Carbuncle: causes of appearance, symptoms and treatment

Carbuncle is the inflammation of the hair follicles, which is accompanied by the formation of a fairly large foci of necrosis in the subcutaneous layers.Similar purulent formations are found in patients of different ages, but they are more inherent in people who are at a young age.According to statistics, men are several times more likely to consult a doctor about the formation of carbuncles.And one more interesting fact - this education is diagnosed most often in the summer period of the year.

Table of contents: Carbuncle: causes of appearance How do carbuncles manifest? Treatment of carbuncle

Carbuncle: causes of

In most cases, the causative agent of the purulent process under consideration is staphylococcus, often there is a combination of pathogens and in this case staphylococcus will be strengthened by streptococcus.Medicine knows cases when the formation of carbuncle is due to the presence of enterococci, Escherichia coli and anaerobes, but this happens very rarely and is an exception.

To penetrate the pathogen into the hair follicle, and a purulent inflammatory process has begun, there should be several provoking factors:

• too active work of sweat and sebaceous glands;
• strongly contaminated skin with specific coal / cement or sand particles;
• microcirculation and various injuries on the skin.

In addition, carbuncles are often diagnosed in people who suffer from diabetes, obesity, chronic pathologies - weakening of immunity is a direct way for the penetration and spread of the pathogen.

As carbuncles

appear

Once the carbuncle begins its development, several tubercles appear on the skin, which are infiltrates and are the inflamed hair follicles .With the progression of the inflammatory process, these very infiltrates "merge" - the patient observes a distinct bulge, which is greatly elevated above the level of the skin surface.This protuberance can be large( for example, with a child's palm), a bluish stain is clearly visible in its center, and the bulge is very hot to the touch.As the carbuncle grows, the patient has pain at the site of his localization, which is associated with overstretch of the skin.

Note: the above described period is called the maturation of the carbuncle.Often the patient complains of high body temperature, intense headaches, a significant decrease in immunity.There may be nausea and vomiting, but this is an exception.The period of ripening of carbuncle lasts not less than 8 days.

Once the pustules appear on the surface of the formed bulge, the maturation period ends with .Formed pustules open themselves, from them begin to emit pus and particles of tissue already affected by necrosis.This discharge is characterized by a green color and may contain an admixture of blood.

As the pathological process develops, an ulcer is formed at the site of the infiltrate, as the tissues simply undergo necrosis and come out with pus from the pustules.The depth of this carbuncle ulcer in some cases reaches the muscular layer of .The stage of suppuration and necrotic changes lasts an average of 15 days.

The formed ulcer on the site of the carbuncle gradually heals, but this process is long, and the consequence is the formation of a rough scar.

Treatment of carbuncle

Diagnosis of the disease under consideration presents no difficulties for the dermatologist - the signs of it are too pronounced.But nevertheless, some experts have to conduct some examinations - for example, it is important to determine the true pathogen so that it is possible to select the effective medicines .

Please note! The common carbuncle is very similar in its symptoms to the carbuncle that forms with anthrax - it also requires differentiation of the two pathologies.

If the carbuncle is leaking without apparent deterioration in the patient's health, then the patient will be treated on an outpatient basis. The doctor, of course, is monitoring the patient, but you just need to wait for the breakthrough of the pustules and the exit of pus with the necrotic parts of the tissue.In all other cases, doctors insist on professional treatment.

Medical treatment

Patients with carbuncles are prescribed antibacterial drugs that can be used inside and used to cut the site of the localization of the purulent process of .The patient may be prescribed pain medication if complaints of severe pain come from him.At a high body temperature shows the intake of antipyretics.

The surface of the formed bulge is regularly treated with alcohol, which helps to prevent the spread of infection.Often, doctors put a bandage on the synthomycin ointment on the bulge - this helps to speed up the process of breaking the pustules and promotes the rapid release of pus and necrotic tissue particles.

After rupture of the carbuncle, it is recommended that you regularly wash with any antiseptic solutions of .On the open wound after the breakthrough, the carbuncle pustule should be applied with a sterile bandage - this will prevent the penetration of dirt, dust and pathogenic microorganisms into the tissues and the attachment of a secondary infection.

Surgical treatment

Once the carbuncle has passed to the necrotic stage of its progression, doctors recommend the surgical intervention of .Of course, such activities are carried out only against the background of antibiotic therapy, in order to prevent the spread of infection into deeper layers of tissue.

Surgical intervention is performed under local anesthesia - the doctor cuts the place of carbuncle formation with analgesics, then makes a wide incision of the carbuncle surface and removes pus and all areas of necrotic tissue from the wound.After the wound is cleaned, a tampon moistened with proteolytic enzymes or a solution of sodium chloride is placed in it.

Restorative period means regular washing of the wound, a daily change of dressings.

Note: pathological tissue damage at the localization site of the carbuncle always has a wide and deep character, therefore the wound heals with the obligatory formation of a coarse rumen.

In the recovery period, the field of surgery can be prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures - for example, UHF therapy or ultraviolet irradiation.

Traditional medicine

Immediately it is worth mentioning that there is a mass of funds from the category of "folk medicine" for the treatment of carbuncles. But they can be used only if the patient has no symptoms of intoxication of the body and the doctor does not insist on his hospitalization.

1. Compresses with a clover.You need to take flowers of this plant in the amount of 2 tablespoons and pour with vegetable oil( you can any, but preferably - olive oil), insist in a warm place for an hour.Then, in the oil, a gauze cloth is moistened, slightly pressed and applied to the formed bulge.The time of action of the compress is 1-2 hours, then a break is made in 2-3 hours and the procedure is repeated.Compress from the clover accelerates the maturation of the carbuncle and facilitates the patient's condition - the pain disappears and the body temperature decreases at the site of the immediate localization of the purulent-inflammatory process.
   It is very useful to do such compresses simultaneously with the use of the decoction of this plant inside.Prepare the decoction simply: 2 tablespoons of vegetable raw material should be poured with a liter of water and boil over low heat for 5-7 minutes.The received quantity of broth should be drunk within a day in equal parts.
2. Calendula ointment.It can be prepared by mixing the dried and crushed calendula flowers and interior fat( pork) in a 1: 4 ratio in a ceramic container.Then the resulting mass is put on a water bath and completely melted, thoroughly mixed and left until completely cooled.Apply ointment from calendula on the carbuncle not yet erupted, the bandage is not superimposed.
   If there is a possibility, then you need to collect calendula flowers from a living plant and "get" juice from them.The amount of juice should be such that it can be well moistened with a gauze napkin.It is applied to the carbuncle and held for 30-60 minutes.
3. Lotion from plantain.It is necessary to take fresh leaves of plantain, carefully wash and crush into gruel.It is applied to the site of localization of the purulent-inflammatory process and covered with a bandage.Such bandages can be applied 2 times a day, each time a maximum of 30 minutes.
   In parallel with the treatment of plantain is recommended to prepare a patient a drink from chicory.Just do not use a ready-made instant drink, you need the roots of chicory - they need to be grinded and brewed in a proportion of 2 teaspoons per 200 ml of boiling water.The resulting drink should be drunk during the day with small sips, pre-cooling it.
4. St. John's Wort.Also a unique plant that can be consumed both inside and outside - the treatment of carbuncle will be effective precisely with such a complex "therapy".First you need to prepare a gruel from fresh leaves and flowers of St. John's wort - it will be used for compresses.The resulting gruel is applied to the site of localization of the purulent-inflammatory process and covered with a bandage, left for a couple of hours.Such compresses need to be done 2-3 within a day.
   The infusion of St. John's wort is consumed inside, prepared from a tablespoon of vegetable raw materials and 200 ml of boiling water( insist 20-30 minutes, filter and cool).The received quantity of a medicinal product needs to be drunk during the day.

Please note: treatment of carbuncle folk remedies is possible only after consulting with a doctor.If there is no possibility to consult a specialist, you need to closely monitor the patient's condition: with a steady increase in body temperature, nausea and vomiting, severe weakness and dizziness, you should immediately call an ambulance team.

Carbuncles are a powerful purulent-inflammatory process that poses a certain danger to human health.If the treatment is carried out correctly and under the supervision of a doctor, then the disease will have an exceptionally favorable prognosis.But in some cases development and complications is possible - sepsis, meningitis.Therefore, signs of carbuncle should be considered seriously and be the reason for seeking qualified medical care.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category