Internal boil on the arm treatment. Abscess, abscess and abscess: how and with what, to treat, what to do at home. What are the possible complications

Furuncle occurs on any hairy part of the body and progresses rapidly. Normally, 7-10 days pass from inception to complete healing. The boil on the arm is no exception. The cause of a purulent formation is the penetration of a purulent bacterium - Staphylococcus aureus or white - into the hair follicle. Staphylococcus provokes an inflammatory process, which causes suppuration and necrosis of tissues.

In a normal healthy state, the skin contains a large population of staphylococcus aureus on its surface, and most of the bacteria are useful, performing protective functions. Only one in ten is a representative of a pathogenic species that leads to diseases such as a boil.

The skin has a number of properties aimed at self-defense against infections and viruses.

These include:

special immune cells that produce substances that are harmful to pathogens;
maintaining a certain acidity of the upper layer of the skin, which allows only “good” microorganisms to survive;
surface microflora containing the perfect balance of bacteria and other organisms. It does not allow pathogenic microorganisms to develop.

For various reasons, defense mechanisms weaken, become unable to fight pathogens. In this case, staphylococcus enters the hair follicle and the sebaceous gland associated with it and a boil begins to develop.

The main factors affecting the weakening of the natural skin protection:

skin structure, microflora, acidity can be disturbed by profuse sweating;
mechanical damage (wounds from extruded acne, eczema, cuts, injuries) weaken skin immunity;
poor hygiene, rare water procedures upset the balance of microflora;
contact by occupational activity with industrial dust, oils, chemicals weakens the immune properties;
contact of healthy skin with secretions from their ears or nose during otitis media or rhinitis provokes an increase in the number of "bad" bacteria.

If we talk about the causes of boils on the hands, then the main thing here is rubbing infected microparticles into the skin with coarse clothing. In the process of friction, wounds are formed, where pathogens of infection enter and the process of development of the boil starts.

In addition, there are ailments that reduce overall immunity, as well as creating a favorable environment for the development of boils:

prolonged viral or infectious diseases;
diabetes;
dysfunction of the adrenal glands;
hypothermia;
hypovitaminosis;
bad nutrition.

If the reason lies in the general condition of the body, then we are no longer talking about a single boil, but about their systemic appearance on different parts of the body - furunculosis. This disease requires mandatory testing and a visit to the doctor in order to diagnose the cause.

Cases for home treatment and requiring immediate medical attention

To determine the occurrence of a situation when it is worth quitting to treat yourself and seek professional help, you need to know the main stages of the normal development of a boil.
The first sign that a boil is starting to develop is redness and swelling of a small area of skin around the hair follicle. This place is called an infiltrate. It starts to tingle a little inside him. Speaking in folk language, the boil is "ripening".

The next stage is marked by the onset of decay and tissue necrosis inside the boil. It lasts from 2 to 5 days and ends with the formation of a head, which breaks through and is released.
The last stage is marked by healing and the appearance of a scar around the hair follicle.

Furuncles on the arm or finger in most cases do not cause great danger. The reason for going to the doctor should be a multiple abscess, covering several follicles or boils at the same time, which does not find a way out for more than 4-5 days.

An immediate appeal to a dermatologist or surgeon should be:

redness in the form of red stripes on the skin extending from the boil in different directions;
swollen lymph nodes in the chest;
unbearable pain;
any rise in temperature.

In the clinic, an anesthetic injection will be made in the arm, then the surgeon will cut the head with a scalpel and drain the purulent-necrotic masses. The place after the boil will be treated with an antiseptic and a bandage with levomekol will be applied. Depending on the general condition of the patient, the doctor may prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics.

At home, the treatment of a boil on a finger or arm is to relieve pain and itching. The first two days can be smeared with iodine, brilliant green, fucorcin. They need to be alternated with the application of ointments that contribute to the speedy breakthrough of the boil: Vishnevsky, ichthyolka, levomekol. Any of the listed ointments is applied with a fleece, covered with a dry layer of gauze and fixed with an elastic bandage.

A warm compress with gauze soaked in saline and a warm heating pad relieves itching well. If part of the hand can be immersed in the bath, warm water treatments with sea salt can be applied topically. Washing in a large bathroom will have to be abandoned for a while, especially at the stage of exit from the pus boil, in order to prevent the spread of pathogenic staphylococcus to the mucous membranes of the genital organs and other skin integuments.

After the breakthrough of the boil and the release of purulent-necrotic masses, careful assistance in emptying the abscess is allowed. To do this, with soft massaging movements from the edges to the center, you need to push the contents to the hole. You need to complete the procedure by treating the skin with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol (a more painful method), then apply levomekol under a dry bandage, fixing it with an elastic bandage or plaster.

Healing ointment must be applied daily until the boil is completely scarred.

An abscess (boil) is a painful swelling, bump, nodule that forms against the background of reddened and hot skin. In the center of the abscess, an abscess is formed - a whitish-yellow focus, delimited from the surrounding tissues.

An abscess or boil is colloquially called purulent diseases of the skin and soft tissues: abscesses or abscesses. The cause of the disease are various pyogenic bacteria, most often staphylococci and streptococci. Predisposing factors may be:

injuries and damage to the skin (during shaving, pricks and cuts with contaminated objects, etc.),
violation of hygiene rules,
decrease in the body's defenses for colds, chronic diseases.

So, for example, the frequent appearance of abscesses (boils) on the skin is observed in patients with diabetes mellitus. An abscess on the finger or near the nail is often formed in people of working professions, often injuring their hands. Ulcers in the area of the hair follicles under the armpits, on the face, in the groin, as a rule, are formed after a sloppy shave, especially in the hot season, when it is difficult to keep the skin clean all the time.

What are abscesses (boils, abscesses)?

Abscesses occur on any part of the body. Some are harmless and go away on their own, while others require medical attention. The causes, symptoms, mechanism of development and general approaches to their treatment are usually similar.

Furuncle- This is a purulent inflammation of the hair follicle and the adjacent sebaceous gland. Boils are often called boils, they are usually located on parts of the body with vellus hair: face, arms and legs, buttocks, less often on the scalp.

Carbuncle is a more dangerous disease. Several nearby hair follicles and sebaceous glands become inflamed at once, forming a single abscess. Favorite places of the carbuncle: neck, face, back, lower back, buttocks.

Felon- this is an infectious inflammation of the tissues of the finger, which develops after any injury: an injection, a cut, a splinter, sometimes as a complication of an ingrown nail. Depending on the depth of the location of the purulent cavity, panaritium can be cured on its own, but, as a rule, requires the intervention of a surgeon. Without treatment, it often has dangerous complications that are fraught with loss of a finger.

Hydradenitis(bitch udder) - inflammation of the sweat glands in the armpit, less often in the groin. The disease begins with the appearance of pain and compaction in the depths of the armpit. The seal grows, the skin over it turns red, the pain intensifies. A focus of purulent softening of tissues is gradually formed. With a successful outcome, hydradenitis is emptied to the surface of the skin on its own. However, surgical opening of the abscess is often required, since hydradenitis tends to have a long (more than 2 weeks) course and involve neighboring sweat glands in the process.

All these diseases are treated and diagnosed by a surgeon.

Abscess, abscess, boil: symptoms

The abscesses develop gradually. First, a focus of inflammation is formed on the skin under the action of bacteria. The skin above it turns red, swells, becomes warmer and denser than the surrounding tissues to the touch. Soreness appears. In the future, pain and swelling of the skin increases. In the center, a focus of tissue softening is formed - a cavity filled with pus.

If the boil is located in the superficial layers of the skin, it is clearly visible as a limited whitish-yellow spot. With a deep location of the focus, pus may not be visible through the skin. Then you can feel a soft, fluid-filled formation.

If the purulent cavity is well delimited from the surrounding tissues, pain increases, a feeling of tension and pressure in the area of the abscess. Sometimes the pain reaches such intensity that it does not allow you to fall asleep, it can be twitching, throbbing or aching. With a successful development of events, the skin over the abscess breaks, its contents are released outward in the form of a viscous whitish-yellow liquid, sometimes with an admixture of blood. There is immediate relief after that. The wound crusts over and heals within a few days.

Unfortunately, the body does not always easily cope with abscesses. If the bacteria that caused the disease have pronounced aggressive properties, in addition to local symptoms, general complaints arise. Body temperature rises, aching muscles, joints, headache, weakness, loss of appetite appear. In the immediate vicinity of the abscess, you can feel the enlarged lymph nodes.

Sometimes the body fails to delimit the abscess from healthy tissues and pus rushes deep into, spreading into the subcutaneous fatty tissue, along the tendons, muscles, blood vessels and nerves. In this case, it is very difficult to stop the process. In especially severe situations, the infection can penetrate into the bone tissue, causing purulent fusion of bones - osteomyelitis. All these complications are very dangerous and require urgent treatment in the hospital. The likelihood of an unfavorable development of events is increased by:

the location of the abscess (boil) on the face (especially in the nasolabial triangle), on the fingers and hands, in the ear canal, breast, in the groin;
decreased immunity;
mechanical impact (attempts to squeeze out the abscess).

How to treat an abscess (abscess)?

As a rule, small pustules do not cause any special complaints, almost do not hurt and go away on their own without treatment. You can wait with a visit to the doctor in cases where there is only redness and swelling of the skin. At this stage, you can try to stop the process yourself, without bringing it to the purulent stage.

The initial stages of inflammation are amenable to conservative treatment. Some measures can be taken at home, without a doctor. To do this, dry heat is applied to the area of inflammation (when there is no pus yet). It can be a woolen cloth heated on a battery, a clean bag with heated sand, salt, rice, flaxseed, etc. You can use gel, salt or regular heating pads or special devices for home physiotherapy.

Wet warming procedures should not be used: wet towels, traditional compresses, mustard plasters, baths, etc. Moisture contributes to the rapid spread of infection to surrounding tissues. Do not massage the affected area. If an abscess appears on an arm or leg, it is advisable to ensure peace of the limbs.

The skin is treated with antiseptic solutions: medical alcohol, medical antiseptic solution 70-95%, a solution of brilliant green (brilliant green), betadine, vodka. The center of the abscess can be cauterized with iodine. At the same stage, drying compresses with medical alcohol help well. To do this, several layers of gauze or bandage are moistened in alcohol and bandaged to the site of injury. The film is not covered and allowed to dry completely, and then the manipulation is repeated.

The doctor may prescribe physiotherapy: UHF, UV, microwave therapy, infrared irradiation and other methods that are carried out in the physiotherapy department at the territorial clinic or in private clinics in the city.

Who heals?

Abscess, abscess, boil: when to see a doctor?

If the abscess has already formed, the only possible outcome is to empty it. Pus never resolves, and an abscess can only be cured by removing its contents. Waiting for the boil to open on its own can take several days and comes with a risk of complications. If you want to quickly get rid of pain and prevent a severe course of the disease, it is better to consult a doctor.

An additional reason to visit a doctor are the following factors:

severe pain in the area of the abscess (boil);
deep location of the abscess or its location in dangerous places (see above);
deterioration in general well-being (fever, swollen lymph nodes, weakness);
the presence of background diseases (diabetes mellitus, chronic hepatitis, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, frequent colds, AIDS);
several purulent foci on the skin.

The surgeon deals with the treatment of purulent skin diseases. At the reception, he will examine you and can immediately open the abscess. This is usually done in a polyclinic - on an outpatient basis, hospitalization may be required only with severe general symptoms, a large abscess, its deep location, or a high risk of complications. The operation is performed under local anesthesia (pain relief) and usually takes 10-15 minutes. Choose a good surgeon

After anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision over the abscess and removes its contents. With a deep location of the abscess, the doctor may leave drainage in the wound - usually strips of latex through which pus will flow for several days. Stitches on abscesses are usually not applied, the skin heals on its own. Dressings will be required to care for the wound.

If the doctor recommends hospitalization, you can use our service to choose a good clinic for the treatment of an abscess. In the hospital, there are conditions for more serious surgical interventions, in addition, medical staff will monitor your well-being and care for the postoperative wound. Some types of boils are difficult to remove under local anesthesia, surgeons take longer to clear the wound of pus, so anesthesia may be required. In addition, the hospital usually uses general treatment: the introduction of antibiotics, drugs that strengthen the immune system and help fight infection.

Abscess, abscess and abscess- this is a limited purulent inflammation with the melting of the adjacent soft tissues and the formation of a cavity filled with pus. Unlike the more formidable phlegmon, in which purulent fusion of tissues is observed without a clear delimitation of the focus of tissue decay, with abscesses, abscesses and abscesses, there is a boundary between the focus and healthy tissues on the body. This is their auspiciousness.

But, nevertheless, the localization (location) of the abscess is of great importance in the prognosis of the outcome and complications of the disease. What you will see further in the text of the article.

How and how to treat and cure abscess, abscess and abscess

I want you to understand me correctly from the very beginning that it is impossible to treat abscesses and abscesses at home with folk remedies! With an abscess, for example, on a finger near the nail bed, home remedies can still be overcome.

Causes of ulcers, abscesses and abscesses

The development of abscesses, ulcers and abscesses can lead to:

penetration through damaged skin of pathogenic microflora,
or internal introduction of infection due to infectious diseases.

The development of an abscess and abscess depends on the condition:

body's immune system,
virulence (degree of pathogenicity) of the pathogen,
specificity of the focus of implementation.

An abscess can form:

under the skin,
in the lungs
in the liver
kidneys
throat,
tonsils,
appendicular process of the cecum,
even brain tissue.

Often an abscess is a complication of infectious diseases:

osteomyelitis,

Ulcers can be:

single,
multiple,
large,
small.

An abscess also happens:

sharp,
chronic.

Abscesses, or abscesses of soft tissues, can also occur as a result of bruises, but usually it is an internal infection against the background of a weakening of the protective mechanisms in the body.

Complications of abscess and abscess

The prognosis of the course and outcome of the disease depends on:

locations,
hearth size,
on the degree of resistance of the organism.

The formed abscess breaks through:

out,
into hollow organs
into natural body cavities.

When an abscess breaks inward, it may develop:

peritonitis,
purulent pleurisy,
blood poisoning
other.

When the abscess is emptied outward, long-term non-healing ulcers appear on the surface of the skin, in the place of which rough scars form.

When examining the affected area, in cases of localization of an abscess or abscess under the skin, there is swelling, redness, depending on the severity of the disease - swelling, compaction of adjacent tissues and pain when palpated.

Treatment of boils at home

Treatment of small abscesses at home with the help of folk remedies of alternative medicine is possible only with favorable localization of an abscess or a small abscess close to the surface of the skin. The following medicinal plants are used.

Aloe arborescens - Agave

Aloe juice is used in the form of medicinal dressings, irrigation, lotions. Aloe leaf gruel is often used, applying it to the abscess site under a bandage for 10–12 hours, then the bandage is changed.

Under the action of aloe juice, ulcerative surfaces are quickly cleared of pus, covered with granulations and epithelialized.

Usually, the lower leaves of aloe are taken for treatment. Some authors recommend not watering the plant for 4-5 days before cutting the leaves. The leaves are cut into small pieces, wrapped in gauze and squeezed.

white cabbage leaf

Put a carefully chewed crumb of rye bread on any abscess, cover with a fresh cabbage leaf on top, then with oiled paper and bandage it tightly. Do not remove the bandage for a day. This method is effective in the treatment of felons, subcutaneous abscesses, unopened boils.

Onion

Accelerates the maturation of any abscess, be it an abscess, boil or panaritium. The onion, carefully chopped into gruel, is applied to the site of the lesion and bandaged. Milk can be added to the slurry in a ratio of 2: 1 (2 parts - slurry, 1 part - milk). Sometimes baked onions are used to treat abscesses. The bulb is applied to the affected area and bandaged for a day.

Plantain large

It is used both to relieve inflammation and to stop bleeding from abscesses (with vascular damage), with long-term non-healing wounds and ulcers.

Plantain can also be used in the form of decoctions and infusions. But more often they use plantain juice or gruel from its leaves, which are applied under a bandage.

It is necessary, when the first signs of an abscess appear, to bandage fresh crushed plantain leaves, sprinkled with salt, smeared with pork fat and mixed with bread crumbs, to the sore spot.

Ointment from abscesses and abscesses

If a painful swelling or redness of the skin appears on the body, smear these areas furacilin ointment or zinc salicylic paste(Lassar pasta). You can take concentrated furatsilina solution(one tablet per 50.0 ml of water), apply it on a sterile gauze pad and apply to the problem area of the skin.

Instead of the above, you can apply: ointment "Fastin", pharmaceutical solution dioxidine.

The most effective remedy is a combination of ointments externally and ingestion of tablets: Abactyl"(1 tab. 2 times a day with meals); or " Fasijin"(1 tab. 4 times a day with meals)

Recipe

Compress

Make compresses at night from a decoction of willow bark. The recipe consists of: 20.0 gr. chopped willow bark in one glass of boiling water, heated over low heat and simmered for about half an hour.

In order to speed up the maturation of the abscess and the resorption of the tumor, a crumb of wheat bread soaked in hot milk is applied to the sore spot.

Also used for treatment, acceleration of maturation and breakthrough of the abscess honey-egg cake, which is applied to the problem area. It is prepared as follows: 1 glass of flour, 1 raw yolk and 1 teaspoon of honey. All this is mixed and applied in the form of a cake to a painful place. Change the lozenges every 2 hours until the abscess bursts.

Surgical treatment of abscesses and ulcers

In official medicine, the treatment of any abscess and abscess, large and small, consists in opening the capsule and emptying the purulent cavity using a wall incision. It happens, but rarely, in some cases they are limited to puncture, pus is pumped out and antibiotic solutions are injected into the abscess cavity. Washing of the cavity in which the pus was located is also used (for example, in otolaryngological practice with sinusitis, frontal sinusitis) with disinfectant solutions of Furacilin, Rivanol, etc.

Keep in mind that the main method of treating an abscess or abscess is a surgical method. The surgeon follows the rule:

Where there is pus, open it.

The specifics of the development of pathology

The most common causative agent of the disease is staphylococcus aureus. As a rule, a boil develops with a weakening of local or general immunity. It is a formation around the hair follicle with infiltration and rapidly developing necrosis. In the event that the inflammatory process penetrates the follicle, the boil can develop gradually.

The abscess on the hand matures for several days, after which it opens, and a little pus is released from it. At the same time, its main mass remains inside in the form of a necrotic rod. After its rejection, a deep channel remains, which does not heal for a long time.

The main stages of development of a boil:

development of an infiltrate;
suppuration and necrosis;
healing.

Furuncles are single and multiple. The latter type indicates the presence of furunculosis, a chronic skin disease in which abscesses can appear throughout the body, including the hands.

Reasons for solitary education:

Skin injury. Scratching, insect bites and other microtraumas contribute to the penetration of infection into the deeper layers of the skin, provoking the formation of boils.
Skin pollution. As a rule, boils occur when the skin is contaminated with chemicals, particles of coal and cement. The provoking factor is the prolonged friction of small particles on the skin.
Hypersensitivity to staphylococcal infections.
Increased oily skin and sweating.

Causes of furunculosis:

Decreased local and general immunity.
genetic enzymopathy.

The main symptoms of the disease include:

redness of the skin around the formation;
puffiness;
painful sensations;
lymphangitis;
local rise in temperature.

A boil on the arm most often resolves within a few days without special treatment. But if the formation causes severe discomfort or does not go away in 10 days, it is recommended to use special ointments and compresses to eliminate it. With the localization of the abscess on the hands, such a complication as a malignant boil can develop. In this case, the body temperature rises, as well as pain.

Other consequences include blood poisoning, and the spread of boils to other parts of the body. In this case, numerous abscesses form in the muscles, organs and other tissues. If the formation occurs on the fingers or hand, it can be complicated by inflammation of the lymph nodes or blood vessels.

How to properly treat the disease?

Therapy of the disease depends on the degree of development of the inflammatory process. With a slight skin lesion on the arm, local treatment based on ointments, compresses and antiseptic solutions, as well as folk methods, is most often enough. But in severe cases, surgical treatment is required.

Traditional Methods

When choosing how to treat a boil, you should pay attention to the fact that there is a general and local treatment. General - is used in the event of complications, for example, in the formation of abscesses against the background of diabetes mellitus or a decrease in immunity. In this case, it is recommended to take antibiotics (Amoxiclav, Cefixime), strengthen immunity (Immunal, Proteflazid) and treat concomitant diseases.

The fastest way to cure a boil is surgically. The procedure consists in removing the purulent rod, as well as washing the wound with an antiseptic. Before the removal, the required area is anesthetized. A course of antibiotics may be required after the procedure.

Treatment can be carried out at home, using available pharmaceutical preparations. If the immune system is in order, then the healing of the formation takes no more than a week. The most effective pharmaceutical preparations:

Folk ways

With single boils and in the absence of complications, simple homemade recipes can also be used to eliminate the formation. They are ointments and compresses for the treatment of boils on the elbow, fingers or other parts of the arm.

The most popular means include such compounds:

Folk remedies are quite effective. However, if the treatment does not help, and the condition worsens, you should resort to traditional methods of treatment or seek the help of a surgeon.

Prevention of a boil consists in observing the rules of personal hygiene, as well as protecting the hands from injuries and prolonged exposure to chemicals. Particular attention should be paid to the state of the immune system, as well as the identification of diseases that can provoke the occurrence of abscesses. It is forbidden to squeeze or cut abscesses, as well as apply warm compresses.

A furuncle on the arm is an unpleasant phenomenon that can cause pain and aesthetic discomfort. Most often, education independently pass within a week. But to speed up the process, you can use folk or traditional means.