Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Remedy For Persistent Boils On Shoulder
Question: Hi doctor, writing again.
My boils on shoulder and back are not going away, saw. a skin specialist over last week and she indicated possibly this is folliculitis coming fro. Hypo thyroid.
She changed my cream to antibiotic in place of dermovate, have applied for last 3 days, but it has led to 5 -6 new boils with pus coming out in same areas. This said boils have started to reduce in size and pain over last night.
Looking for ur advice on this situation, shall I stop antibiotic cream.
My boils on shoulder and back are not going away, saw. a skin specialist over last week and she indicated possibly this is folliculitis coming fro. Hypo thyroid.
She changed my cream to antibiotic in place of dermovate, have applied for last 3 days, but it has led to 5 -6 new boils with pus coming out in same areas. This said boils have started to reduce in size and pain over last night.
Looking for ur advice on this situation, shall I stop antibiotic cream.
Brief Answer:
Appears drug resistant bug causing recurrent problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
Do not worry you must stop the antibiotic for 72 hours. After that get the gram staining and culture sensitivity of pus for bacterial aerobic and anaerobic infections. The results will guide in treatment process as it appears you could have some drug resistant infection like MRSA, ESBL, etc. The above test you can get the root cause of the infection. You can take an over the counter analgaesic to relieve pain. Get your full screening done for MRSA from a laboratory.
Take care.
Best of Health.
Appears drug resistant bug causing recurrent problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
Do not worry you must stop the antibiotic for 72 hours. After that get the gram staining and culture sensitivity of pus for bacterial aerobic and anaerobic infections. The results will guide in treatment process as it appears you could have some drug resistant infection like MRSA, ESBL, etc. The above test you can get the root cause of the infection. You can take an over the counter analgaesic to relieve pain. Get your full screening done for MRSA from a laboratory.
Take care.
Best of Health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Doc, what are these MRSA/ ESBL etc that you are referring to.. getting bit scared.
Are they treatable
Are they contagious
When I looked at MRSA/ ESBL pictures on net, my boils don't look like them, but still want to know more. and what you mean by etc.
Am continuing doxycycline, and that had reduced the no of boils drastically, it is only after applying this fucidin antibiotic cream they have started appearing again. Still my condition is better than when it started 1.5 months before.
Are they treatable
Are they contagious
When I looked at MRSA/ ESBL pictures on net, my boils don't look like them, but still want to know more. and what you mean by etc.
Am continuing doxycycline, and that had reduced the no of boils drastically, it is only after applying this fucidin antibiotic cream they have started appearing again. Still my condition is better than when it started 1.5 months before.
Brief Answer:
100% treatable. Nothing to be scared.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Nothing to worry they are 100% treatable. The clinical picture varies from person to person. Get the tests done as advised. Take proper treatment and become non-infectious and get 100% cure after 1-2 weeks of treatment. If tests come negative we have to rule out other possibilities.
Take care
Dr. Sheetal Verma
100% treatable. Nothing to be scared.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Nothing to worry they are 100% treatable. The clinical picture varies from person to person. Get the tests done as advised. Take proper treatment and become non-infectious and get 100% cure after 1-2 weeks of treatment. If tests come negative we have to rule out other possibilities.
Take care
Dr. Sheetal Verma
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks what would other possibilities be?
Brief Answer:
Immune system weakness.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
In majority of cases it is infection only. Other causes are associated with impaired immune systems include diabetes and kidney diseases. Diseases in which there is inadequate antibody production. But these are extremely rare.
Take care
Immune system weakness.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
In majority of cases it is infection only. Other causes are associated with impaired immune systems include diabetes and kidney diseases. Diseases in which there is inadequate antibody production. But these are extremely rare.
Take care
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks doctor, I continued with applying Fucidin, now it seems to have been able to reduce the look and feel of new boils that came up after applying Fucidin from last Saturday onwards. No new boild atleast till this morning had come up...
Seems my body took time to adjust to Fucidin.
would appreciate your views, if I continue with Fucidin and potentially if boils subside then do I still need to go through above tests as you prescribed.
Seems my body took time to adjust to Fucidin.
would appreciate your views, if I continue with Fucidin and potentially if boils subside then do I still need to go through above tests as you prescribed.
Brief Answer:
See details.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
I advised you to stop antibiotics for 3 days and then take the test as I advised.
Take care
See details.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
I advised you to stop antibiotics for 3 days and then take the test as I advised.
Take care
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
