Diagnosis | Furuncle on the neck

Diagnosis

The family doctor or dermatologist usually makes the diagnosis by inspecting the affected area and based on its typical appearance. If necessary, a smear can also be taken. The smear is taken from the purulent contents of the punctured boil and examined microscopically. To detect and clearly identify the bacterial pathogens, the sample is sent to a laboratory and a bacteriological culture is prepared.

Symptoms of a furuncle on the neck

With a boil on the neck, a deep inflammation forms around the affected hair follicle within hours to days, which can lead to swelling of the neck. The boil is recognizable as a reddened nodule with a yellow pustule in the middle. Characteristic for a boil is a central accumulation of pus, which is caused by the death of tissue (necrosis) as part of the immune reaction.

Around the yellowish pus clot in the middle lies the reddened center of inflammation. A boil on the neck can grow up to two centimeters in size. The pus that forms exerts pressure on the surrounding tissue of the neck, causing the affected person to suffer from pain in the neck.

The entire area is reddened and very sensitive to pressure. The boil leads to the typical signs of inflammation: in addition to the swelling, there is also redness, heat and pain. In addition, the function of the neck is impaired and one cannot move the head without pain.

The boil can either spontaneously empty itself outwards or in rare cases it can be resorbed. Resorption means that the pus is absorbed and broken down by the body. The healing of the boil usually leaves small scars.

The furuncle can either empty spontaneously to the outside or in rare cases it comes to resorption. Resorption means that the pus is absorbed and broken down by the body. The healing of the boil usually leaves small scars.

The boil on the neck causes pain in the area of the inflammation and the surrounding skin is very sensitive to pressure. The formation of pus causes a plug to form which presses on the surrounding tissue, causing pain. The skin above the boil is tight and the neck can swell up considerably.