Furuncle

Furuncle: causes, symptoms and treatment

A furuncle, or carbuncle, is a purulent inflammation of the hair follicle, the accompanying sebaceous gland and the surrounding subcutaneous tissue. The most common causative agent of this disease is staphylococcus. Predisposing factors include poor hygiene, undetected minor skin damage, especially from shaving, excessive sweating and diabetes.

Boils can occur on various parts of the body, but most often they are localized on the face, back of the head, groin areas, buttocks and arms. Symptoms of a boil begin with itching, followed by pain, redness and swelling in the hair follicle area. Then a zone of necrosis forms and purulently melts.

To diagnose a boil, the doctor may order a blood test to look for leukocytosis and an elevated ESR level. This allows you to monitor the dynamics of the disease and exclude leukemia. It may also be necessary to measure your blood sugar levels to detect diabetes.

Sometimes it is necessary to differentiate a boil from rare cases of tuberculous cold abscesses, which manifest themselves as a fluctuating formation without skin hyperemia, fever and pain. Cold abscess is most often localized in the neck and groin area.

With facial boils, especially in the nasolabial triangle, thrombophlebitis of the angular vein of the face may occur, which communicates with the intracranial venous sinuses through the veins of the orbit. Such an ascending spread of infection through the venous sinuses can lead to the development of purulent meningitis or sepsis.

Treatment of a boil begins with rest and application of antiseptic or semi-alcohol dressings until the purulent melts. It is undesirable to use ichthyol or Vishnevsky ointment, which contribute to abscess formation of the infiltrate. If an abscess has formed, after injecting it with a 0.5% novocaine solution, you can remove the necrotic core, after which recovery usually occurs quickly. During the operation, it is necessary to take material for bacteriological examination.

If the boil is localized on the face, general antibiotic therapy in a hospital setting is mandatory, but the basis of treatment is adequate surgical intervention. To prevent the spread of infection and the development of complications such as thrombophlebitis of the angular vein of the face, it is necessary to limit talking and chewing.

In general, a boil is a disease that requires timely and adequate treatment. If you notice symptoms of a boil, consult a doctor for qualified help. Do not self-medicate, as this can lead to complications and worsening of your condition. Follow your doctor's recommendations and take prescribed medications to defeat this unpleasant disease faster and safer.

A furuncle is an inflammatory purulent disease of the sebaceous gland and surrounding tissues. Most often, folliculitis develops in areas of the skin with hyperkeratosis, as this contributes to the formation of a closed comedon.

The cause of infection is most often staphylococcus. Some patients are not able to be immune to the disease at all.