A boil, or furuncle, is a skin abscess with various size filled by pus. It can be as small as a rice, or as large as egg. But no matter the size, it is very painful.
The only way to completely get rid from the pain is by removing the boils as soon as possible. The soon boils drain and heal, the soon you are free from the pain. It is true that boil can drain on its own, but most of us do not want to endure the pain even a little longer. The best thing to do is making the boils drain and heal faster.
Here are some ways to treat boils and reduce the pain :
Keep the area clean
First of all to get rid from boil (also its painful sensation) is by keeping the site clean to prevent any further infection.
What to do :
- Wash the boil using warm water and antibacterial soap.
- Dry it by patting (do not rub) a clean towel onto the site.
Warm wet compress
This is the basic way to relieve the pain.
What to do :
- Prepare a hot or warm water.
- Prepare a clean cloth or towel.
- Soak the cloth to water.
- Squeeze the cloth till it dry enough to be compressed.
- If you use hot water, make sure that the cloth is warm when it is compressed onto the boil.
- Gently give a bit pressure while compress it onto the boil for about five to ten minutes.
- Repeat this compress for multiple times a day (3 or 4 times).
How it works :
Beside reducing pain, the heat will improve the blood circulation to the boil, also draw white blood cells and encourage pus to the surface of boil (this process also known as “the boil to come to a head”) so that it drains faster.
Home remedies
Beside keeping the boil clean and warm compress it, you also can use these home remedies to treat your boil, choose one of them based on your preference and condition :
Use potatoes
If you have a problem with boil pain, you should start to see potatoes not only as food supplies in your refrigerator but also one of solution for your pain.
What to do :
- Clean a potato, and cut it into thin slices.
- Directly put the potato slice onto the boil.
- Wait for a few minutes and replace it with another slice.
- Also do this before you go to bed : put the potato slice onto the boil and wrap it using a clean cloth or anything else. Leave it for overnight before you remove it in the next morning.
- Do this twice a day.
How it works :
Potatoes is rich of calcium, vitamins, iron, and magnesium which needed for most of skin problem. Its anti-inflammatory also help to relive the pain.
Use turmeric
You can found this in every kitchen, so it is one of the easy- to -get home remedy.
What to do :
- You can grind the turmeric or you can use a turmeric powder.
- Mix an amount of ground turmeric or powder with water and stir it properly until you get the texture of thick paste.
- Apply it onto the boil and leave it stay for 30 minutes.
- Wash with water and dry it by patting a clean towel.
- After doing this for several days, you can see the result.
How it works :
Turmeric contains anti-inflammatory and can act as an anti septic, it will encourage the healing process, and its curcumin compound helps to relieve the pain.
Use tea-tree oil
What to do :
- Put a few drops of tea tree oil into a small container.
- Soak a cotton ball to the oil and apply it directly to the boil.
How it works :
Tea tree oil helps to relieve the pain, fights the bacteria which causes infection so that fasten the healing process .
Use nutmeg
What to do :
- Ground the nutmegs
- Prepare a cup of hot milk
- Mix an half tablespoon of ground nutmeg with hot milk.
- Stir it well until it combined properly.
- Drink it regularly.
How it works :
Nutmeg can stimulate blood circulation, and its anti inflammatory will give you a relief from the pain.
Is there any treatment to relieve from the boil pain?
Yes, there is. The other treatment to get rid faster from the boil pain is : lancing then draining the skin abscess. Most people try to pop it by themselves, but doing such a thing is not recommended, since it can lead to the worse infection. If you really want to get rid from the boil, you can have a lancing procedure from your health providers. They know how to pop or lance your boil without worry about the spread of infection.