How does abscess drainage work?

A clinician examines the swollen area and cleans the skin. Local anaesthetic such as lidocaine may be used to numb the site, although pressure or movement can still be felt. The clinician makes a small opening where appropriate, allows the pus to drain, and may gently clear the cavity. The wound may be left partly open so further fluid can escape; a dressing is then applied.

Drainage is different from squeezing a lump at home. Squeezing can injure surrounding skin or push infection deeper. Some swellings are cysts, cellulitis or another problem rather than a drainable abscess, so examination matters. Antibiotics may be considered when infection has spread or other risk factors are present, but they do not replace drainage when a collection needs to empty.

Follow the dressing and washing instructions, keep review appointments, and take prescribed medicines as directed. Wash your hands before and after touching the dressing, avoid picking at the opening, and use pain relief only as advised for you. Keep pressure and friction away from the area while it heals. Do not share towels, razors or dressings, and wash clothing or linens that become contaminated with drainage.

Some soreness or a small amount of drainage can occur after the procedure. The wound should be checked if pain, swelling, redness or discharge is increasing rather than settling.

Seek prompt medical care for spreading redness, red streaks, fever, chills, worsening pain, increasing swelling, foul-smelling drainage, or feeling increasingly unwell. Get urgent help for facial swelling near the eye, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or confusion. Contact the treating clinic if the dressing is soaked, falls out when it was meant to stay in place, or the wound stops draining while pressure and swelling build.

Ask whether the swelling is suitable for drainage, what anaesthetic will be used, how the wound will be dressed, when it needs review, and which signs suggest infection is spreading. Ask whether you need testing, antibiotics, activity restrictions or advice to prevent recurrence.