A group of pus-filled bumps forming a connected area of infection under the skin.
Carbuncles form when one or more hair follicles get infected. They often occur on the back of the neck, shoulders or thighs.
Carbuncles fill with pus, growing larger and more painful until they rupture and drain. In rare but severe cases, people may feel unwell and experience fever and chills.
Sometimes carbuncles drain and heal with self-care
Symptoms
Usually self-diagnosable
Carbuncles fill with pus, growing larger and more painful until they rupture and drain. In rare but severe cases, people may feel unwell and experience fever and chills.
People may experience:
Skin: lumps or redness
Also common: pus, pain in the affected area, sweating, or swelling
Treatment consists of self care and procedures
Sometimes carbuncles drain and heal with self-care. Others require an incision and drainage by a doctor.
Self-care
Warm compress
Medical procedure
Incision and drainage
The first thing you should do to help get rid of boils is apply a warm compress. Soak a washcloth in warm water and then press it gently against the boil for about 10 minutes. You can repeat this several times throughout the day. Just like with a warm compress, using a heating pad can help the boil start to drain
Incision and drainage and clinical lancing are minor surgical procedures to release pus or pressure built up under the skin, such as from an abscess, boil, or infected paranasal sinus