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Suggest Treatment For Boil In The Vagina

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Posted on Wed, 29 Nov 2017
Question: I have a boil next to my vagina which is hard and reddened, large, what do you do for that? I will talk to my doctor on Monday, but what can I do in the meantime. Do they give you antibiotics to cure you from within?
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Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

The most common treatment for a boil is to incise and drain it under sterile conditions. The doctor may give you an oral antibiotic. Antibiotics can work for these, but not as well or quickly as they work for things like respiratory or urinary tract infections, because for contained skin infections, the infection is somewhat walled off.

Providing that the infection isn't causing you to feel ill or have a fever or chills, you can wait until Monday. However, if it is getting worse or you are developing a fever or fever symptoms, then please do go in to the urgent care (or if it's after hours, then go to the ER) to have it taken care of.

In the meantime, moist heat can do a lot to help the situation. This works for 2 reasons. Bacteria that infect our bodies have limited temperature ranges to reproduce so heating the skin can limit their multiplication. In addition, heat draws blood to the area and the white blood cells in the blood will help limit and clean up the infection.

Hot or very warm sitz baths or regular hot baths can help, as can soaking a washcloth in hot water and applying it gently to the boil. If using the washcloth, keep rewetting it under hot running water and reapplying. Do this for several minutes at least 3 times a day.

The water should be quite warm to hot, but not so hot that it can burn your skin of course.

I hope you are successful with this. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3134 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Boil In The Vagina

Brief Answer: Information Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, The most common treatment for a boil is to incise and drain it under sterile conditions. The doctor may give you an oral antibiotic. Antibiotics can work for these, but not as well or quickly as they work for things like respiratory or urinary tract infections, because for contained skin infections, the infection is somewhat walled off. Providing that the infection isn't causing you to feel ill or have a fever or chills, you can wait until Monday. However, if it is getting worse or you are developing a fever or fever symptoms, then please do go in to the urgent care (or if it's after hours, then go to the ER) to have it taken care of. In the meantime, moist heat can do a lot to help the situation. This works for 2 reasons. Bacteria that infect our bodies have limited temperature ranges to reproduce so heating the skin can limit their multiplication. In addition, heat draws blood to the area and the white blood cells in the blood will help limit and clean up the infection. Hot or very warm sitz baths or regular hot baths can help, as can soaking a washcloth in hot water and applying it gently to the boil. If using the washcloth, keep rewetting it under hot running water and reapplying. Do this for several minutes at least 3 times a day. The water should be quite warm to hot, but not so hot that it can burn your skin of course. I hope you are successful with this. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.