What is a boil?

Many friends are more likely to have pimples on their bodies in life. Don’t think that if you have pimples on your body, it means acne or allergies. In fact, it may be boils. Many friends don’t know what boils are. Boils are basically caused by anaerobic skin infection. So if it is a boil, we must pay attention to it. Don’t sit idly by, otherwise the infection of the surrounding skin will be more difficult to treat.

If you have a boil, you need to pay attention to many aspects. Try to keep your skin hygienic, clean and dry, eat more light food, avoid spicy food, and stay away from tobacco and alcohol. It is worth reminding that if you have a boil, it is best not to eat sweets, as it will affect the recovery of the disease. Below we will introduce in detail what boils are and related content, hoping to be helpful to you.

Causes

Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen. Recurrent furunculosis in the anogenital area may be secondary to anaerobic infection. 5% are sterile and caused by a foreign body reaction, such as a ruptured cyst. It is more common in teenagers. Susceptibility factors include long-term carriage of S. aureus, diabetes, obesity, poor hygiene habits, and immunodeficiency status.

Clinical manifestations

Initially, small red, swollen and painful nodules appear locally, which gradually swell and become cone-shaped. After a few days, the center of the nodule becomes soft due to tissue necrosis, and small yellow-white pus plugs appear; the area of ​​redness, swelling, and pain expands. After a few more days, the pus plug falls off, the pus is discharged, and the inflammation gradually disappears and heals.

There are generally no obvious systemic symptoms. However, if it occurs in an area rich in blood and the body's resistance is weakened, it can cause symptoms of toxic blood such as discomfort, chills, fever, headache and anorexia. If boils on the face, especially around the upper lip and nose in the so-called "danger triangle", are squeezed or pricked, the infection can easily enter the cavernous sinuses in the skull along the medial angular vein and the ophthalmic vein, causing suppurative cavernous sinusitis, with progressive redness, swelling and nodules extending to the eyes and surrounding tissues, accompanied by pain and tenderness, headache, chills, high fever and even coma. The condition is very serious and the mortality rate is very high.

diagnosis

Mainly based on clinical manifestations. Gram stain and culture of the lesions can support the diagnosis. In cases of extensive furuncles and carbuncles, the white blood cell count in the blood increases.

treat

Inflammatory nodules can be treated with hot compresses or physical therapy (thermal therapy, infrared or ultrashort waves), or with topical antibiotic ointments, such as mupirocin ointment. When there is a pus head, apply carbolic acid on the top. When there is fluctuation, drainage should be performed as soon as possible. Immature boils should not be squeezed to avoid spreading the infection.

Antibiotics should be used systemically in the following four situations:

1. Folliculitis is located around the nose, in the nasal cavity or in the external auditory canal.

2. Large or recurrent furunculosis.

3. There is cellulitis around the lesions.

4. The skin lesions do not respond to local treatment.

Drugs that are sensitive to the pathogens, such as penicillin, cephalosporins, macrolides, and clindamycin, should be given.

I think everyone knows what boils are. If you have a boil, do not squeeze it with your hands. Boils are caused by anaerobic bacteria, and there are many invisible bacteria on your hands. If you squeeze it, it will easily infect the surrounding skin and cause greater inflammation. I hope you can recover soon.