If you’ve been diagnosed with a pilonidal cyst, you may wonder how painful it is and how long it will take to go away. You may also want to know how to make your pilonidal cyst pain level more manageable. Read on to learn more.
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What Does Pain From A Pilonidal Cyst Feel Like?
Pain from a pilonidal cyst can range from mild to intense, but is often described as a constant burning sensation in the lower back or the tailbone area. It may be accompanied by pain when sitting and standing, redness, swelling around the coccyx, and drainage of pus from the area.
Other symptoms may include fever and nausea. The pain of a pilonidal cyst can worsen over time if left untreated, so it is important to seek medical help for diagnosis and treatment.
What Can Happen with a Pilonidal Cyst?
An infected pilonidal cyst may become quite inflamed and tender. While most will eventually be self-limiting, the chronic nature can rarely cause more serious issues, including an increased risk of developing skin cancer at the site of chronic irritation.
A pilonidal cyst is an abnormal pocket in the skin that usually contains hair and skin debris. An infected cyst develops into an abscess, a painful swelling containing pus. Take nonprescription pain medicine to relieve pain. Please think of this condition as getting a sliver of wood stuck in your skin, except it’s ingrown hair instead.
What Can I Do for Pilonidal Cyst Pain?
Pilonidal cysts can cause pain in various ways. A healthcare professional may suggest antibiotics, hot compresses, or a topical treatment like depilatory cream. Sometimes, the cyst may even need to be lanced. Regardless of the source of the pain, it’s important to follow the instructions given by your doctor.
Treatment for pilonidal cysts varies, depending on the size and location of the cyst. Simple lancing techniques can take as little as four to six weeks, while more extensive surgery can take six to 12 weeks to cure the cyst. Prevention is key, as cysts can recur. Maintaining a moderate weight and taking frequent breaks can help prevent future cysts.
A pilonidal cyst will be accompanied by pain, which can be quite intense. The area may be red, swollen, and itchy. Sometimes, the cyst may be infected and develop into a pilonidal abscess. Although the cyst is painful, the symptoms will likely improve if not untreated.
What is the Best Treatment Option for a Pilonidal Cyst?
For first-time pilonidal cysts, the best treatment option is a simple incision and drainage procedure. The healthcare professional will numb the area and cut into the cyst, draining the pus and reducing inflammation and pain. The wound will remain open for a few weeks while the cyst heals. Antibiotics may be required if the infection is severe.
However, surgical treatment can only cure a portion of pilonidal cysts. The risk of recurrence of pilonidal cysts is high if extensive scar tissue is formed in the area or if a cyst has become infected. Surgical treatment can also cause long-term complications, including scarring and infection.
How Much Does A Pilonidal Cyst Hurt?
Pilonidal cysts can cause pain that’s difficult to describe in words. A pain scale can help you determine the pain level and find the right treatment. Using a pain scale is inexact science, however. This is because pain is subjective and cannot be measured or set definitively. For this reason, it’s important to visit a doctor as soon as you notice any pain.
A pilonidal cyst is usually treated with surgery. This procedure typically involves an incision and drainage of the cyst. The procedure can leave a scar, but it usually fades over time. Surgical procedures can be performed either on an outpatient or inpatient basis.
How Long Does A Pilonidal Cyst Take To Stop Hurting?
The amount of time a pilonidal cyst will take to stop hurting is highly variable and depends largely on the individual circumstances of the sufferer. Generally, it can take between several days and a few weeks for the area around the cyst to begin healing. Typically there is some soreness or discomfort that can persist for 1-2 weeks after diagnosis, but more severe cases may continue increasing in pain until medical intervention is taken.
Providing regular sitz baths throughout this time, as well as keeping the area clean and dry, can help to speed up the healing process.
How Can I Make My Pilonidal Cyst Less Painful?
Your doctor may recommend using a pilonidal cyst medication to help ease your discomfort. You can also take several self-care measures at home to help reduce the pain associated with your pilonidal cyst. For example, you can use a hot compress to ease the pain and let the cyst drain. It may also help to take a warm, shallow bath to relieve the itching and pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may also be effective for pain relief.
If you are concerned about a pilonidal cyst, you can visit a dermatologist for a diagnosis. Some cysts can be drained in the doctor’s office. If you have a deep pilonidal cyst, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to drain the abscess. The process can be time-consuming, but it can help bring the cyst to a head.
Does Sitting Make A Pilonidal Cyst Worse?
Several factors contribute to the development of pilonidal cysts, including ingrown hairs in the buttocks crease, trauma, injury, and stress on the skin. The condition can also be exacerbated by prolonged sitting, tight clothing, and bicycling. Those with a family history of pilonidal cysts are at a higher risk. Other factors that increase the risk include poor hygiene and excess sweating.
You can use over-the-counter pain relievers to relieve the pain and swelling. You can also take a hot bath to ease the pressure and encourage the drainage of the pilonidal cyst.
How Much Pain Are You Feeling?
This skin infection manifests when one or more cysts are inflamed and become infected. Complex or recurrent pilonidal disease is a complication of a pilonidal cyst. A pilonidal cyst, better known as a pilonidal sinus, can be painful.
If you’re dealing with an infected pilonidal sinus, use the pilonidal cyst pain level scale to assess your condition.
Doctor Osvaldo Pepa, Neurosurgery Service Physician at Hospital San Martin, La Plata, Argentina. I graduated last November 16, 1984 with a Medical Degree at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. The Medical Board of La Plata, District 1, licensed me as a Neurosurgeon in 1990. I hold a Provincial and National License and an active member of the Neurosurgery Society of La Plata, World Ozone Therapy Federation, and Inter American Society of Minimally Invasive Surgery.
