Home :: Boils (Furuncle)

Boils (Furuncle) or Carbuncle - Home Remedies To Get Rid of Boils (Furuncle) or Carbuncle

Alternative names : Furuncle and Carbuncle

What are boils?

Boils, referred to as furuncles by medical professionals, are round pus-filled nodules on the skin that result from infection with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The infection begins in the deepest portion of a hair follicle, or in an oil­producing sebaceous gland, and works its way up to the skin's surface. Poor nutrition, illness that has depressed immune function, diabetes mellitus, poor hygiene, and the use of immunosuppressive drugs are common contributing factors.

Information on the Symptoms of Boils.

The common symptoms of a boil are: a large, red, tender lump or swelling under the skin. It is usually very painful, especially to touch. This disorder is common, especially among children and adolescents. Boils often appear on the scalp, buttocks, face, or underarms. They are tender, red, and painful, and they appear suddenly. Other symptoms that a boil may be forming include itching, mild pain, and localized swelling. Within twenty-four hours, the boil becomes red and filled with pus. Fever and swelling of the lymph glands nearest the boil may occur.

What are the Causes of Boils?

Boils may cause by staphylococcus germs, which enter the sweat glands or hair follicles. The essential cause of this disorder is thus bacterial. However, several factors predispose the growth of bacteria in hair follicles. Of these, the chief factor is a toxic condition in the blood stream, which is due to a faulty diet and frenetic pace of living. Boils generally appear when a person is in a run- down and devitalized condition.

Home Remedies to get rid of Boils (Furuncle) or Carbuncle.

Here are some common home remedy to cure boils :-

• Neem heads the list in herbal cures for boils. Grind fresh tender leaves to a fine paste and apply daily on the boil.
• Onion poultices are good for boils. Apply pieces of onion wrapped in a piece of cloth-not directly to the area. Helps to get rid of boils.
• Mash 2-3 fresh garlic cloves into a paste and apply locally on the boil.
• Propolis is made by bees and is a natural antibiotic. It can be taken in tincture form.
• Red clover acts as a natural antibiotic and is good for bacterial infections. It cleanses the liver and the blood­stream
• Turmeric paste: Use equal parts of fresh ginger and turmeric ground together. Apply when quite warm on a boil.
• When a boil just begins, if fresh henna leaf paste is applied, it aborts the boil.
• Fenugreek seeds boiled in water, coarsely pounded, can be applied on a boil as a poultice. This helps to get rid of boils.
• Tea tree oil compresses act as an antiseptic. Add 9 to 10 drops of the oil to 1 quart of warm water. Soak a clean cloth in the warm liquid and apply to the boil. The tea tree oil can be left on the boil for thirty minutes or more, and may be applied three or four times a day. Helps to get rid of boils.
• To relieve pain and help to bring the boil to a head, apply moist heat three or four times a day. Wet a clean towel or sterile gauze pad with warm water and apply it to the boil. Place a heating pad or a hot water bottle on top. Do this for twenty minutes three or four times a day. Use a clean towel or fresh piece of gauze each time to prevent spreading the infection. Warm Epsom salts baths are also good. Helps to get rid of boils.

Surgical treatment

Boils and carbuncles that are very large, or that are not draining, may be opened with a sterile needle or surgical knife to allow the pus to drain. The doctor will usually give the patient a local anesthetic if a knife is used; surgical treatment of boils is painful and usually leaves noticeable scars.

Is boils contagious?

Boils are contagious. The pus that drains when a boil opens can contaminate nearby skin, causing new boils, or can enter the bloodstream and spread to other body parts. A carbuncle is a cluster of boils that occurs when the infection spreads and other boils are formed. The formation of a carbuncle may be an indication of immune depression.

Without treatment, a boil usually comes to a head, opens, drains, and heals in ten to twenty-five days. With treatment, symptoms are less severe and new boils should not appear

Prevention tips

• Keep the skin clean. Wash the infected area several times a day and swab it with antiseptic. You can also apply honey directly to the boil.
• Avoid leisure activities which cause sweating and friction from clothing, as squash and jogging.
• Cut down on greasy or fatty foods and snacks.
• Always wash hands before touching the face.

Back to skin disorder section