Symptoms of abscesses in the nose
The symptoms of an abscess in the nose are mainly characterized by the inflammatory reaction. This means that the abscess is perceived by the person affected primarily because of the pronounced pain. This pain is particularly acute when pressure is applied to the nose.
In addition, the pus cavity leads to a distinct swelling, which also tightens the skin above the abscess and therefore leads to a feeling of tension. Furthermore, the skin above the abscess appears redder and warmer than the surrounding skin. Since complications can occur with any abscess, the following warning symptoms should be observed: Fever is an indication that the infection has spread in the body and dangerous blood poisoning may occur, which must be treated by a doctor.
Headaches and epileptic seizures, on the other hand, are warning symptoms, especially if there is an abscess in the nose. These symptoms may indicate that the bacterium has already spread to the brain and that, for example, thrombosis of the brain vessels has occurred. This complication, if detected early, is usually easy to treat, but should be taken seriously. Any warning symptom should lead to immediate medical attention within a very short time. – Fever
- Headache
- Newly occurring epileptic seizures
The treatment of an abscess in the nose
The treatment of the abscess in the nose is based on several components. In the case of small, less inflamed abscesses, it may be sufficient to use traction ointment to make the abscess heal faster. Larger abscesses, on the other hand, should be surgically removed by the doctor.
This also reduces the likelihood of the abscess reoccurring in the nose, as the doctor removes the entire cavity completely. After the operation, good care of the wound must be ensured. It should be rinsed daily with a disinfectant that is compatible with the mucous membrane until healing and should only be touched with clean hands.
In this way a wound infection can be avoided. It may also be necessary to take an antibiotic to combat the bacteria remaining in the skin. Both tablets and an ointment containing antibiotics can be used for this purpose.
Whether or not both are necessary is best decided by the doctor treating the patient. It is important that an abscess should never be treated and expressed by the person affected alone, as it can lead to life-threatening complications. This is especially true for abscesses in the nose.
A doctor should therefore always be consulted. The question of whether and when antibiotics are necessary can best be decided individually by the doctor who has examined the abscess. The size of the abscess and the inflammation of the surrounding tissue is decisive.
A large abscess that is severely inflamed will in any case be treated immediately with antibiotics. However, since the nose is a particularly dangerous place in terms of the spread of germs, the doctor will generally take antibiotics at an early stage. Even if the doctor has surgically removed the abscess, it is important to follow up with antibiotic therapy.
Furthermore, personal factors also play a role. This means that people with a weakened immune system are more likely to be prescribed an antibiotic. This includes people with a congenital immune deficiency, but also people who have to take an immunodeficient drug because of an organ transplant or people infected with HIV.
Diabetics also have a slightly weakened immune system. A pulling ointment can be used to treat early abscesses, as it helps the pustule mature more quickly and softens the skin over the lesion, making it easier for pus to escape. In addition, the sulphonated shale oil contained in the pulling ointment is said to have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Furthermore, the sulphonated shale oil also contributes to pain relief and promotes blood circulation. However, as it is essential to prevent the bacteria from spreading to the brain in the nose area, it is rarely treated with pulling ointment alone. In this case, antibiotic therapy has the higher priority.
An abscess in the nose is a serious infection that should be taken to a doctor to avoid possible complications. Nevertheless, there are a few home remedies that can generally help to heal the abscess. Firstly, warm compresses help the abscess to mature.
Irradiation with red light can also help relieve the symptoms. Furthermore, ointments with essential oils or forest hawkweed can also have a disinfecting and ripening effect. However, it should be noted that not everyone can tolerate the essential oils well.
Any treatment with household remedies should be discussed with the doctor to avoid complications. In general, the rule with abscesses is that they should never be self-expressed! Undirected squeezing can cause the pus cavity to empty itself inwards together with the germs.
This can cause the inflammation to spread further or the bacteria can even enter the bloodstream, where a life-threatening blood poisoning can be triggered. On the nose, it is especially important that abscesses should not be self-expressed, as the inflammation can spread from the face to the brain and thus become life-threatening. To treat the abscess in the nose, other ointments can be used in addition to the pulling ointment.
While the pulling ointment mainly supports the maturation of the abscess, ointments containing antibiotics can prevent the inflammation from spreading. Often an ointment containing a so-called tetracycline antibiotic is used for this purpose. However, since it is particularly dangerous for the bacteria to spread from the nose to the brain, the antibiotic ointment is usually not sufficient and is supported by an antibiotic that is swallowed in tablet form or introduced into the body’s circulation via the vein.
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