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Have Abscess Above Anus. Prescribed Cephalexin And Bactrim. Looking For Second Opinion
Question: Hello, I have what appears to be an abscess just above my anus. I went to an urgent care facility and received that diagnosis by a nurse care practitioner, and was prescribed cephalexin and bactrim. I've read online that abscesses near that area are not likely to go away without surgical intervention. Should I seek a second opinion or try the course of antibiotics first?
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
If this is an abscess it should be incised and drained. So you have heard correctly. Giving antibiotics without drainage of the pus is a very serious mistake. It is because an abscess contains dead parts of cells and bacteria, does not have its own blood flow and antibiotics simply wont penetrate this area.
Such abscess usually is caused by a canal between the skin and rectum (skin rectal fistula). The bacteria from the rectum keeps infecting this area so the abscess appears.
I suggest you to visit general surgeon and have this abscess drained.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Thank you for the query.
If this is an abscess it should be incised and drained. So you have heard correctly. Giving antibiotics without drainage of the pus is a very serious mistake. It is because an abscess contains dead parts of cells and bacteria, does not have its own blood flow and antibiotics simply wont penetrate this area.
Such abscess usually is caused by a canal between the skin and rectum (skin rectal fistula). The bacteria from the rectum keeps infecting this area so the abscess appears.
I suggest you to visit general surgeon and have this abscess drained.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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