You
have either a perianal abscess, an
infection around your anus that began
in a mucous-secreting gland in the
anal canal, or a pilonidal abscess,
an infection in a hair follicle trapped
under the skin overlying the tailbone.
In either case, you did nothing to
cause the infection and you could
have done nothing to prevent its
development.
Treatment
Drainage
is the most reliable way to treat these
abscesses. First the doctor injected
a local anesthetic around the abscess
to allow the drainage to be as painless
as possible. The doctor made an incision
into the abscess to drain the pus and
removed a portion of the skin and fat
to allow drainage while your body heals
the abscess. A gauze dressing was then
applied.
Antibiotics
in addition to drainage are sometimes
given to diabetics, patients with
artificial heart valves or joints,
or those who have decreased immunity.
After
Treatment
Symptoms
and Care
You will have some pain after the local
anesthetic wears off. It may be moderately
strong. Your doctor will prescribe
something for you. Do not take aspirin
or products containing aspirin for
at least seven days as they promote
bleeding. You may take acetaminophen
(Tylenol®) or ibuprofen.
It
takes two to four weeks for the
wound to heal. Don't worry if some
bleeding, discharge, pus, or itching
occur during this time; they are
part of the normal healing process.
You may apply gauze, cotton dressings,
or minipads to the wound as needed.
Anal
hygiene is important. Take a bath
or shower at least twice a day. (A
hand-held sprayer is helpful if you
are taking a shower.)
You
have been asked to return to the
office in 7 to 14 days for a check-up.
Most patients with perianal abscesses
will need no further treatment. If
you develop a chronic fistula, surgery
may be necessary. Pilonidal abscesses
typically come back, possibly requiring
further surgery.
Diet
It is important to keep your bowel
movements soft and regular. Eat
foods high in fiber and drink lots
of water (6-8 glasses a day). If
you are constipated, take a fiber
supplement like Metamucil®
or Konsyl®. Prune juice or small
doses of milk of magnesia may also
be used.
Activity
Avoid strenuous activity for the rest
of the day. Tomorrow you can go
back to your normal activities.
Causes
for Concern
Call your doctor if you have any of
the following problems:
- Excessive
pain unrelieved by your pain
medication
- Increasing
pain several days after treatment
- Fever
or chills
- Difficulty
urinating
- Severe
bleeding that won't stop with direct
pressure using Kleenex or gauze
- Severe
constipation (no bowel movement
for three days)
- Diarrhea
(more than three watery bowel movements
within 24 hours)
- Nausea
or vomiting
If
your own doctor is unavailable, the doctor
on call is available 24 hours a day,
every day of the year. After hours, call
any of our offices and the answering
service will locate one of our doctors
on call. In an emergency try to contact
us for advice before you go to the hospital.
A telephone call may save you a lot of
time, discomfort, and expense. |
