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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For Swollen And Painful Boil On The Hand

I think I have a boil on my hand, it started of as a tiny spot which I squeezed and it is now huge and swollen. It burst in the bath earlier and a lot of pus came out but I still thing there s some in there. It s left a deep hole in my hand now and is still pretty sore, swollen, hard and red around the outside of the whole. What should I do?
Mon, 30 Mar 2015
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Dermatologist,  's  Response
Hello. Thank you for writing to us

I suggest a possibility of deeply situated bacterial infection of skin and soft tissue (SSTI's) i.e either a Furuncle Or a Carbuncle with surrounding cellulitis.
Sqeezing has probably pushed it deeper.
The fact that it still feels hard, swollen and painful even after emptying its contents suggests that there is still infection remaining inside.
I advice you against squeezing it as this may push the infection further deeper and into the surrounding soft tissue.
If I was the treating doctor I would have suggested you a course of an Oral antibiotic for a week.
My choice of an oral antibiotic would be either flucloxacillin or cephalexin for a week.
Oral antibiotics are prescription drugs and therefore I suggest that you talk to your doctor for the needful.
Topically you may use an OTC topical antibacterial e.g 2% mupirocin ointment, twice daily for a week.
An OTC oral anti-inflammatory e,g Ibuprofen twice or thrice daily will provide you symptomatic relief from pain and bring down swelling.

Regards
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Suggest Treatment For Swollen And Painful Boil On The Hand

Hello. Thank you for writing to us I suggest a possibility of deeply situated bacterial infection of skin and soft tissue (SSTI s) i.e either a Furuncle Or a Carbuncle with surrounding cellulitis. Sqeezing has probably pushed it deeper. The fact that it still feels hard, swollen and painful even after emptying its contents suggests that there is still infection remaining inside. I advice you against squeezing it as this may push the infection further deeper and into the surrounding soft tissue. If I was the treating doctor I would have suggested you a course of an Oral antibiotic for a week. My choice of an oral antibiotic would be either flucloxacillin or cephalexin for a week. Oral antibiotics are prescription drugs and therefore I suggest that you talk to your doctor for the needful. Topically you may use an OTC topical antibacterial e.g 2% mupirocin ointment, twice daily for a week. An OTC oral anti-inflammatory e,g Ibuprofen twice or thrice daily will provide you symptomatic relief from pain and bring down swelling. Regards