Therapy of a furuncle
There are several possibilities for the therapy of a furuncle. Which of them makes the most sense depends on the location of the furuncle and its severity. It is important to take a closer look at the therapy of a furuncle.
On the one hand, it causes pain and is unaesthetic, but on the other hand, a boil can also cause complications that require urgent action. Therefore, one should not postpone the visit to the doctor in case of long existing, purulent skin changes. The forms of therapy can be divided into conservative (uncomplicated boils) and surgical (complicated variants).
Often, it is sufficient to simply leave it alone and wait for the skin change to subside. If, however, the boil is not self-limiting or hurts too much, the following measures can be taken first: They prevent the spreading and carrying of potentially infectious pathogens from the pus, in addition, they support the healing of the boil. To be on the safe side, it is recommended to wash your hands after each contact with the boil.
The PVP-Iodine Wash Antiseptic is also a suitable option for this purpose. The focus of every boil therapy is to remove the pus from the lump. Warm compresses or compresses can help the skin to mature and thus promote healing, as they soften the skin and allow the furuncle to be emptied.
However, it is strictly discouraged to try to express the boil yourself. There is the possibility that the boil, in simple terms, bursts open inwards and the bacteria spread into the surrounding tissue or the bloodstream. In the worst case, this can trigger sepsis or, in the case of facial boils, cerebral venous thrombosis, a serious complication.
The affected area should be left alone, which can also mean bed rest, depending on the location.
- In uncomplicated cases, even applicable and quickly available therapies are useful, such as disinfectant solutions applied locally.
- A camomile tincture for local application is also available as an anti-inflammatory household remedy.
Also a popular remedy against boils is the pulling ointment. This is an ointment against boils with the active ingredient ichtyol or turpentine oil, which has several properties.
It inhibits inflammation in the tissue and promotes blood circulation. In the best case, this results in healing, otherwise the ointment accelerates the maturation of the boil and thus reduces the time until a possible surgical therapy. Quite a few doctors, however, advise against using the ointment because of the risk of abscess formation.
Thus, there are also complicated boils where the conservative type of therapy is not sufficient. In such cases, invasive measures are used, which must be carried out by a doctor. If the boil is mature, a small incision can be made in a small surgical procedure under local anesthesia, after which the contents of the boil are removed.
This removes the sometimes strong pressure from the skin area and relieves the pain. It also counteracts the possible spread of pathogens to deeper layers. Depending on the case, the dermatologist may also decide to insert a small strip into the incision.
This is intended to serve as a kind of guiding structure where the remaining secretion can flow off easily. The incision of the furuncle has a good prognosis and cures the disease in most cases. For certain types of furuncles, for example those that appear on the face or recurring furuncles, the therapy is supported by medication.
Antibiotics are then used. This group of drugs, which only works against bacterial pathogens, intervenes very specifically in the metabolism of bacteria and destroys them. In the therapy of boils, the purpose of this is to destroy the bacteria before they can spread to other areas and thus prevent serious complications.
Penicillin antibiotics are mainly used in this case. These are either given systemically, i.e. in tablet form, or are applied locally in antibiotic-containing ointments, usually with the active ingredient fusidic acid. The most unfavorable course is a chronicity of the disease, so that the boils appear repeatedly in different parts of the body.In this case, the therapy available is the administration of so-called autovaccines.
This means that samples are taken from the diseased tissue to obtain the pathogens and these are multiplied in the laboratory. After killing these bacteria, the dead components are administered to the patient in the hope of provoking a reaction of the body’s own immune system. The aim is to fight the disease better by increasing the production of antibodies.
However, the use of autovaccines was replaced by the administration of antibiotics and is now a controversial therapeutic measure. In most cases the therapy of boils is problem-free. However, one should be aware that even a rather harmless disease like a boil without the right therapy can cause complications.
For the treatment of boils, there are various ointments and topical external agents, i.e. solutions and creams, available. For example, ointments with antibiotic additives can be used. One frequently used ointment contains the antibiotic fusidic acid.
An example of such a cream is the Fusicutan® cream. However, topical antibiotics are only used in pronounced cases. In the case of a small and little inflamed boil, their use is not necessary.
Furthermore, topical antiseptics, i.e. disinfectant creams and solutions such as octenidine and chlorhexidine, are used to treat a furuncle. These disinfecting agents are also already used for mild furuncles. In some cases, pulling ointments, such as Ichthyol ointment, are also recommended to achieve faster healing of the furuncle.
So-called pulling ointments are used in the treatment of furuncles to achieve a maturing of the furuncle. The active substance contained in the pulling ointment is called ammonium bituminosulfate. The ointment is used in 10% concentration in the treatment of furuncles.
The ointment is thickly applied to the furuncle several times a day. After a few days the therapy should be stopped when the furuncle has matured. Then usually an incision of the furuncle is made by a physician, so that the remaining pus is emptied.
In some cases no incision is necessary. This is especially the case with very small furuncles. The treatment of a furuncle usually does not require surgery.
Surgery is necessary if complications such as the formation of an abscess or even the development of fistulas are present. In these cases, the tissue must be surgically repaired, otherwise healing cannot be expected. Very large or inflamed furuncles are still opened by means of a stab incision.
This small procedure is often equated with surgery, but it is a very small incision that is performed while the patient is conscious. This allows the doctor to empty the pus. The stab incision is recommended especially for recurrent, highly inflamed and very large boils.
Also the confluence, i.e. the merging of several boils to a so-called carbuncle, is a reason for a stab incision. More about this:
- Operation of a furuncle
From the field of homeopathy, Belladona can be used for treatment in the form of drops or globules. The effect is based on the anti-inflammatory properties of belladonna.
When taking it, the dosage information must be observed. Silica, mercurius solubilis and hepar sulfuris (lime-sulfur liver) also have similar effects. They can relieve the symptoms and accelerate the healing process.
If there is no improvement with homeopathic remedies or household remedies, a doctor should be consulted for a detailed clarification. However, it is important, especially in the case of very painful, large and highly inflamed furuncles, not to delay medical therapy by attempting homeopathic therapy. A doctor should also be consulted immediately in the case of general symptoms such as fever, malaise and nausea.
For the treatment of furuncles with home remedies there are some recommendations by various authors. However, these recommendations are not uniform. When treating boils with home remedies, care should be taken not to manipulate the boil, for example by applying pressure or similar.
Soothing compresses with chamomile, chopped onion, black tea bags or aloe vera are recommended. Furthermore, propolis tincture is often recommended as an antiseptic household remedy. However, this can cause allergies.
Tea tree oil is often recommended as a household remedy for furuncles due to its antibacterial and antiseptic effect. However, one should be careful with the use of Tea Tree Oil. Tea Tree Oil is not tolerated by everyone and can cause irritation and skin rashes.It is therefore recommended to test the Tea Tree Oil first on an inconspicuous area of skin.
If it is well tolerated, the Tea Tree Oil can be applied to the boil with a cotton swab or swab. However, it should not be used in cases of severe inflammation. Under no circumstances should a boil be pricked itself, as this can cause dangerous complications.
The stab incision – i.e. the piercing of a boil – performed by a competent physician is a common therapy for boils, but it is performed under sterile conditions. However, these sterile, low-germ conditions cannot be created outside of a doctor’s office, so piercing the furuncle can lead to infections and the formation of abscesses. If pus remains in the furuncle and other bacteria from outside penetrate the tissue, the pus may become encapsulated and an abscess may develop.
In this case the abscess must be removed by a physician. In addition, in the worst case a so-called sepsis (blood poisoning) with general symptoms such as fever, circulatory disorders, low blood pressure, tachycardia (too high heart rate) and breathing difficulties can follow. This sepsis is caused by a sowing of the bacteria contained in the boils into the bloodstream. Although this life-threatening complication is rare, it can occur due to improper opening of the furuncle.
