head.

Ick! Reading back over what I've written, this is really nasty sounding.

do you know this actually does work? i remember my grandfather telling me that when he was a child they used to chew up a peice of bread, put it on the boil, and wrap a collard leaf around it. As the collard leaf and the bread dried out, it would draw the infection.

My, my, havent we come a long way. Go to the doctor and get that thing looked at. Don't mash it or fool around with it; you don't want to develop cellulitis or sepsis from it.

CAthy

 

[cruisnfamily]

Found this on google:

Treatment

Small boils can be treated with moist heat (usually a warm, wet washcloth) applied for 20 to 30 minutes, three or four times a day. This will help the boil drain on its own. Once the boil drains, cover it with a clean bandage to protect the skin and absorb draining pus. Wash the affected area daily with antibacterial soap to prevent the infection from spreading. Anyone who helps care for the infected area should also wash his or her hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap.

Large boils may be treated with antibiotics. In many cases, the doctor will drain the infected area through a small incision. This will relieve pain, speed recovery and limit scar formation. If the infection is completely drained, antibiotics may not be necessary. If the infection is deep, your doctor may cover it with a piece of sterile gauze to keep the incision open and allow pus to continue to drain. You may need to return to the doctor a few times to have the gauze and dressing changed and to make sure the infection drains completely.

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor whenever you have a carbuncle, a large boil or a boil that doesn't improve after a week of home treatment as described above. If you have diabetes, you should call your doctor even if you develop a small boil because you are more prone to developing serious infections. Ask to be seen immediately if a boil of any size:

* Develops in an infant
* Is located on the face, rectum, groin or spine
* Produces fever or severe pain
* Interferes with movement of a body part
* Causes swelling, red streaks or other discoloration in nearby skin

If you have had several episodes of boils within a short period of time, visit your doctor. Your doctor can check whether an undiagnosed medical illness is affecting your body's ability to fight infections.

Prognosis

Most small boils heal without leaving a scar. In general, the larger the boil or carbuncle, the greater the chance that it will leave a scar. Because of this, you should see a doctor if you have a boil on your face. Antibiotic treatment and surgical drainage can help limit scar formation.

So, it doesn't sound like that big of a deal but I'll keep an eye on it.

Thanks!

 

[eeyore0062]

Ohhh, what an interesting thread. I am one of those really gross people who love to see zits popped, etc. Guess that is why when I was a nurse, nothing like that ever bothered me!

 

[cruisnfamily]

OK, here's the short version:

It opened up by itself and it was just too gross for words. I decided I needed a doctor to look at it just to ease my mind. The doctor said it was an infected abcess and prescribed Augmentin and bactroban ointment. He said it will heal within a week and then I have to go in and have a cyst removed from underneath this thing or he said it will happen again.

So, that's my story.....guess I ended up needing medical attention after all.

Thanks for all your replies...I had never experienced anything like this before

 

[luckywife]

I've had, what I'm now assuming is a boil, on the back part of my left for almost 3 weeks. At first I thought it was a pimple but it has gotten bigger and hurts really bad if I sit down the wrong way.
I went to the drug store the other night and found a cream called Boil-Ease. I've only been using it for a few days but I can't see or feel a difference in it at all yet. I told DH last night that I would give it another week and then would call the doctor about it.

I have tried placing a warm washrag on it, I even went as far as to put a HOT rag on it to see if that would help, it didn't. All I know is I want this thing gone now. I've never had anything on my body hurt like this or cause so much discomfort.

 

[DennisP]

When I was in high school (too many years ago to count), I had a boil on my right arm. I went to the doctor's office and he lanced and drained it right in his office. But that was then and I'm sure the treatment for a boil has changed over the years.

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

Coincedently, I just took DS(5) to the doctors yesterday for a boil on his hand. The doctor put him on Keflex antibiotic and also prescribed an antibiotic cream. YUCK!!! Good luck!