Talk:Abscess

secondary intentions and plain english
added a link to wound healing in the 'healing by secondary intention' statement so people who don't have a medical background can learn what they mean by this particular piece of jargon. 75.156.155.218 (talk) 22:03, 8 September 2010 (UTC)

An automated Wikipedia link suggester has some possible wiki link suggestions for the Abscess article, and they have been placed on this page for your convenience.


 * Already added. PeteVerdon 17:37, 8 August 2005 (UTC)

statistical signficance
I think the link to statistical significance should remain as such an not be split into two links to statistical and significance. Check out statistical significance and I think you will see it is more on target. OK if I revert that one change? Badgettrg 12:51, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

incorrect redirect
"pustules" should not redirect to "abscess". Pustules should eat you if anything redirect to "rash". They are pus-filled vesicles on the skin surface. Wwallacee 20:50, 3 March 2007 (UTC)
 * I agree. Abscess is generally larger and deeper. Pusutles are confined to the epidermis-dermis layers only. MoiAussie (talk) 21:35, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

Would it be incorrect to redirect Shooter's abscess and Heroin abscess to Abscess? I think not. --User123o987name (talk) 07:30, 18 August 2020 (UTC)

typing error?
The introduction says that an abscess wall that is formed in an attempt to limit the immune cells from attacking the bacteria.

This seems like an error - shouldn't it be "attacking the healthy cells" instead of the bacteria? Why should the body try to limit the attacking of the bacteria?

Dan Gluck 07:26, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

the picture also displays a hemorrhagic vesicle with surrounding cellulitis vs. inflammation rather than an abscess Rruggero 06:00, 9 September 2007 (UTC) in addition, by definition, an abscess does not have a "wall", unlike a cyst. Rruggero 06:01, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

Question
Is a pimple a form of abscess? Kevin 22:00, 14 November 2007 (UTC)

HI —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.181.238.166 (talk) 03:43, 20 March 2008 (UTC)

Primary closure
What does this mean? Non obvious to non-medics? A link or an explanation would help —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.44.102.149 (talk) 14:01, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Abcess scarring
What is the name of the scarring left by abcesses? It's like an inverted bump rather than bieng flat like a normal scar, but it's not raised like a Keloid. Any thoughts? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Scaeme (talk • contribs) 21:48, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

Informational!
This article is informational! Never delete it! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.102.200.16 (talk) 18:15, 26 March 2009 (UTC)

abscess healing
I just want to know how long after drainage will the abscess heal and close?67.182.174.16 (talk) 18:33, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

the xzghx —Preceding unsigned comment added by 167.136.142.30 (talk) 20:20, 7 May 2009 (UTC)

treatment & causes
1 other cause is not described: frequent touching of the face; fingers often contain fatty acids (even more so if you frequently touch/consume foods containing much fat) and touching the face will make these fatty acids go into the pores, sometimes causing a reaction (acne)

1 other treatment is the use of a simple desinfectant as ethanol; this is found in parfums, aftershave, ... too and can be quite cheap (and multifunctional) unlike the commercial creams —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.66.63.183 (talk) 11:44, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

out of date
"To try to answer this question more definitely, a randomized double-blind study was started in September 2008 and is ongoing as of December 2008." I'm lazy and don't know how to properly format wikipedia nor do I care, but someone might want to fix that up. December 2008 has passed. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.48.193.227 (talk) 13:42, 29 November 2009 (UTC)

Packing
The PACKING question is in deed true! At least here in CA, my son had a "bug bite" looking abscess that grew and grew until it finally erupted into a bloody, puss-e mess. In the ER they numbed it, lanced it, drained it, and STUFFED it with guaze, or as they refered to it as PACKING! He was prescribed an antibiotic and returned approx. 3-4 days later for a check-up type appointment. --Psycho hoz b (talk) 03:41, 15 February 2010 (UTC)

This article would benefit from input from those who think packing is a good thing. My doctor told me to leave the packing in until a return appointment 3 days later. But she said I could take it out if it got pulled out partly while washing, etc. So I know it's somewhat optional. Knowing both sides of the issue would help me to decide what to do. For lack of having both sides, I'll stick with what my doctor said and keep it in.HumanJHawkins (talk) 00:19, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

Also, it would be useful to hear about any relationship between toxic shock syndrome and abscess packing. I assume that at some point the risk of TSS becomes great. I didn't think to question my doctor about the 3 day time frame when she put it in. I would like to know how long before a serious risk of TSS develops.HumanJHawkins (talk) 00:19, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

Quality of Pictures
While I understand why they are being shown, I feel like better pictures need to take their place. The second image especially is not very typical of what most look like after being drained. And the first also is not very typical. As they are I don't think they contribute to the article that much. Thoughts? Tkent91 (talk • contribs) 22:20, 10 August 2011 (UTC)

Duration of formation and expulsion
BernhardWH (talk) 05:09, 1 October 2011 (UTC)I think some mention should be made of the duration of the process. I have had abcesses on my forearms since April 2005. They were caused by carrying a large coil of rope over my forearms mid-December 2004. Fibres from the rope penetrated into my skin. Pretty soon it will be seven years that these fibres have taken to form abcesses and migrate to the surface - and it may take a little longer than that to clear them all out.

Ultrasound Image Problem
There is no indication of where the abscess is in that picture. If someone knows where it is, it should be pointed out specifically. 74.128.43.180 (talk) 20:47, 17 April 2014 (UTC)
 * I think it is the dark areas. I have pinged the image uploader on Commons to see if they can clarify this. Lesion  21:22, 17 April 2014 (UTC)
 * The abscess is mushroom shaped dark (hypoechoic) area. --Nevit (talk) 04:30, 19 April 2014 (UTC)
 * Thanks for that. I added the detail to the picture caption. Lesion  08:14, 19 April 2014 (UTC)

When to use antibiotics with an abscess and MRSA
Hello. The American College of Emergency Physicians says, "Even in abscesses caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), appropriately selected antibiotics offer no benefit if the abscess has been adequately drained and the patient has a well-functioning immune system." In a NEJM paper which I cannot read due to lack of access, there is seemingly conflicting advice as reported in a news summary that "Talan and Singer concur with the Infectious Diseases Society of America that when simply draining an abscess is not enough to address a community-acquired MRSA infection".

If these are to be read as presented, "community acquired" MRSA abscesses require antibiotics and other abscesses do not. However, I do not have secondary sources to back the statement about abscesses not requiring antibiotics - that is just a position of the ACEP. Is the presentation at Abscess correct?

Thanks.  Blue Rasberry  (talk)  19:06, 22 April 2014 (UTC)
 * From Singer & Talan, when speaking about nonperirectal cutaneous abscess with community aquired MRSA,
 * "Investigations of the efficacy of adjunctive antibiotic treatment for patients with drained cutaneous abscesses have not shown a clear benefit. Cure rates with drainage alone are about 85% or higher..."
 * "The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommends systemic antibiotic treatment, in addition to incision and drainage, for patients with severe or extensive disease (e.g., multiple sites of infection) or with rapid disease progression and associated cellulitis, signs and symptoms of systemic illness, associated coexisting conditions or immunosuppression, very young age or advanced age, an abscess in an area difficult to drain (e.g., face, hands, or genitalia), associated septic phlebitis, or an abscess that does not respond to incision and drainage alone."
 * They quote several studies which show that the initial reponse rate is no different but the recurrence rates of the cutaneous lesions with community aquired MRSA may be higher but the requst are unclear due to study design issues.
 * Hope that helps, I can email you the pdf if you want. Ian Furst (talk) 00:13, 24 April 2014 (UTC)
 * Thank you. That helps a lot and resolves my concern. I do not need the original paper but thanks for offering.  Blue Rasberry   (talk)  16:37, 24 April 2014 (UTC)
 * Was there any specific mention abscesses in DM? Snowman (talk) 22:29, 25 April 2014 (UTC)

Wound abscess
I removed this statement and citation - "Wound abscesses can be treated with antibiotics. They require surgical intervention, debridement, and curettage."

I do not know what a wound abscess is and feel this is unclear. I am sharing here just in case "wound abscess" is some technical term that anyone would like to reinsert.  Blue Rasberry  (talk)  16:37, 24 April 2014 (UTC)
 * It means post operative surgical incision abscess. These are generally treated with antibiotics. Doc James  (talk · contribs · email) (if I write on your page reply on mine) 10:50, 25 April 2014 (UTC)

Society & Culture
Why is the "Monstrous Carbuncle" section here, and not on the page for "Carbuncle"?92.90.26.121 (talk) 09:27, 13 August 2015 (UTC)

edit: I see that it is on that page, so I shall remove it from this one.92.90.26.121 (talk) 09:28, 13 August 2015 (UTC)

External links modified
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(!) Impact of Pictures
Some of the pictures are real photographies of conditions that are aversive to see: its impact on subjectivities can brings about not only repulsion of space, but also difuse disgust within one own experience. When navigating fast between hyperlinks, the visual interface can be processed in an intimate fashion, and figuring such imagery is... A plainly badly designed user experience, to say the least. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 179.164.218.23 (talk) 02:44, 28 May 2018 (UTC)


 * agreed. maybe can try artificially lowering the contrast / shapness / saturation of the pictures to make it less... triggering? i know that finding a less triggering picture would be better, but it'll probably take sometime before we find something under CC BY... irisChronomia (talk) 14:17, 17 June 2024 (UTC)

Different impact of pictures
Looking at the lead picture, makes me want to try and pop it and be satisfied. 69.202.207.228 (talk) 00:19, 3 November 2023 (UTC)


 * I strongly agree. I know the Wikipedia English guideline suggests that images are suitable as long as they are encyclopedic,
 * but the current title image is *seriously* making me feeling uncomfortable. It’s really, really triggering on my Dermatillomania.
 * I’d really want to switch it with a more comfortable-looking image. IrisChronomia (talk) 01:27, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
 * "fixed" it by manually lowered the contrast, sharpness and saturation of the picture. pretty flawed solution i know. just trying to stop my brain from bleeding... irisChronomia (talk) 15:02, 17 June 2024 (UTC)