7393fc91_SA_Abscess_and_Septra_Reaction__Overview
[Day] Day 14 [Date] May 21st [My Story] Even on the Septra, the abscess was not improving. The inflammation had gotten worse even with it draining bloody pus. At this point, the clinic (i.e., student health center) referred me to general surgery (at the hospital). The clinic was not equipped to perform surgical procedures. In other words, the clinic tried to exhaust all non-surgical treatment options before the referral. This can be dangerous because most skin abscesses need to be surgically drained before they can heal. [Suggestions and Advice] There is a general consensus that most skin abscesses larger than 5mm in diameter do not heal on their own without surgical incision and drainage (I&D). If you have a skin abscess that hasn't drained, ask your physician to perform a surgical incision and drainage as soon as possible. If the clinic cannot handle it locally, ask for a referral to general surgery as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more the pus festers inside, and the bigger the abscess becomes. [Overview] 
Clinic Follow-Up
MRSA Abscess and Septra Reaction
Overview