
Hard Lump On Arm, Painful. Heroin Addict. Can You Tell Me What It Is?

He does not have health insurance. What antibiotic should he be on?
Thanks for writing in.
I am a medical specialist with an additional degree in Cardiology.
The lump you have described is small hematoma that occured because vein was not pressed after herione injection and blood accummulated. Antibiotics are necessary if any of the following is there:
1. Warmth over the skin as you slide back of hand from other area to that of lesion.
2. If there is complaint pain at the site now 3 weeks later or it is tender on
pressing.
3. There is redness over the site of lump.
4. If there is fever.
These are prescription drugs and only a doctor can prescribe. I assume you would be thinking of or he is already on rehab programme. The antibiotics can be prescribed.
You need to see doctor urgently (irrespective of Insurance Status)
5. If there is thobing sensation and or increase in the size of lump. A combination of this with any of the four above would mean a definite infection perhaps need for intervention. Scare is of infection spreading elsewhere specially to heart. Intravenous Drugs by addicts is the commonest cause of Right (side of heart valves) Sided Infective Endocarditis in the United States. We certainly want that not to occur. Good Luck. I will be happy to answer any question you might have.
Regards and Best Wishes.
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD (Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
Cardiologist and Internist
http:/ WWW.WWWW.WW


Thanks for writing back.
I wish you had taken him to doctor before starting antibiotics so that culture for the infective organism could be done. Do tell the doctor that antibiotic has been started so that should the doctor feels the need for blood culture he can pass on the message to microbiology. What is done then is a substance to neutralise the antibiotic is added to the culture so as to get a meaningful report. No harm done, perhaps 90% non specialist doctors would have started Amoxillin without blood culture. However, please let the doctor have a look at him, it is worth it even now for we have to think long term about your son.
All the best for your son's recovery. Take Care
With Best Wishes
Dr Anil Grover
Cardiologist


Dr Anil Grover, Cardiologist
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