Discovery Home & Health

Does anyone out there know much about these and how they are caused? My husband has 2 recurring abcesses and is in terrible pain and awaiting surgery. Secretly I am really scared.

Hi! I was browsing the forums and saw your title line!

Don't be scared, while they are indeed painful, and they do tend to reoccur, they do not lead to any further complications, as far as I am aware. My husband has had them in the past and has been told that the most likely cause is ingrowing hair! Not much you can do about that! The surgery really will help him out of his current discomfort, and recovery is pretty swift.

Hope this helps, Vikki.

Hi!

Like Mamatutu says I wouldn't be scared or worry too much about your husbands surgery. We get quite a few people with the same problem where I work & mostly its just an ingrowing hair or something very minor what causes the problem to begin with. Its basically just a boil/abcess what needs draining & should clear up within 14 days of the surgery - so hopefully your husband will be pain-free soon!

There is a good explanation of what it is on the NHS Direct site if you wanted to have a read to put your mind at ease.

Michelle x

Thanks ladies you have put my mind at ease.

As far as peri anal abcess, make sure there is no underlying medical condition, such as crohns disease. I have had crohns for several years and get abcesses quite often. I have had so many drained and packed, I cant even recall how many. They are ever so painful, but once you go through the pain of them knumbing the area, the relief is almost instant. At times it is difficult to sit or walk, the only comfort I get is laying on my side, no pressure on the abcess, I almost instantly know when I am getting one, it usually takes a few days to suface, which can be the worst. The most important thing is to make sure there is no underlying medical condition that is causing the abcesses, it isnt always as simple as an ingrown hair.