Perianal Abscess

Hot sitz baths are what is needed. Once you understand that abscesses must heal from the inside out, taking weeks won't seem so crazy. You do NOT want this to heal over prematurely. That just leads to the abscess reforming, causing more pain, and bursting. This is a repeating cycle. This is why it often needs to be lanced, so there is a larger drainage opening. Antibiotics are not very helpful, as the body walls off the infection from the bloodstream. This protects you from sepsis, but also prevents systemic antibiotics from getting to it.

So the bad news is that keeping it open and draining for as long as it takes is the appropriate treatment. Sitz baths do this with moist heat to improve circulation, rinse out the cavity, and preventing the wound from scabbing over. Even if you do everything perfectly right, these things tend to recur.

Jan

50% or more end up with a fistula like I have.

PM me if you have questions... I've had a seton drain in for over a year. This has helped a lot, because the "full, burst" cycle doesn't happen, and the drain allows constant drainage.

Is it comfortable? Not always, but it's tolerable MOST of the time.

in addition to numerous lengthy hot sitz baths each day.. spray the area with warm water via a shower sprayer. yup you read it right. My CC surgeon had me doing that. just another thing to help it keep open and draining.