Caring for an Abscess after Treatment
A skin abscess is a bacterial infection that forms a pocket of pus. One example of an abscess is what is commonly referred to as a boil. A boil is a skin infection that begins in a hair follicle or oil gland. They can occur in almost any place on the body but are more likely to occur in the groin areas, armpits, buttocks, face, or eyelids. The abscess can cause swelling and become quite painful. If your loved one isn’t able to get rid of it on her own, she might need a visit to her physician to have it cut open and drained. Once the abscess has been drained, your loved one must follow the care directions given by her physician to make sure it heals properly. While some boils or abscesses can be quite small and easier to treat as they heal, a larger abscess may require the help of a skilled nursing care provider to make sure your loved one doesn’t risk the area becoming infected.
Here are some ways a skilled nursing care provider can help.
Medication management
Skilled Nursing Dearborn Heights MI – Caring for an Abscess after Treatment
Your loved one will likely be given some antibiotics to take as the area heals on her body to prevent an infection from starting and to help the abscess heal. She needs to take her medication for as long as the doctor prescribes (even if the area looks completely healed) and as the doctor prescribes (with or without food, multiple times a day). Her skilled nursing care provider can help her stay on top of her medication as well as help her order more if needed.
Cleaning of the area
The bandages will need to be kept clean and dry and will need to be changed regularly. Especially if the abscess is somewhere your loved one cannot reach – like her buttocks or in the groin area – she might need the help of a skilled nursing care provider to change her bandages and then redress the wound area.
The wound will also need to be soaked several times a day between bandage changes until it fully closes.
Pain Management
While your loved one’s skilled nursing care provider can help with medication management for pain, she can also help with other forms of pain management. Many people find relief by applying warm and dry compresses to the affected area several times a day. A heating pad set on low or a hot water bottle may provide the relief your loved one needs but she may need help positioning it in the right place to get that relief.
Most boils or abscesses should respond to treatment well but if your loved one or her skilled nursing care provider sees that it is inflamed, warm, or especially tender and sore to the touch, she should head back in for further observation to make sure it hasn’t gotten reinfected or spread to another location.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Skilled Nursing Care Services in Dearborn Heights MI, please get in touch with the caring staff at No Place Like Home Health, LLC today. 734-259-4200
Connecting Families with Compassionate & Quality Home Health Care In Wayne, Oakland, Livingston & Washtenaw.
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