Is it bad to leave skin infection with pus?

[SMJYellow]

My armpit got sore the other day. I didn't know what it was. I found a small red patch of skin yesterday with pus so that would be it. Unfortunately I can't get a doctor's appointment until later in the week. I found some comfort yesterday soaking faceclotha in Epson salts and water and applying that. Unfortunately I'm at work now today since morning and I will be lucky to be home by 8 tonight. I will be looking at a 13 hour day tomorrow as well. So I'm neglecting looking after this. Not by choice.

I have a pounding headache. I don't know if that's related. I came down with a heavy cold last week so it could be that too.

My upper arm is sore and heavy.

Are you able to pop out of work to show it to a pharmacist for advice?

Is it a boil? My DH sometimes gets boils in his arm pits.

When I had an infection in a surgical incision my doctor told me to draw around the redness with pen and then I could see if it was spreading.

There's no pharmacy near by at all. I don't drive either so getting to a pharmacy would be hard too. There's a late night pharmacy in the city but that's miles away and there's no public transport at that time of night.

I never had a boil before so I don't know what they are. There's no spot or lump. There's a small red rash with pus, that's it.

Soak it, clean it, put some disinfectant on/in it.

You don't necessarily need antibiotics, our bodies do clear up small infections quite efficiently, especially in the skin (think of spots)
The trouble is that you can't always tell how serious it is.

Draw round it, if it spreads, or if there are red lines running from it, then you should get to a phamacist/doctor.
Same applies to if you have a high or a low temperature
Same applies if you feel ill in some other way.

Hopefully I will get a chance to look at it tonight.

I do have a temp of 37.5/38. I also feel very tired and light headed. It's hard to establish what that is from though. Whether it's the cold that I came down with last week or something else more sinister and perhaps relating to the armpit infection

Hmm, and you are still at work and have a long day tomorrow?

I think you need to try and get some advice.

armpits are weird, you can't tell how deep something is, it could be veyr deep and nasty

I tried for an appointment for today but no luck. I tried for tomorrow but again with no luck. It will be Thursday by the time they can take me.

Hopefully I will get a chance tonight to give it a clean with Epson salt and try and look after it somewhat. I will see how I am overnight and I might give work a miss tomorrow so that I go to a pharmacist or look after it with washes and ointment.

Walk-in centre?

If the Dr prescribes antibiotics how will you get them from a pharmacist if there's none nearby?
Do you have a Boots or Superdrug nearby? They have pharmacists. Assuming you're in the UK? www.england.nhs.uk/urgent-emergency-care/ www.choosewellwales.org.uk/home

There's a pharmacy next door to the doctors. That's a mile and half a away. I don't drive. Walking would take 25 minutes there and 25 minutes back again. I don't have that time during a work day. It closes for 6.30 pm. I will be lucky if I'm out and finishes by 8.

There's late night pharmacies in the city but I'm too far away from the city and I don't drive.

If your whole upper arm is sore and heavy, you have a temp and you are feeling peculiar then you need to seek urgent medical advice. I would be worried that there is a bigger infection that you are only seeing a small outward manifestation of.

Minor injuries

And infected cut coupled with fever and other symptoms needs looking at

Where we are you can call 111 out of hours and get a GP appointment at the local hospital - this is overnight and through the weekend. You could call 111 when you’re finishing work - they may be able to arrange for you to see someone or may advise you to go to A&E if you are feeling really unwell.

Doesn’t sound like a boil, they are very painful big lumps full of pus.

Ah ok. It's just that you first posted about it on Saturday - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/3510009-Pain-in-armpit so I would've thought with all information available online you could have sought medical attention in the time you've been asking random strangers on here?

If you're around the Derbyshire/South Yorks/north Notts border I don't mind giving you a lift. Untreated infections can go wrong very fast. :/

Can you not get a bus/taxi like other people?

On Saturday, it was just pain under my armpit. It was yesterday evening when I found pus.

I was due to have this morning off with work but I woke to a load of messages from the employer who sent messages early in the middle of the night. When she didn't hear back from me she panicked. Dirty fcuking wagon. I was asleep when she sent her messages. Generally there wasn't room to choke on a breakfast and go for a pee this morning.

I'm in rural Ireland. There's no late night buses. A taxi into town wot be 40 euro. Then Costa to be seen medically or pharmacy costs. Then another 40 home. I don't have that money.

Is there anyone you could ask to take you? I know how hard it is when you don’t drive but it sounds like you might be quite poorly.

I had a cyst in my armpit two years ago. It was very large though. I had a slight temperature and dr sent me straight to hospital to have it drained under general anaesthetic as she was worried about septicaemia.

Weeping rash with no lump?

DH once had an abscess that had burrowed in rather than out ,he was sent away numerous times until he went down hill very fast & ended up septic .
Please ask for an emergency appointment ,explain symptoms to the secretary & ask for a call back if nothing else as you have a temp .

Also ,have a look at shingles rash .
It's hard to know how to advise over internet but you do need to see a Gp.

OP this could be something that clears up on its own, it could be cellulitis and need antibiotics or you could be open to Sepsis

You need it to be seen particularly with the fact you are feverish and dizzy. Sepsis could be fatal

Sounds like an abscess. Bathe it in Epsom salts until you can see a gp

Just seen you have a temperature. You need medical advice.