Signs of boils article

HEALTH PRODUCTS ARTICLE

Common Signs of Boils

An infection of the skin that begins in one of a person's oil glands or in a follicle of hair is commonly referred to as a boil.

When it first begins, the area that the infection is starting in will usually turn red, and a lump will develop that becomes very tender. Pus will begin forming in the boil, and when that happens it will turn white (about 4 to 7 days after the boil starts).

An abscess in the individual's skin will result if the infection in the boil spreads into deeper tissues of the person's skin. Most often boils will appear on a person's neck, shoulders, face, armpits and buttocks.

Staphylococcus or staph infection is generally the cause for most people who suffer from the pain associated with a boil. In many cases the staph infection a person has turns into a serious condition because of the abscess that occurs.

Although staph can rest on any type of normal skin without causing problems, in some cases it will travel down the person's follicle of hair or enter the body through a break in the skin.

There are also some specific types of health conditions that cause a person to be more likely to suffer from a boil. Individuals who have poor hygiene habits, suffer from conditions of the immune system, are exposed to chemicals that can be harsh irritants to the skin, do not have a healthy diet, or have diabetes, often have a higher risk for boils.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms of a boil is a lump that is very tender and painful, red, is hard and generally about an inch or smaller in size. After this stage, the boil will then appear to be larger, softer and even cause more pain than before, and then a pus pocket will form.

Some signs that a severe infection is going on would include individuals who notice their lymph nodes have started to become larger or swollen, those who develop a temperature, in cases where other boils will begin to appear around the first boil, and when an individual's skin that surrounds the boil becomes painful to touch, swollen and red.

Although in a majority of cases a person who has a boil will not need to see a health care provider, there are some cases in which a person should seek treatment from a physician.

If a person has a boil:

That has formed and the person begins running a fever

From which no draining occurs

And other boils appear

And the pain becomes severe

And the surrounding skin also becomes red and swollen or if red streaks appear

And the person has diabetes, an immune system problem, or a heart murmur

That person should seek the advice of his or her family physician.

Health and Humor

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