Advice needed on infected cyst /abscess not improving

[AreYouAGod]

I need advice.

Day 6 of an infected cyst. Been on antibiotics for 4 days. They haven’t had an impact on what is now I’m guessing an abscess?

GP sent me to A&E and I’m now on a surgical list waiting for a call. Doctor at A&E seemed to imply it might be more straightforward if I put heat on it and it burst rather than waiting for surgery.

Any advice?

Hot flannel as hot as you can bear on it as much as possible. Depending on where it is if you can get a hydrocolloid plaster on it it will help draw it out. I had this and it just wouldn’t pop and then eventually one day it did and the amount of pus that came out was like nothing I’ve ever seen. This was all after I’d finished the antibiotics.

It seems strange you were sent direct by GP to A&E and they’ve sent you away

i had an abscess. GP sent me straight to day surgery bypassing A&E and I had a 10 hour wait before emergency surgery

GP tried antibiotics for 2 weeks, hot flannel etc before they referred me to A&E

I’d go back to GP on the back of their referral

Had one last year in the most awkward area, antibiotics did not do much but, Dr said and it worked hot salt bath or flannel soaked in hot salt water leave on as you can bare, also magnesium sulphate paste applied, it was the size of an egg omg , two days of doing this three or 4 times a day it burst, the pain went straight away.

Often it's very difficult to fully numb an area around an abscess so cutting it open is still painful - drawing it to the surface to burst it sounds brutal but can be a lot less painful in the long run.

I used cold salt water to burst mine but the exact technique to use depends on where it is - stick to what the doctor told you. I was told to avoid heat and stick to salt due to it being in a very risky place.

Given that applying heat won't make it hurt more and might help you avoid a painful surgery, give it a go.

Thank you all for your advice.

Day surgery team called and saw me today. Was treated really quickly and the drained it.

It feels so much better. I hope I never get another one.

Any advice on how to avoid them in the future? The NHS won’t remove cysts here anymore. So will have to go private.

I’m glad you’ve been seen and it’s sorted.

one thing to add, dont underestimate how painful it will be and try not to move the area too much

i didnt know NHS dont remove cysts. Surely if one has been infected like yours they would remove it to stop it coming back? Keep raising it with them and see what they say

Hope your feeling better, I have had two in my life , omg tge pain first one they tried to lance but due to whete it was ,the pain was to much, abscess the dr said was caused through a hair folical, so shaving areas like bikini line , under arms and legs can cause abscess. So I use cream hair remover , she said dont wax .