# Wanna see my abscess? (TMI, obvi) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 20, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125 "2014-03-20T00:42:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/41 "2014-03-21T13:30:55Z")
Is pressure actually a good idea? I thought that created a risk of the pus and dead tissue being forced deeper into the body, or even into the bloodstream. ---
**Author:** ![Athabasca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Athabasca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athabasca)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/42 "2014-03-21T14:48:16Z")
> [@minionkat](#): > > I knew exactly which video this was going to be before I clicked. I have to agree. They really needed someone with a stronger stomach to do the video. This could have been amazing. I find his gagging more off-putting than the actual excision. I introduced my mother to the wonderful world of zit popping on YouTube with several videos, including this one. She loves it. šŸ˜ƒ Heh, ITA. But the truly funny ones, at least for me, are the bot fly removal videos. Really hilarious seeing a poor innocent larva extracted from a hole in someoneā€™s back, arm and yes, even scalp. One larva even started to sprout wings before it was pulled. So, not the pus factory some folks are looking for, but lots of wriggling and pulling and stretching of parasites. And the larval,waste pouring from the hole is kinda nice. I love watching Monsters Inside Me, which grosses out my family. I havenā€™t yet ā€˜come outā€™ to them, and admitted I have a fascination for zits, pimples, boils, etc., but a while back I did help my hubby with a large blockhead on his backā€¦it was so satisfying. OTOH, they probably already know. And then I found you lot! At last, a home! ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/43 "2014-03-21T15:44:03Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > We call 'em chucks. I have no idea why. Even the reusable sturdy fabric chucks that arenā€™t chucked are called chucks. Maybe it was once a brand name? Yeah, they were originally marketed under the brand name ā€œChux.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/44 "2014-03-21T16:04:21Z")
In the waiting room at the doctorā€™s office. My fever is up to 100.1F. ā˜¹ **RNATB** , I havenā€™t been putting pressure on it. The dressing is fairly loose. Itā€™s just there to catch the gunk. I havenā€™t been touching it except to gently wipe off the surrounding skin. Iā€™m normally a picker, but Iā€™ve been leaving this thing the hell alone. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/45 "2014-03-21T16:06:17Z")
If they do decide to lance it - well, my experience is that makes for an immediate level of relief. And you start healing up faster afterwards. Best of luck, get better soon. ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/46 "2014-03-21T19:14:13Z")
[Hereā€™s a pic](http://i1369.photobucket.com/albums/ag207/elyse0228/2014-03-21080927_zps32dd0a73.jpg) from earlier this morning, before I went to the doctor. The skin is peeling like **Broomstick** said it would. The abscess is draining pretty well on its own, so the doctor decided not to lance it. He scrubbed the scab off with hydrogen peroxide (painful) and squeezed some goop out (excruciating). Since Iā€™m diabetic, he wanted the nurse to check my blood sugar to make sure it wasnā€™t so high it interfered with the antibiotics working. It was 63. The nurse goes out, comes back in, and said the doctor wanted to know if I needed a snack. I declined. The doctor came in a minute later, stuck a granola bar in front of my face, and said, ā€œEat it.ā€ I guess the snack wasnā€™t optional. Iā€™ve got another five days on the antibiotics. He told me to put a hot pack on the abscess six times a day and change the dressing three times a day. Iā€™m supposed to wash the area with soap and water, gently scrub any scab off with hydrogen peroxide, and put antibiotic ointment on the entire red area. If my fever breaks 101F or if Iā€™m not noticeably better by Monday, Iā€™m supposed to see him again. Iā€™ll find out the results of the culture sometime next week. Iā€™m hot, Iā€™m nauseated from the bactrim, and I feel like ass. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/47 "2014-03-21T19:49:18Z")
This may not help, butā€¦ how youā€™re feeling is sort of normal for having an abscess like that. Sorry. Believe me, I know how you feel. You didnā€™t mention you were diabetic before. Needless to say, keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels while this is going on. When I had my face abscess lanced the doctor who did the surgery emphasized two things for a good recovery: one, sufficient rest, and two, proper nutrition so your body have the fuel and ā€œpartsā€ to do the healing. Good luck on the weekend - rest, fluids, blah, blah, blah you know the routine. If the swelling is going down and youā€™re getting the peeling skin thing, though, Iā€™d take that as a sign things are improving. They just never improve fast enough. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/48 "2014-03-21T20:01:09Z")
Prior to menopause, I had one of these going almost constantly. I feel your pain. However, be glad that itā€™s located where it is. I always had them in places where I had to sit on them, or under the bra, or on an inner thigh so I couldnā€™t walk. Once I almost dislocated my own thumb while getting one lanced. It cracks me up how docs will dispense narcotics for tooth extractions and surgeries that donā€™t hurt all that much. Iā€™d goo in with one of these and theyā€™d tell me to take some Tylenol. HAHAHA. I havenā€™t had one in ages now. One small perk from the diminishing hormones of old age. (Goo in HAHAHA - Freudian slip!) ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/49 "2014-03-21T20:05:50Z")
Thanks, **Broomstick**. It does help to know what Iā€™m feeling is normal. The fever was really worrying me. My last A1C was 5.9, which is about what it usually is, so my blood sugar isnā€™t normally _too_ high. Iā€™ve never, to my knowledge, gone above 200. Not even when I was first diagnosed. But yeah, I was surprised by the low reading, especially since Iā€™d had breakfast this morning. Iā€™ve never had a staph infection before, but I know you donā€™t mess around with it, so Iā€™ll definitely be following doctorā€™s orders. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/50 "2014-03-21T20:22:50Z")
So, no hopes for a big gooshy splort, huh? _sigh_ I never get to have any fun. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/51 "2014-03-21T20:35:36Z")
Iā€™ve been following this religiously (though I didnā€™t look at the pictures because I can _read_ about it, but not look at it, thankyouverymuch), and Iā€™m glad to hear youā€™re feeling ā€¦ better-ish. Good luck and speedy healing to you. Personally, I think Iā€™d be kind of pissed if I had something like this going on long enough that doctors got involved and there _wasnā€™t_ a big _ **splorch** _ at the end. You deserve something satisfying after all that bother. ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/52 "2014-03-21T20:39:34Z")
The doctor himself was quite disappointed the abscess didnā€™t need to be lanced. Apparently, itā€™s one of his favorite things to do. It does seem rather anticlimactic. ---
**Author:** ![Athabasca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Athabasca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athabasca)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/53 "2014-03-21T20:57:52Z")
Glad to hear youā€™re on the mend, Inter Alia. I second the importance of the hot compresses. They really help draw all the crap out. Get lots,of rest. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/54 "2014-03-21T21:10:12Z")
> [@Inter\_Alia](#): > > The doctor himself was quite disappointed the abscess didnā€™t need to be lanced. Apparently, itā€™s one of his favorite things to do. It does seem rather anticlimactic. Itā€™s your fault for healing up so well on your own that an intervention wasnā€™t required. (Good job) Seriously, if you can get away with a friend or family member doting on you all weekend, fixing your meals, changing the movies for you on the DVD/VHS/whatever, and otherwise babying you all weekend this is the time to do it. The rest will do your body good and help you mend faster. If you donā€™t youā€™ll still get better, of course. Iā€™m just saying, itā€™s an excuse to get a little pampering. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/55 "2014-03-21T23:28:32Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Is pressure actually a good idea? I thought that created a risk of the pus and dead tissue being forced deeper into the body, or even into the bloodstream. And this is why an abscess should not be opened until it ā€œpointsā€. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/56 "2014-03-21T23:39:59Z")
Whatever happened to good, old drawing salve? A quick google shows it is still available. Let me guess: Iā€™m am one of a dozen people on these boards who knows what ā€œdrawing salveā€ is. ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/57 "2014-03-21T23:56:48Z")
Drawing salve? Oooh, how did I not know [this existed](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Smile-s-Homeopathic-Drawing-Salve-Prid-18-G/12167279#)? Anyway, who wants to see a drop of pus coming out of my abscess? [You do](http://i1369.photobucket.com/albums/ag207/elyse0228/2014-03-21171938_zps8ebdf4d2.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/58 "2014-03-22T00:12:20Z")
> [@Inter\_Alia](#): > > The doctor himself was quite disappointed the abscess didnā€™t need to be lanced. Apparently, itā€™s one of his favorite things to do. It does seem rather anticlimactic. I canā€™t imagine any doctor who squeezes goop out of wounds and abscesses would not at some level enjoy it. You would kind of have to enjoy it to continue to do it for a living. I usually donā€™t get grossed out by seeing the stuff on youtube, but there is one doctor in India who posts things from his practice all the time. There isnā€™t enough money on this planet that would make me be a dermatologist in India. While you are recouping this weekend, I recommend getting your iPad or laptop and going to youtube. Search on abscess, or pus or one of those key words. You will be entertained for hours on end. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/59 "2014-03-22T00:23:56Z")
If \*_Inter Alia_ does the YouTube Abscess and Pimple Cruise sheā€™ll also realize sheā€™s far from a worst-case here, which may also be somewhat reassuring. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125/60 "2014-03-22T01:55:10Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Whatever happened to good, old drawing salve? Well, itā€™s irritating to the skin for some people. Also smelly, though not so much compared to an abscess. Worse, the one **Inter Alia** linked to is homeopathic, which is one of the many Wooese words for ā€œscamā€. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-see-my-abscess-tmi-obvi/684125.md?page=4)