How To Get Rid Of Boils

A boil is very annoying and painful. Despite all my healthy habits I have once suffered from a boil and would therefore do anything to avoid it in the future. Also to help you in never having to suffer from it.

If you however currently suffer from a boil; I provide information about existing treatments and natural tips in how to get rid of boils and also how to prevent a boil from developing.

A boil is actually an infection in your skin. Usually a boil begins in a hair follicle which becomes inflamed. Thus, they are common in the hairy areas of the body such as the face, armpits, your neck and your buttocks or groin.

The area around the boil turns red and you also get a significant bump that looks very much like a normal pimple, but it just is not.

When you have multiple boils together then there is a serious infection which is also known as a carbuncle. In that case, it sometimes requires surgical intervention. When you have a carbuncle in your neck you need to urgently get treatment as it can be fatal in the sense that the infection can spread to the brains.

 

The cause of the boil

You might think that a boil a runaway pimple by too much secretion of sebum, but the cause of boils is always related to bacteria. Usually a boil is caused by a bacterium known as staphylococci. That is a bacterium that is contagious and can enter the body through the hair. Also through minor damage, such as when you cut yourself while shaving.

A boil is recognizable by red skin around a sort of cusp, which can be as large as a centimeter. That lump is hard and painful. Over time, the protuberance can be bigger and also softer, but it remains painful.

A serious infection can be recognized by a wider area around the pimple which turns red and swells. It is also very hot. Several boils may form in addition to the first boil, usually the beginning of a carbuncle. You may develop a fever and cause lymph nodes to become swollen.

Always go to a doctor if your boil causes any of these symptoms!

Even if you are diabetic and you have immuno-suppressive medication that you take, you should always contact your doctor if you have a boil. The probability that it will worsen is much greater than in people who do not take medication or have diabetes.

 

Boil treatment

You can do a lot at home to treat a boil yourself. That’s why I’m going on what you should and should not do to get rid of a boil.

 

Boil Squeezing:

Maybe you think you have a boil just like a normal pimple just have to squeeze. Do not do this! This may just worsen the infection, not even a needle prick.

 

A warm compress:

A warm compress helps to relieve the pain of a boil. In addition, it draws the pus to the surface causing the pimple to split open by itself. This happens almost always automatically after 10 days without a hot compress, but the poultice can speed up the process.

The easiest way to make a hot compress is to use a towel and wet it with warm water. Cover the boil with the warm wet towel.  Keep the compress in place until such time the towel has cooled down to a lukewarm temperature.

Antibacterial soap:

When the pus starts draining from the boil, it is very important to keep the area on the skin where the boil is located clean with antibacterial soap or alcohol in order to prevent infection. Keep up this routine until the boil is completely empty. Not all the pus comes out at the same time. Therefore, you must repeat this process. In the meantime, you can apply betadine on the area after cleaning with soap and alcohol and a bandage. Wash the boil two to three times per day.

 

Antibiotics:

A doctor can prescribe antibiotic to treat the boil. Since a boil consists of bacteria, this is a logical treatment. Additionally, the physician may perform a biopsy to check for any bacteria in order to prescribe the appropriate antibiotic.

With a severe boil it is drained and you still get antibiotics to clear up the last bits.

 

Extract Ointment:

Extract ointment actually works just like a heat pack. Apply the extract ointment on and around the boil, and rub it gently. When the pus finally comes out you need to clean the boil well with anti-bacterial soap and dressing

Extract ointment lubricates the skin where the boil is situated, making it softer and allowing for the pus to come out of the boil much easier. In addition, it also stimulates the blood flow so that more pus flows out of the boil

Garlic Eating:

Garlic is a natural remedy that works against bacteria and inflammation. So you can already start using the “antibiotics” by eating raw garlic.

Additionally, you can also make a kind of paste of garlic that you can apply to the boil. For that you use three cloves of garlic. You squeeze and mixed with water. Apply to the boil three times a day. Because of the odor it is recommended to do this at home and not at work.

 

Prevent boil

“Prevention is better than cure” the old adage goes, and preventing a boil is of course the very best course of action. Because the bacteria that cause a boil are contagious, it is most important to reduce the chances of infecting other people.

Without touching the clothing and bedding of a family member with a boil wash in order to prevent the spreading of the bacteria. It is important that you do not let yourself become contaminated during washing. So do this carefully.

 

Clean small cuts

Everyone sometimes cuts themselves while shaving, causing a small wound. In order to reduce the risk of infection, it is important to wash the wound and, if necessary put on a plaster so that nothing can infect it.

 

Keep your eye on personal hygiene

Pyjamas-day now and then is always nice, but it remains important to keep an eye on your hygiene. Regularly showering and washing hands after urinating cannot hurt.

 

Stay as healthy as possible

Ultimately, your immune system day and night battle with viruses and bacteria that can cause a boil. For preventing a boil, it is therefore advisable to live as healthy as possible in order to keep your immune system strong. This means a healthy diet that supports your immune system, such as a diet rich in vitamin C. Fruits like kiwi, mandarin, mango and melon are often full of vitamin C. Also, green leafy vegetables a good source of vitamin C.

 

Reduce your stress

Prolonged stress has a negative effect on your immune system. Therefore it is important to de-stress regularly. There are several ways to de-stress. Daily meditation can already do a lot to reduce your stress level.

 

Move

Regular exercise also contributes a lot to reduce your stress levels and boost your immune system. Daily half-hour walk can do miracles. A visit to the gym is also advised, when you use the sauna, sit on your towel.

 

Avoid skin contact with areas where the bacteria can sit

Following on from the previous tip. In a village in Alaska, there was an outbreak of people who had suddenly all suffer from boils. Because this community was so small an investigation was carried out with regards to the infectiousness of boils.

As such boils are not contagious, but the bacteria causing them are. This study showed that many people from the village who had suffered from boils visited a steam room and there they sat on their bare asses. The advice: sit your towel, so as to avoid any contact with bacteria and therefore prevent a boil from forming on your buttocks.

 

Reduce your alcohol intake

Especially if you have more than two glasses of alcoholic drinks per day. If you regularly drink too much alcohol, this has a weakening effect on your immune system so the risk of a boil developing increases.

 

Shave yourself with the right tools

Your razor is supposed to smoothly run over your body. Use shaving cream (men) and soap (ladies) when shaving. Replace blunt blades regularly to prevent snagging and thus causing a small wound..

Finally…

A boil is very annoying. It’s painful and contagious so you have to keep it clean. Wash your hands regularly and your clothes after wearing.

If you boil is very painful and not gone within two weeks, or you get multiple boils, it is important to go to a doctor for treatment.

Even if you have diabetes and a weakened immune system, it is important to go to a doctor if you suffer from a boil.

You can do a lot yourself to get rid of you boil quickly. For example, by treating the boil with a hot compress or extract ointment.

In order to prevent a boil hygiene is needed and a strong immune system. Do not forget to bath/shower regularly, eat healthy and exercise. Keeping stress levels down is also important to keep your immune system strong.

 

Read other health related articles by clicking here