Abscesses and Cysts
Abscesses and cysts are fluid-filled lumps that can form anywhere on the body.
To the untrained eye, they can be hard to tell apart. Both abscesses and cysts can be uncomfortable and may require medical treatment.
What is an abscess?
An abscess is a tender, infected area filled with pus. Abscesses can occur on your skin or inside your body. They form when your immune system fights an infection in one of your bodily tissues. An abscess can form on its own or can occur when a cyst becomes infected.
Symptoms of an Abscess
What is a cyst
Cysts are sacs or cavities filled with fluid or pus. They can appear on your skin or anywhere inside your body. Some common types are the baker’s cyst (behind the knee), sebaceous cyst (under the skin) and ganglion cyst (along the tendons or joints of your wrists, hands or feet).The cells that make up a cyst’s sac are different from those around them, but they usually aren’t cancerous. Cysts grow slowly and are not typically painful. A cyst is not considered a medical problem unless it bothers you or becomes sore or infected.
Abscess and Cyst Treatment
It’s not advisable to try draining an abscess or cyst yourself. Cyst popping at home can cause infection. Instead, keep the area clean, and make an appointment with a doctor if the area is painful or starts to drain.
At-home care
One of the best things you can do to treat an abscess or cyst at home is to hold a warm, moist cloth on the area for 20minutes at a time, a few times daily. This may soothe the area, stimulate infection fighting antibodies and white blood cells and help the area heal.
Fine needle aspiration
In a fine needle aspiration procedure, a thin needle is inserted into the cyst, after the area has been numbed. Your medical provider will drain the cyst’s fluids through the needle. Patients typically experience no discomfort to minimal discomfort during the procedure.
Incision and drainage
A medical provider will first numb the area with a local anesthetic. They’ll make a small incision using a scalpel or needle. The pus will then be drained from the abscess, and some of the discharge may be collected fortesting.
Follow-up care
Depending on the size and depth of thecyst or abscess, a small tube may beinserted to allow it to continue draining as itheals. Antibiotics may be given to helpprevent or fight infection. You may needadditional treatments to complete the abscess or cyst removal process.
Symptoms We Treat
Hometown Urgent Care treats a variety of illnesses, infections, and diseases along with their associated symptoms. If you’re feeling uncomfortable or unwell, our dedicated medical team is prepared to deliver a personalized and tailored treatment plan to help you get better, faster. This list contains our most commonly treated illnesses and symptoms. If you’re experiencing an illness not listed or are unsure of the source of your discomfort, visit a Hometown Urgent Care location near you.
This list contains are most frequently treated injuries. If you are experiencing pain from an injury not listed or are unsure of the source of your discomfort, you can contact us.
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We Work with All Insurance Plans
At Hometown, we believe cost concerns should never hinder your access to quality healthcare. So, our rates are very competitive, and we can be a more convenient, lower-cost option than the ER – while treating many of the same conditions/complaints.
No Insurance, No Problem
Our transparent self-pay pricing is a flat rate of $60 for the urgent care visit, including any x-rays. Additional charges may apply for certain labs and durable medical equipment.