What can you do for an uninfected pilonidal sinus?
Home care
- Keep the area of the cyst clean by bathing or showering every day.
- Don’t wear tight-fitting clothing over the cyst.
- Don’t try to squeeze the cyst or stick a needle in it to make it drain. It may feel better at first, but will make it worse and likely cause infection.
- Watch for signs of infection listed below.
What is the sinus tract of a pilonidal cyst?
A pilonidal sinus is a small hole or tunnel in the skin at the top of the buttocks, where they divide (the cleft). It does not always cause symptoms and only needs to be treated if it becomes infected.
Can pilonidal sinus be cured without surgery?
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may or may not need surgery to remove your pilonidal cyst. There are several other treatment methods available besides surgery, including: Draining the cyst: This procedure can happen right in your provider’s office.
What if pilonidal sinus left untreated?
If left untreated, the cyst can drain pus or other fluids, or develop a pilonidal sinus, which is an opening that grows under the skin from the hair follicle. Some of the most common symptoms of a pilonidal cyst infection include skin reddening, pain, and draining of blood or pus.
What is a sinus tract?
A sinus tract is an abnormal channel that originates or ends in one opening. An orofacial fistula is a pathologic communication between the cutaneous surface of the face and the oral cavity. In the literature, the terms fistulas and sinuses are often used interchangeably.
How do you cure a sinus tract?
Many simple acute sinuses can be treated conservatively with dressings that encourage the granulation of the cavity and track. However, for a persistent or recurring sinus the surgical laying-open of the wound may be the best option.
Will pilonidal sinus closed its own?
If left untreated a pilonidal sinus that has broken open may close back over on its own and the swelling may go down. However in most cases this area will re-swell, become painful, and leak once again.
What does it mean to have a pilonidal sinus?
Pilonidal means a ‘nest of hairs’. A sinus tract is a narrow tunnel (a small abnormal channel) in your body. A sinus tract typically goes between a focus of infection in deeper tissues to your skin surface.
Can a pilonidal cyst turn into an abscess?
The ingrown hairs cause the body to react by forming a pit and causing inflammation. If not treated, this infection can lead to a cyst, and possibly into an abscess (pockets of infection) or a sinus (a cavity underneath the skin). Pilonidal disease usually first shows up as a swollen area or abscess with draining pus.
How long does it take for pilonidal sinus infection to heal?
They will clean away any hair, blood, and pus from inside the abscess. Your doctor will pack the wound with sterile dressing and allow it to heal from the inside out. The wound usually heals within four weeks, and many people don’t require any further treatment. For this type of treatment, your doctor will first give you a local anesthetic.
Why are pilonidal cysts painful when you sit?
A pilonidal cyst can be extremely painful especially when sitting. These cysts are usually caused by a skin infection and they often have ingrown hairs inside. During World War II, pilonidal cysts were often called “Jeep driver’s disease” because they’re more common in people who sit often.
