PUBLISHED ON 07/12/24
Abscess Care for People Who Use Drugs This pamphlet does not constitute medical advice. If your abscess or wound is large, extremely painful, or smells bad, it’s important to seek professional medical attention.
You should go to the doctor if: •
Your abscess or wound is growing larger and more painful, and feels hot to the touch.
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You have a fever, which can be a sign that bacteria in the wound has spread to other organs, including your heart.
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Abscesses mostly form after skin popping, muscling a hit, or missing a vein. They usually start out looking like a hard, red bump, and may feel warmer than the surrounding healthy The pus coming out of your wound smells bad. skin. They are usually quite painful!
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Your abscess or wound is over a major artery. Your arteries are anywhere you can feel a pulse, including your head, neck, elbow, groin, and wrist.
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You start to see red streaks coming from the infection.
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You don’t see any improvement after 5-7 days of treatment.
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You are already immunocompromised, i.e. you are living with HIV, diabetes, or cancer, or are recently recovering from Covid-19.
You should seek immediate emergency medical attention if: •
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a mixture of dead tissue, white blood cells, and germs. Abscesses are a sign that your immune system is doing its job of fighting off unwanted bacteria!
You have chest pains, chills, and/or a fever above 100.5°F. You feel like you might pass out, which can be a sign of low blood pressure or an infection that has spread to your heart or blood.
All kinds of drugs can cause abscesses — their formation has more to do with how sterile your injection practices are and less to do with the kinds of drugs you are taking. The exception to this is Xylazine, which causes wounds and abscesses more frequently than other drugs, including in places where you don’t inject. See our Xylazine wound care guide for more information.
Preventing Abscesses The best way to treat abscesses is to try not to get them! You might be used to reusing your equipment. If possible, you should use new rigs, cookers, and filters every time you inject.
When you are injecting there are a couple of very important steps to keep in mind. •
Wash your hands with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer. Having clean hands while you are handling your works helps keep everything as sterile as possible.
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Clean your injection site with an alcohol prep pad before you inject Make sure to wipe only in one direction. Rubbing
Your skin around the infection begins turning black, or the discoloration or redness around it spreads quickly.
What is an abscess? Abscesses form when there is an infection below the skin. Your body tries to fight off the bacteria by making a pocket around the infection, which fills up with pus. Pus is