What is a felon in medical terms?

A whitlow or felon is an infection of the tip of the finger. Herpetic whitlow and melanotic whitlow are subtypes that are not synonymous with the term felon. A felon is an "extremely painful abscess on the palmar aspect of the fingertip". Felon presents with a throbbing pain, clinically.

Regarding this, what causes a felon infection?

A felon is a fingertip abscess deep in the palm side of the finger. It usually is caused by bacterial infection, most often from growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. A painful bump on the end of a finger that is sometimes mistaken for a felon is a herpes virus infection that forms a herpetic whitlow.

Additionally, what is the medical term felon mean? A whitlow or felon is an infection of the tip of the finger. Herpetic whitlow and melanotic whitlow are subtypes that are not synonymous with the term felon. A felon is an "extremely painful abscess on the palmar aspect of the fingertip". Felon presents with a throbbing pain, clinically.

Thereof, how do you treat a felon?

Treatment consists of incision and drainage, warm-water soaks and, sometimes, oral antibiotics. Afelon is an abscess of the distal pulp of the fingertip. An early felon may be amenable to elevation, oral antibiotics, and warm water or saline soaks. Amore advanced felon requires incision and drainage.

Can paronychia turn into felon?

A paronychia is an acute or chronic soft tissue infection around the nail body. Acute infections are typically bacterial in origin and usually occur after minor trauma. Felon is an infection of the distal pulp space of the fingertip. While the cause is often unknown, minor trauma most commonly precedes infection.

38 Related Question Answers Found

Should you pop a Whitlow?

It is also important for people to refrain from popping or draining the blisters. This can cause the virus to spread even further or cause a secondary infection. Being hygienic: People should follow proper hygiene at all times, especially after coming into contact with the whitlow.

How do you drain a felony?

Draining the Felon

The incision is commonly made either on the underside of the finger over the point of maximum swelling or on the side of the finger. The infected chambers are opened, the pus is drained, dead skin or tissue is removed, and the wound is irrigated.

What is the best thing to soak an infected finger in?

Antiseptic soaks

If the cause is bacteria, soak the infected finger 3 times a day for 15 minutes in warm water and liquid antibacterial soap. Do this for 4 days, or longer if the wound has not healed.

How does soaking an infection help?

Soaking your ingrown or infected toe will help relieve the pain and pressure of an infection. It can also help to draw out pus from your toe. Keep your feet dry, unless you're soaking them for treatment.

What does paronychia look like?

A paronychia may start as redness and swelling around the nail. It is most often very sore to the touch and, at times, may be a yellow-green color, indicating that a collection of pus has formed under the skin (called an abscess) of the toenail or fingernail. Swelling around the fingernail or toenail.

Does pus mean infection?

Pus is the result of the body's natural immune system automatically responding to an infection, usually caused by bacteria or fungi. Leukocytes, or white blood cells, are produced in the marrow of bones. They attack the organisms that cause infection. For this reason, pus also contains dead bacteria.

Can you get cellulitis in your fingers?

Cellulitis is an infection on the surface of the skin. It usually does not involve the deeper levels of tissue on the hand or finger. Paronychia is an infection of a hangnail on the finger. The tissues on the edges of the finger near the nail root provide the perfect place for bacteria to enter.

Should you drain paronychia?

Most paronychia can be drained by simply lifting up the eponychium to drain the pus, rather than making an incision directly into the skin. A skin incision takes longer to heal and may seem like forever in a diabetic.

What can be used to draw out infection?

A poultice has been a popular home remedy for the treatment for abscesses for centuries. The moist heat from a poultice can help to draw out the infection and help the abscess shrink and drain naturally. An Epsom salt poultice is a common choice for treating abscesses in humans and animals.

What is a hangnail?

Hangnails are those irritating, jagged pieces of skin that stiffly jut out from around the sides of your fingernails. They rarely occur on toes. Despite their name, hangnails are not part of the nail itself. They may be small, but the pain, irritation, and discomfort hangnails cause are not.

Is a Whitlow dangerous?

A whitlow is an infection of the fingertip, and there are several types; herpetic whitlow strikes about 2.5 per 100,000 people each year. The infection poses a serious risk.

How do I know if a cut is infected?

If you notice any of these signs of infection, call your doctor right away:

expanding redness around the wound.
yellow or greenish-colored pus or cloudy wound drainage.
red streaking spreading from the wound.
increased swelling, tenderness, or pain around the wound.
fever.

What is the best antibiotic for an infected finger?

Warm water soaks of the affected finger 3-4 times per day until symptoms resolve are helpful. Oral antibiotics with gram-positive coverage against S aureus, such as amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (Augmentin), clindamycin (Cleocin), or or cephalexin, are usually administered concomitantly with warm water soaks.

How can I treat an infected finger at home?

Follow these steps for home treatment:

Soak the infected area in warm water once or twice a day for 20 minutes.
After your initial soak, cut the hangnail off.
Rub vitamin E oil or cream on the affected area to prevent another hangnail.
Use a topical antibiotic cream on the infected hangnail for a few days.

What is hand infection?

Common hand infections include cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, paronychia, pulp space infection (felon), pyogenic flexor tenosynovitis, deep space infections, septic arthritis, and osteomyelitis (Fig 6). Infections of the fingertip region (paronychia and felon) are the most common hand infections (24).

How do u know if your finger is infected?

Signs and symptoms may include:

Swelling where the finger meets the nail.
Redness and mild tenderness surrounding the infected area.
A blister filled with pus or pus draining from the swollen area.

Why do hangnails hurt?

THE REASON WHY THEY HURT: The simple reason why they hurt is their location. Hangnails are at end of the nail. There are many blood vessels and nerve ending in this area making this area sensitive.