Skin Abscess, Boil and Carbuncle: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

• General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, body weight, body height; furthermore:
  • Inspection (viewing) of skin and mucous membranes:
    • [Symptoms of skin abscess:
      • Redness and swelling
      • Pain and tightness due to swelling
    • Symptoms of a furuncle:
      • Nodular inflammation of a hair follicle
    • Symptoms of a carbuncle:
      • Skin and subcutaneous tissue are often board-hard infiltrated (phlegmonous inflammation).
      • Usually results in multiple (numerous) tissue infiltrations and, without therapy, spontaneous, often sieve-like skin perforations/ruptures]

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.