Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Having Large Carbuncle On Buttocks, Pus Keeps Draining From It. How To Stop The Pus Formation And Any Cure?
Question: Hello, My husband has a large carbuncle on his buttocks, that has 4 or 5 places that pus keep forming in and draining. We are soaking in hot water daily, (occasionally with epson salts), washing the area with anti-bacterial soaps and changing bandages frequently, and applying Neosporin and manuka honey. Tonight we also applied Hydrogen Peroxide .
How do we stop the pus from forming? It has been draining alot for a few days now, but seems to keep forming more white pus/film.
Also, would it be ok to very, very gentle, with the slightest amount of pressure, press around the outside of the area, (not the wound itself), to help express all of the pus out?
Thankyou so kindly,
XXXXXXX
How do we stop the pus from forming? It has been draining alot for a few days now, but seems to keep forming more white pus/film.
Also, would it be ok to very, very gentle, with the slightest amount of pressure, press around the outside of the area, (not the wound itself), to help express all of the pus out?
Thankyou so kindly,
XXXXXXX
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for posting your query.
The best way to stop further pus formation would be to start him on a course of oral antibiotics as per his doctors prescription.
The pus is formed due to the bacteria causing infection and antibiotics kill or inactivate the bacteria.Sometimes in small wounds local antibiotics are sufficient like neosporin but in this case it wont be effective alone.
Yes , it is better to drain the pus by pressing the carbuncle from sides, cleaning it with hydrogen peroxide and then bandaging with local ointment .But the best person to do this would be your doctor . After assessing the wound if he feels that the carbuncle is big and not healing then he might advise incision and drainage surgically under local or regional anaesthesia .Also he would start a oral antibiotic and if necessary carry out tests like pus culture to know the exact cause and blood sugar to rule out diabetes.
I appreciate your efforts for managing the same but please do not self medicate to avoid further complications like spread of abscess or sepsis.
So please consult your doctor as soon as feasible.
Hope I have answered your query.
Kindly accept my answer if you have no further queries.
Regards
Thanks for posting your query.
The best way to stop further pus formation would be to start him on a course of oral antibiotics as per his doctors prescription.
The pus is formed due to the bacteria causing infection and antibiotics kill or inactivate the bacteria.Sometimes in small wounds local antibiotics are sufficient like neosporin but in this case it wont be effective alone.
Yes , it is better to drain the pus by pressing the carbuncle from sides, cleaning it with hydrogen peroxide and then bandaging with local ointment .But the best person to do this would be your doctor . After assessing the wound if he feels that the carbuncle is big and not healing then he might advise incision and drainage surgically under local or regional anaesthesia .Also he would start a oral antibiotic and if necessary carry out tests like pus culture to know the exact cause and blood sugar to rule out diabetes.
I appreciate your efforts for managing the same but please do not self medicate to avoid further complications like spread of abscess or sepsis.
So please consult your doctor as soon as feasible.
Hope I have answered your query.
Kindly accept my answer if you have no further queries.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thankyou, Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
However my husband just corrected me and told me that it is not pus, Actually are like a thin white film/crust on each one. (My mistake, I assumed since they were white, I worried it was pus)
He said he pulled/pushed on one of the areas and it came off like a film or a scab and started to bleed, there is no pus. They are more like scab/ film, except they are white in color.
Do this mean it is healing? Please, can you tell me anything else I can do? We have NO medical insurance, I am disabled and do not work, and my husband is unemployed so we have very little money.
Please, Is there anything else I can put on it or give him to help it heal? He is not running a fever. I'm giving him manuka honey and also adding garlic to his food, keeping his nutrition up with healthy foods, and also giving him orange juice, vegetable juice & alot of water to help flush his system.
Please so kindly, can you tell me anything else I can do, The Doctors here make you pay the XXXXXXX in full upfront before they will even see you.
Someone else told me to go to pet store and get some antibiotics, to use Cloxacillin or Erythromycin. I've talked to many people who have done this and were able to heal & get better. The antibiotics for pets are very mild, but can be better than nothing.
thankyou so very very much for you time,
XXXXXXX
However my husband just corrected me and told me that it is not pus, Actually are like a thin white film/crust on each one. (My mistake, I assumed since they were white, I worried it was pus)
He said he pulled/pushed on one of the areas and it came off like a film or a scab and started to bleed, there is no pus. They are more like scab/ film, except they are white in color.
Do this mean it is healing? Please, can you tell me anything else I can do? We have NO medical insurance, I am disabled and do not work, and my husband is unemployed so we have very little money.
Please, Is there anything else I can put on it or give him to help it heal? He is not running a fever. I'm giving him manuka honey and also adding garlic to his food, keeping his nutrition up with healthy foods, and also giving him orange juice, vegetable juice & alot of water to help flush his system.
Please so kindly, can you tell me anything else I can do, The Doctors here make you pay the XXXXXXX in full upfront before they will even see you.
Someone else told me to go to pet store and get some antibiotics, to use Cloxacillin or Erythromycin. I've talked to many people who have done this and were able to heal & get better. The antibiotics for pets are very mild, but can be better than nothing.
thankyou so very very much for you time,
XXXXXXX
Hello,
Thanks for the follow up.
Yes in case it's just scales or white scabs it does mean that it is in healing phase .
However it's best to take an oral antibiotic. Cloxacilin ( taken thrice daily )and erythromycin( taken as four tablets daily ) can be given in humans for a course of five days however it's less effective than the other alternatives like Cefixime or amoxicillin etc .
If that is also not possible then you can try and apply effective local antibiotic ointment like mupirocin thrice daily and continue cleaning and dressing the wound like before.
If there is an increase in size or swelling or similar wound at any other site you must see a doctor or it can be XXXXXXX if it spreads.
Hope I have answered your query.
Kindly accept my answer if you have no further queries .
Regards
Thanks for the follow up.
Yes in case it's just scales or white scabs it does mean that it is in healing phase .
However it's best to take an oral antibiotic. Cloxacilin ( taken thrice daily )and erythromycin( taken as four tablets daily ) can be given in humans for a course of five days however it's less effective than the other alternatives like Cefixime or amoxicillin etc .
If that is also not possible then you can try and apply effective local antibiotic ointment like mupirocin thrice daily and continue cleaning and dressing the wound like before.
If there is an increase in size or swelling or similar wound at any other site you must see a doctor or it can be XXXXXXX if it spreads.
Hope I have answered your query.
Kindly accept my answer if you have no further queries .
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thankyou so VERY much, I checked at the pet store but they only carry Amoxicillin powder form and Erythromycin in powder form for fish aquarium.
I found a website online that carries Erythromycin capsules but I would need a prescription. I'll keep looking. =)
It's still draining clear fluid, we're changing pads several times a time to keep it clean and keeping Neosporin on it.
Is it normal if these white scabs are pulled off to leave XXXXXXX holes/craters in the skin? My husband pulled some of them off when he was cleaning it, Should we keep the wound covered or leave it to the air so more scabs will form?
Is there any way I can get ahold of you in case I have one more question or no?
Thankyou so very kindly, many blessings to you for your kindness. XXXXXXX
I found a website online that carries Erythromycin capsules but I would need a prescription. I'll keep looking. =)
It's still draining clear fluid, we're changing pads several times a time to keep it clean and keeping Neosporin on it.
Is it normal if these white scabs are pulled off to leave XXXXXXX holes/craters in the skin? My husband pulled some of them off when he was cleaning it, Should we keep the wound covered or leave it to the air so more scabs will form?
Is there any way I can get ahold of you in case I have one more question or no?
Thankyou so very kindly, many blessings to you for your kindness. XXXXXXX
Hello,
Thanks for the follow up.
Yes you are taking appropriate precautions however keeping the wound open for few hours in a day would help in faster healing . If that is not feasible then a cotton gauze piece ( meshed with holes) would serve the purpose of keeping the wound closed as well as allowing aeration.
Yes , the scabs if pulled may uncover the underlying defect in the skin( crater or hole) . It's better to avoid pulling scabs unless there is fluid or swelling underneath because scab formation hastens the wound healing .
Yes you can ask me a follow up query or a fresh query but kindly address it to my name or use the Ask This Doctor service provided by the forum. You can contact customer care for details .
It's my pleasure to be able to help you.
Kindly accept my answer in case you have no further queries.
Regards
Thanks for the follow up.
Yes you are taking appropriate precautions however keeping the wound open for few hours in a day would help in faster healing . If that is not feasible then a cotton gauze piece ( meshed with holes) would serve the purpose of keeping the wound closed as well as allowing aeration.
Yes , the scabs if pulled may uncover the underlying defect in the skin( crater or hole) . It's better to avoid pulling scabs unless there is fluid or swelling underneath because scab formation hastens the wound healing .
Yes you can ask me a follow up query or a fresh query but kindly address it to my name or use the Ask This Doctor service provided by the forum. You can contact customer care for details .
It's my pleasure to be able to help you.
Kindly accept my answer in case you have no further queries.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thankyou so much, Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX Your help means more than you'll ever know, I have been in tears, worrying over this. I ordered Doxycycline 100mg and Cephalexin 250mg today online. (2 day shipping so it will be here soon I hope)
We have been cleansing it often throughout the day, with antibacterial soap and then keeping Neosporin on it, Is it ok to put Neosporin on the XXXXXXX holes?
Once a day we use hydrogen peroxide on it as well. It still weeping a little clear fluid, but overall, it does appear to be getting smaller (It was a big as the palm of your hand before) It looks about 1/2 inch smaller, than it was when I first wrote to you. That surely means it is healing.
Again, I thankyou so kindly for your help, XXXXXXX
We have been cleansing it often throughout the day, with antibacterial soap and then keeping Neosporin on it, Is it ok to put Neosporin on the XXXXXXX holes?
Once a day we use hydrogen peroxide on it as well. It still weeping a little clear fluid, but overall, it does appear to be getting smaller (It was a big as the palm of your hand before) It looks about 1/2 inch smaller, than it was when I first wrote to you. That surely means it is healing.
Again, I thankyou so kindly for your help, XXXXXXX
Hello,
Thanks for the follow up.
Yes I hope the healing will accelerate once you start oral antibiotics.
Neosporin neednot be put in the XXXXXXX hole and even keeping it over the cleaned wound will help in better healing. In case it does enter the holes it's not harmful but it might clog the wound and prevent aeration.
So don't worry. Just continue what you have been doing .
The recommended dosages of Cephalexin and doxycycline are as follows,
1. Doxycycline 100 mg orally every 12 hours
2. Cephalexin 250 mg orally every 6 hours or 500 mg orally every 12 hours
The duration depends on the wound and rate of healing however 10 days is the usually recommended period.
He might experience some stomach upset which is usual sideffect of antibiotics .
Try to give him a probiotic when on antibiotics .
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Thanks for the follow up.
Yes I hope the healing will accelerate once you start oral antibiotics.
Neosporin neednot be put in the XXXXXXX hole and even keeping it over the cleaned wound will help in better healing. In case it does enter the holes it's not harmful but it might clog the wound and prevent aeration.
So don't worry. Just continue what you have been doing .
The recommended dosages of Cephalexin and doxycycline are as follows,
1. Doxycycline 100 mg orally every 12 hours
2. Cephalexin 250 mg orally every 6 hours or 500 mg orally every 12 hours
The duration depends on the wound and rate of healing however 10 days is the usually recommended period.
He might experience some stomach upset which is usual sideffect of antibiotics .
Try to give him a probiotic when on antibiotics .
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
