What is boil?
A boil also known as furuncle is an infection of the hair follicle by staphylococci bacteria which is present on the skin, the boil is a deep folliculitis. It is also defined as the swollen and red painful lump under the skin.
The infection in the hair follicle is caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and results in a painful swollen area on the skin with an accumulation of pus and dead tissue.
When individual boils are clustered together, they form carbuncles and are interconnected with each other under the skin.
What does a boil look like?
Boils, also called furuncles or abscesses, boils are infected hair follicles. It’s caused by the bacteria staphylococcus aureus painful swellings. A boil looks like a firm, red, painful limp under the skin’s surface.
What are the factors that trigger boil?
There are various causes of boils and are as follows:-
• Excessive perspiration
• Occlusion of the hair follicular gland.
• Follicular trauma.
• Friction to the root of the hair.
• Any prior skin injury.
• Patients with reduced immune status are more prone to develop boils.
• The most common bacteria involved in the formation of the boil and causing infection is Staphylococcus aureus.
Risk factors involved in the formation of boils are as follows: –
• Diabetic persons are more prone to develop these skin infections from bacteria as in this disease it becomes more difficult for the body to fight against infections.
• Individuals are more prone to develop infection for boil if they are in close contact with a person who has a staph infection.
• Other skin conditions such as acne and eczema damage the skin’s protective barrier and lead to the formation of boils and make the skin more prone to infections.
• Individuals whose immunity is low are more prone to develop boils and carbuncles.
What are the symptoms of boil?
Boils mainly appear on the face, neck, armpits, buttocks or thighs. Signs and symptoms shown by the boils are as follows
• Boil appears as a red painful bump about the size of a pea.
• There is swelling and redness around the bump.
• When this infection is not treated at an early stage there occurs an increase in the size of the bump and then this bump is filled with pus and sometimes it can reach the size of a golf ball.
• There is the development of a yellow and white tip on the bump and this tip has an opening that ruptures and allows the pus to drain out.
• Sometimes when the infection is severe there occurs fever along with the pain and swelling in the boil.
• The patient feels chills.
• There is weakness and lethargy felt by the patient.
• Generally, the patient feels unwell.
As soon as the boil is ruptured the pain vanishes or decreases depending on the severity of the boil.
What does a boil look like?
Boils also known as furuncles or abscesses occur due to the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus which causes painful swellings, but other bacteria and fungi can cause boils too. It starts as a firm, red, painful limp under the skin’s surface.
What are the complications?
• Boils can lead to scarring.
• Infection increases and reaches deeper parts of the skin.
• Abscess of the skin, brain, spinal cord, and other organs.
• The infection spreads to the bloodstream causing bacteremia.
• Sepsis
• Carbuncle.
• Osteomyelitis.
• Endocarditis.
• Toxic shock syndrome.
What are the homoeopathic indications for a boil?
Belladonna
Calcarea sulphuric
Hepar sulphuris calcareum
Mercurius solubilis
Silicea
Lachesis mutus
