Boils And Carbuncles

Introduction: A carbuncle is an abscess in the skin caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. It usually involves a group of hair follicles and is therefore larger than a typical furuncle, or boil. A carbuncle can have one or more openings onto the skin and may be associated with fever or chills. Boils and carbuncles are painful, pus filled bumps that form under skin when bacteria infect and inflame one or more of hair follicles.

Symptoms: Swollen, red lump deep in the skin, may “weep” or ooze clear fluid, or develop a crust, may spread to surrounding skin, creating a carbuncle, cause fever and chills or other symptoms, heal more slowly, scar the skin.

Current research: For carbuncles and boils, a warm compress may be used to help promote drainage of the lesion, surgical incision (making an opening in the skin overlying the infection) and drainage of the pus. Geographical analysis: In Canada mortality rate due to Boils and Carbuncles is 355.

Antibiotics alone can be inadequate in treating abscesses. The primary treatments for boils include hot packs and draining ("lancing") the abscess but only when it is soft and ready to drain. Most boils resolve on their own or with home remedies.