Heat boils

CEBU, Philippines — These past years the summers have been getting hotter. The damage in the planet’s ozone layer has caused global warming. There’s an idiom that nowadays “heat boils.”

But the term “heat boils” has another meaning. It refers to red, painful swellings on the skin, also called furuncle. It looks like a bulged pimple which is mainly caused due to infected hair follicles, and can appear anywhere on the skin.

Unfortunately, heat boils often come in summer. Many people believe that the high ambient temperatures have something to do with the occurrence. It’s unfortunate in the sense that summer is supposed to be a time for fun, not a time to be bogged down by boils.

Heat boils are not mere swollen pimples. If the eruption appears on the face, chances are it is a pimple. But there could be exceptions; a heat boil can sometimes appear on the face too. The most common places for boils to appear are on the neck, armpits, shoulders, and buttocks.

The website www.rewardme.in shares certain characteristics of a heat boil that distinguishes it from a pimple:

A boil starts off as a small, red nodule – no different from a pimple – on any part of the body. It grows in size and gets considerably large, larger than a typical pimple. Within four days to a week the boil looks white, since it is fillingup with pus.

The area around the boil gets tender and warm to the touch, and it can get very itchy. A pimple usually appears as single eruption, but a boil can come in a cluster, calledcarbuncle. A boil is called a sty if it forms on the eyelid.

Boils are mainly caused by bacterial infection. Hair follicles or cuts on the skin allow bacteria to enter and penetrate into the skin. Boils can also be caused by blocked sweat glands. Other possible causes are poor hygiene, tight clothing, excessive intake of alcohol, diabetes, poor nutrition, weak immune system, and exposure of the skin to harsh chemicals.

Symptoms of heat boils include high fever (in children), the eruption refuses to clear or drain out after many days, red streaks or severe pain around the boil, swelling in the area surrounding the eruption (particularly if the boil is in the armpits or groin), and a noticeable change in appetite of the afflicted person. Adults suffering from a medical condition like diabetes or heart disorders are more prone.

The website www.webmd.com recommends seeking medical attention when the following signs are noticed: a fever, swollen lymph nodes, the skin around the boil turns red or red streaks appear, the accompanying pain becomes severe, the boil does not drain, a second boil appears.

People who have a heart murmur, diabetes, any problem with the immune system, or use immune suppressing drugs (for example, corticosteroids or chemotherapy) shall be wary when they develop a boil. While boils do not usually need immediate emergency attention, those who are in poor health and develop high fever and chills along with the infection should go for a medical checkup at once.

The doctor can make the diagnosis with a physical exam. Many parts of the body may be affected by this skin infection, so some of the questions or exam may be about other parts of the patient’s body.Additional bloodtests may be required if there are concerns about the seriousness of the infection.

Antibiotics may be prescribed, if the infection is severe. If the boil is drained, a culture may be done to determine the type of bacteria causing the infection and to assess if an appropriate antibiotic was given.

Bottom line, the appearance of a boil can mean a more serious condition than simply a blotched outer look. It needs to be attended to carefully. Timely and mindful attention is good for both one’s health and, yes, beauty.