Chances of cure for an abscess | Abscess in the groin – causes and treatment options

Chances of cure for an abscess

Smaller abscesses heal spontaneously and without further treatment. Larger ones, which are treated without operative measures but with a pulling ointment, should heal within approx. 1-2 weeks.

Abscesses that require antibiotic treatment (mostly larger abscesses with reddish skin areas) should heal after 3-5 days and the findings should have improved significantly. Pricked (incised) abscesses disappear immediately, because the pus has come out by the measure and thus only a flabby abscess cavity remains which is no longer palpable. However, in some cases pus reappears again, which can lead to a new formation of a pus cavity.

After larger surgical removal measures, a regular wound check-up with a change of dressing is usually followed by antibiotic treatment to prevent a recurrence of the abscess. In this case, the treatment, including follow-up examination, can take up to 14 days. After that all abscesses should be healed.

If abscesses recur regularly in the groin area and in other areas of the body, the exact cause should be looked for. Systemic diseases, such as immune deficiency diseases, can be responsible for this recurrence of abscesses. Groin abscesses during pregnancy also sometimes occur and indicate a high germ load of the skin.

Due to rubbing processes in the groin area, staphylococci have then entered the body and activated the immune system. Scavenger cells and other white blood cells immediately start attacking the pathogens and form a protective abscess cavity. In principle, abscesses can be treated in the same way during pregnancy as in non-pregnant women.

Initially, a traction ointment can be applied locally; success should occur a few days later. During pregnancy, antibiotics should be used very sparingly on the one hand, but on the other hand they should not be waited on for too long if necessary to avoid systemic spread in the body and thus protect the health of the child and the mother. In case of severe swelling, redness and accompanying general symptoms, antibiotic treatment should be started in any case.

In pregnant women, the well-proven cefuroxime should be used. Incisional treatment can also be performed and the pus drained from the abscess cavity. Larger abscesses should be surgically removed as a matter of urgency, because the spread of germs in the mother’s body can endanger the child.

A timely removal is very important in this case. An ultrasound should be performed beforehand, which can show how far the abscess continues in depth and whether a fistula duct has already formed.