What is Carbuncle
A skin infection caused by bacteria of the hair follicles is carbuncle disease. Shoulders, thighs, and neck are the common vulnerable areas. People who have a weak immune system or suffering from diabetes suffer from carbuncle largely. Most importantly, it is a communicable disease so people should not touch someone infected with carbuncle. Some of the consequences of carbuncle are kidney and brain swelling, sepsis and skin scarring. Normally it takes around 4-10 days for healing. Never squeeze the boils because it will spread. Once cured, there is a chance of its recurring. Methacillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is the cause of this skin disease.
Symptoms of Carbuncle:
There is continuous itching and unbearable pain when the boils are touched. The boil looks as small as a pea and as large as a tennis ball. The center of the boil appears to be white and yellow; and looks blood red when raw. The patient might feel tendencies of fever because of the symptoms.
Prevention of Carbuncle:
A carbuncle patient should not share personal belongings with anyone. The infection spreads if the wounds are tampered with as some have the habit of picking on the wounds. Try to keep the skin clean and disinfected. Change the bandages frequently to discard the germs and maintain cleanliness. Take care of the blood sugar level. Increase in sugar level will reduce the chance of faster cure. Wash daily wear clothes and even bed sheets regularly to prevent infection spreading.
Treatment of Carbuncle:
Take professional help from a dermatologist without any delay. The doctor may advise to use tea tree oil on the wound. Also, make use of antibacterial soaps for disinfection. Apart from that, place a moist cloth on the infected area but do not squeeze to burst it. Apply little pressure. The procedure increases the level of blood circulation. A procedure known as ‘incision and drainage’ can be put to use. In this, the boil is drained out of the pus. Remember to do this in a hygienic condition.
