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Skin Infection
I scratched my ear the other day and got a sore. The sore became infected. I am not running a fever, but the sore is producing very green pus. It also feels like it is spreading. The sore is on the very top of my ear near where my ear meets my hear. the lymph node behind my ear is swollen and my jaw on the right side (the same side as the sore) feels very tight. It started "leaking" yeasterday. Also, i just noticed this, it looks like a water blister is forming about 3 centimeters below the sore. My question is how serious this can get and how fast will it get serious?? It started about Monday, and today is Friday. The PAIN didn't really start until Tuesday night and has been CONSTANT. I've been living off of pain pills. My problem is that I don't have health insurance (or money at the moment) and I can't take anymore time off work because I was recently married and went on a long honeymoon. The only way that I can see a doctor is to go to the hospital emergency room this weekend and have them charge me $300... or more... So, any professional opinions on how serious this is??
Cellulitis is NOT something to take lightly, it's a serious infection. It's a good thing you went to the dcotor when you did. I'm happy to hear you are improving.
Thanks for everyones help and suggestions. I finally ended up heading out to the ER Sunday morning at about 2am. The pain got completely unbearable, and I was worried about the infection spreading further. The doctor said it was an abcess with a touch of cellulitis. I don't think he quite understood that it was an open wound that got infected. He likened it more to an infected hair follicle or something. Anyway, the antibiotics he gave me are doing the trick. No more pain or pressure and it's draining quite nicely now. He also gave me Lortabs for the pain.
Thanks again for everyones help!
-Jerida
Thanks again for everyones help!
-Jerida
Green drainage could indicate Pseudomonas bacteria. If in fact that's what it is, it might respond to applications of vinegar. However, this situation requires much more than that. You need antibiotics. Hopefully you can find an area physician who does not charge much for an initial visit. The doc might swab the area to collect drainage for bacterial culture. Then you would also have to pay for the medication (possibly including a topical antibiotic). Nonetheless, the cost of all of this would be less than going to the E.R., and at this point, you absolutely need to see a doctor. Good luck to you.
Sometimes when you scratch the skin, you get a staph infection because of bacteria under your fingernails. You need antiobiotics for that kind of infection. Go to the doctor, get a note from him/her and present it to your employer.
Sounds like a boil or cyst - hot compresses (as Carol suggested) will help it and will help the soreness as well. Sounds like there is infection - you really need to get to the doctor on Monday - it can get pretty nasty - and may spread - Do you have a temp? There isn't anything that you can do at home at this point. You need meds. Hope this helps
Hot compresses will help a localized infection, and should have been started as soon as you noticed a problem. (Twenty to thirty minutes, every two hours.) It's not too late, start now.
The infection sounds as if it's spreading, as your lymph nodes are swollen, and if your jaw feels tight, there may be inflammation there as well.
If you could afford "a long honeymoon," I think you should pick a physician to be your family doctor, and call for an appointment.
Since you don't have insurance, this will be much less expensive than going to an emergency room.
Hmmm, you posted this on a Friday, so you probably won't be able to get an appointment until next week.
Look in the phone book, check with friends, make some calls, and find out where you can be seen for this.
If the infection has spread, you can't let this go.
Let us know what happens, okay?
Wishing you the best,
Carol
The infection sounds as if it's spreading, as your lymph nodes are swollen, and if your jaw feels tight, there may be inflammation there as well.
If you could afford "a long honeymoon," I think you should pick a physician to be your family doctor, and call for an appointment.
Since you don't have insurance, this will be much less expensive than going to an emergency room.
Hmmm, you posted this on a Friday, so you probably won't be able to get an appointment until next week.
Look in the phone book, check with friends, make some calls, and find out where you can be seen for this.
If the infection has spread, you can't let this go.
Let us know what happens, okay?
Wishing you the best,
Carol
It could be VERY serious. Ay infection from a sore that has that kind of reaction requires a visit to the doc. It is dangerous. Be seen as soo as possible. I had a small scrtch o my hand, it seemd to get worse ad hurt a lot, when I saw the do he said good thing I came in, I oculd have LOST MY HAND and he wasnt sure if I could kill what was infecting it with the drugs available as many are resistat to current drugs.
I had to have it checked every day.
It fialy did heal. Go now.
I had to have it checked every day.
It fialy did heal. Go now.
Go to an urgent care center, and do it soon. They are usually less expensive than an ER. But in any event, it is your health involved. The longer you wait, the more serious/expensive it may get. No one on the internet can tell you what it is or how bad it is. You yourself are worried, or you wouldn't be here asking about it and living on pain pills.
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