Boils and abscesses are both pockets of pus that form under the skin. However, there's one major difference between them. Abscesses usually require medical attention and boils normally don't. In most cases, boils resolve on their own with time. Abscesses, however, tend to get worse with time and can get quite serious and make your whole body sick. For this reason, you should always have an abscess looked at. But how can you tell if it's actually an abscess or only a boil? The following are three signs that you have an abscess.
Pain and Heat
Abscesses are quite painful to the touch and may feel warm. Inflammation also causes them to appear red and irritated. The redness may seem to spread out from the sight as time passes, which indicates that the infection is getting worse. While boils can be painful and sore, they usually do not generate heat unless the infection advances into the surrounding tissues. Boils tend to stay localized as well. Pain and heat are both signs that an infection is present and getting worse. Without care, it can spread into the surrounding tissues and enter the bloodstream.
Size and Streaks
Boils tend to stay on the small side unless they progress into a full-blown infection. One of the ways you can determine whether or not the situation is contained or if it needs medical attention is to measure the sore. If it is larger than 1/2 inch, you need to see a doctor. Also, watch for color changes in the skin surrounding the sore. Red streaks are an indication that the infection is moving into the bloodstream.
Fever and Illness
Once infection moves into the bloodstream, you can get very sick. If you start to feel ill or run a fever, it could be due to your abscess. When the infection grows, you may also start to feel tender lumps where your lymph nodes are located, such as under your arms and in your groin. If you have any of these symptoms, you need medical attention immediately.
An abscess can make you very sick. That's why it's so important to seek medical attention before it gets too bad. If you have a sore or lump that keeps getting larger and more irritated, talk to your doctor about it. If the sore gets very painful and starts generating heat, you should go to an urgent care facility like Premier Urgent Care Centers of California, Inc. to have it drained. If you have fever and chills, go to the emergency room.
Share15 June 2016
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