How serious is a felon infection?
Felon finger infections can be very serious and don’t go away on their own. It’s important to see your healthcare provider as soon as a felon starts to develop. With early medical care, antibiotics and warm soaks may be all you need.
How do you get a felon infection?
What causes a felon finger infection? A felon finger is most often the result of a bacterial infection that invades the finger after a penetrating trauma, such as a cut, scrape, splinter, or puncture wound, which usually occurs from something sharp and pointed creating a small opening in the skin.
What is a felon infection?
A felon is an infection that occurs within the closed-space compartments of the fingertip pulp. The swelling leads to intense throbbing pain. The surrounding tissues are at risk for ischemia if the blood flow is compromised by compression from edema and pus formation.
How do you fix felon infection?
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.
How long does it take felon finger to heal?
The patient is usually required to soak the finger two to three times a day in a solution of hydrogen peroxide, saline or soapy water until the wound is healed. Most patients completely heal within 3 to 4 weeks.
How do you drain a felony finger?
Draining the Felon Usually, the incision is made over the point with the most swelling on the underside of the finger or the side of the finger. Once the incision has been made, the infected chambers are opened and the pus is drained. Your physician will remove any dead tissue or skin and will irrigate the wound.
Is a felon finger an emergency?
Because of the complications that can occur from a felon, you should see your doctor and go to an emergency room for immediate care if you develop sudden or severe pain or swelling in a finger.
How do you treat a felony finger infection at home?
Mild finger infections may be treated with antibiotics alone. You also may soak your finger in warm water. If the infection is deeper or there is a lot of pus, the doctor may open the area to drain the pus. This is sometimes done in an operating room.
Does a finger felon hurt?
A felon causes extreme pain at the fingertip, especially when pressure is applied to the “fingerprint” surface. The end of the finger swells, is warm and turns red. There may be an accumulation of a white, thick discharge (pus). As the felon increases, the fingertip may feel numb, and bending the finger may be painful.
How can you tell the difference between a felon and a paronychia?
Paronychia, which can be acute or chronic, is an infection or inflammation of the nail fold. Treatment involves warm soaks, topical antibiotics, and abscess drainage, if indicated. A felon is an infection of the distal pulp of the finger. Treatment often involves surgical drainage and empiric oral antibiotics.
What is a felon finger infection?
A felon finger infection (also known as a felon or felon finger) is a painful infection in the fleshy part of your fingertip. This area is called the distal digital pulp.
What is a felon?
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.
How are Fel felons treated?
Felons are usually treated with minor surgery to allow drainage. Typically, your doctor will make the whole finger numb by injecting an anesthetic once into each side of your finger, just beyond the knuckle of the hand.
What causes Fel felons?
Felons usually are caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. It is important to get treatment quickly for these small abscesses. If the bacteria pocket continues to expand, it can compress blood vessels in the finger and cut off the fingertip’s circulation, causing in permanent damage to the finger.