BOILS AND STAPH INFECTION- UNDERSTANDING SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS -URGENT CARE-10/22/24

Boils and Staph Infections: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment Options

Did you see a red bump filled with pus on your skin and does it keep growing? If yes, then you have a boil infection, which is a painful infection around the hair follicle. It is mostly caused by staphylococcus aureus, a bacterial infection. However, it can easily be managed with self-care options and treatment. Learn about staphylococcal boil symptoms and treatment options in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

Symptoms

A boil is mostly caused by staphylococcus aureus, the same bacteria that causes staph infection. This type of skin infection is called a golden staph. You can experience its symptoms anywhere on your skin, especially on the face, armpits, and buttocks. You can experience symptoms like:

• A painful, red bump that starts small but grows larger than 2 inches.
• Swollen skin around the bump.
• The bump increases its size when it fills up with pus, usually around a hair follicle.
• Develop a yellow-white tip that ruptures eventually and releases the pus out.

Cause and risk factors

Most boils are caused by Staphylococcus aureus, the most common bacteria that cause staph infection. This bacterium is commonly found on the skin and inside the nose. Staph infection’s most common symptom is the boil. It generally develops at sites where the skin barrier gets broken by a small injury or an insect bite, where bacteria can easily enter the skin and infect it.

Many factors can increase the risk of staph-caused boils (golden staph) risk. It includes:

• Close contact with a person who has a staph infection: You can develop boils if you make close contact with someone who has a boil or carbuncle.
• Diabetes: This disease makes your body’s immune system weak and more prone to infections, especially bacterial infections of your skin.
• Skin conditions: These conditions can damage the skin’s protective barrier and cause skin problems like acne and eczema, which make you more prone to boils and carbuncles.
• Weakened immunity: If your immune system is weak due to health conditions or medication, you’re more susceptible to boils and carbuncles.

Self-care and prevention

Here are some self-care and prevention tips you can use to treat a boil at home:

• Don’t break or squeeze the boil.
• Apply a warm compress on the affected area for 10 to 20 minutes at least 3 to 4 times a day to ease the discomfort and make the boil to drain itself.
• When your boil starts to drain, wash the area with antibacterial soap and apply some antibiotic ointment or a loose bandage. Repeat this process of cleaning and bandaging at least 2 to 3 times a day until the skin is healed.
• Avoid sharing clothing, towels, bedding, or sports equipment with others if you have a boil. If you have a cut or sore, make sure to use separate towels or linens for cleaning the area, wash them properly with detergent and hot water with added bleach and dry them in a hot dryer.
• Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes and activities that cause a lot of sweating.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and mild soap to prevent the spread of infection. Carry an alcohol-based hand rub with you if you don’t have water or soap to clean your hands.
• Cover your wounds properly with bandages until they heal.
• If your boil doesn’t get better after self-care for a few days, then see your doctor.

Treatment

Generally, small boils can easily be treated at home with self-care strategies. For larger boils and carbuncles, your doctor may make an incision with a sterile instrument to ensure it drains completely. Deep infections can’t be drained completely and may be packed with sterile gauze to help soak up the pus and remove additional pus. Sometimes doctors prescribe antibiotics or steroid shots to boost your healing, in case of severe or recurrent infections.

In addition to standard treatment, your doctor may try to eliminate or lower staph bacteria throughout the body with the help of any or all of the following treatments:

• Use a special antiseptic soap for washing hands or bathing.
• Use an antibiotic ointment.
• If required, oral antibiotics.

A boil is a type of staph infection symptom caused by staphylococcus aureus bacteria. It appears as a tender, swollen, pus-filled sore that occurs around a hair follicle. It can be contagious if you make close contact with things that contain these bacteria. However, it can commonly be treated at home with the techniques of self-care mentioned above. In case it doesn’t improve at home, visit the doctor to get treatment.

Need help with boil infection, visit our infectious disease doctor in Brooklyn clinic to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!

Doral Health and Wellness has several urgent care clinics around New York that can cater to your family’s medical needs. We also have the best medical providers, physicians and staff that are highly trained in their respective specialties. To know more about the locations of our urgent care clinics, you can visit us at Doral Health and Wellness. If you are looking for urgent care near you, you can visit Doral Health and Wellness Urgent Care. We provide urgent care for common illnesses and injuries. Additionally, we also provide comprehensive care for any related injuries and health problems. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. For more info, visit us or call 1-347-384-5690.