Signs of an abscess
- A red, swollen, tender lump that may feel soft or fluid-filled in the center
- Warmth over the area
- Pain that gets steadily worse
- Sometimes a visible white or yellow point
- Fever or feeling unwell in more serious infections
Why drainage is needed
Antibiotics alone do not reach well into a pocket of pus. Opening the abscess and letting it drain is the main treatment. Antibiotics may be added depending on the size of the abscess, the surrounding redness and your health, for example if you have diabetes.
Go to the emergency room for high fever, rapidly spreading redness, red streaks from the area, an abscess on the face near the eye, or if you feel very unwell.
Talk with Dr. Arsenous about your options.
How the procedure is done
The skin is numbed with local anesthetic. A small incision is made, the pus is drained and the cavity is gently cleaned. Depending on the size, it may be loosely packed with gauze or left to drain. A culture may be taken to guide antibiotic choice.
Aftercare
You will receive instructions for dressing changes or packing removal, usually over several days. Warm compresses and keeping the area clean help it heal. Most abscesses heal within one to two weeks. Recurrent abscesses, or an infected cyst or pilonidal cyst, may need a further procedure once the infection has cleared.