Buzz
A wound may develop pus if it becomes infected. Pus is often unsettling as it is a mixture of dead cells, tissue, and bacteria that the body is working to eliminate in the process of healing the wound. You can help your body by using clean and sterile materials to remove the pus. However, if the wound does not heal and continues to produce pus, it is recommended to seek medical help. A doctor or nurse can assess the wound and provide treatment while advising you on how to properly care for it to facilitate healing.
Steps to Follow
Clean the wound at home
Wash and dry your hands thoroughly. Use hot water and antibacterial soap to wash both hands carefully, making sure to scrub between the fingers and all surfaces. Dry your hands with a clean, new towel; avoid using a towel that has been used by others.
- Washing and drying your hands before handling the wound is crucial. This step helps prevent the introduction of bacteria and pathogens into the wound.
Carefully examine the wound before touching it to assess whether you can clean it. Look closely to identify any open areas of the wound and the location of the pus. If the pus is on the surface of the wound, you may clean it at home. However, if the pus is trapped inside an abscess beneath the skin, it's best to have a healthcare professional handle it.
- Take care when assessing the wound to avoid touching areas that are healing and free of pus. Unnecessary contact with these areas may open the wound, allowing bacteria and germs to enter and cause further infection.
Apply a warm compress or soak the wound. To make a compress, soak a clean cloth in warm water. Gently press the cloth onto the wound's surface, leaving it in place for several minutes without pressing down. After a few minutes, remove the cloth and gently wipe the surface to clean any pus that has drained out. For soaking, fill a basin with warm water and submerge the wound for about 20 minutes, then pat it dry with a clean towel to remove any pus.
- Apply the compress or soak the wound once or twice daily.
- If the wound is stitched, avoid soaking it in water. Instead, only use compresses and follow your doctor's instructions for proper wound care.
Clean the wound with soap and water. Apply a small amount of antibacterial liquid soap to the wound and clean it thoroughly. Be gentle but ensure that the soap is completely washed away with clean water. The key is to remove bacteria and any debris that may have come loose from the wound. Perform this cleaning once daily to keep the wound clean and promote healing.
- After cleaning with soap and water, dry the wound with a clean, new towel. Make sure the wound is completely dry before applying any bandages or ointments.
- If you're caring for a child's wound, remind them not to touch it while it dries and before it is bandaged.
Seek medical attention
See a doctor if the wound becomes infected and doesn't heal. If the wound shows signs of infection, you should seek medical care to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the body. Symptoms that need medical attention include: redness around the wound, the formation of an abscess, increased pus drainage, fever, or general malaise.
- Knowing how to care for a wound is important, but equally crucial is understanding when to seek medical help. If you've been cleaning the pus for several days but the wound still isn't healing and continues to produce pus, it's time to consult a doctor.
Visit a doctor for pus drainage and wound cleaning. The doctor may use a syringe to remove pus and clean the wound. If there is a large abscess, the doctor might need to make an incision with a scalpel or insert a drainage tube to allow the pus to drain out. Afterward, the wound will typically be bandaged. You'll need to change the dressing daily.
- If the wound causes significant pain, the doctor may use anesthetic medication to numb the area during the procedure.
Follow the doctor's instructions for cleaning the wound in the future. Once the pus is drained and the wound is cleaned, the doctor will usually provide a guide on how to care for the wound at home, including how to change the dressing and clean it. Follow the doctor's advice to ensure the wound does not get infected and heals properly.
- Instructions may vary slightly depending on the location of the wound and the cause of the infection.
Take antibiotics to treat the infection. In many cases, antibiotics help eliminate pus and promote wound healing. The doctor may prescribe topical antibiotics for you to apply directly on the wound or oral antibiotics to take daily.
- If the infection is severe, you will typically need to take antibiotics to treat the infection and prevent it from spreading to other areas of the body.
- Follow the doctor's instructions on when and how to take the antibiotics. It is important to complete the prescribed course, even if the wound appears to have healed, to fully eliminate the infection.
Avoid common mistakes
Do not use cotton swabs or other tools to poke the wound. Although you may be tempted to use cotton swabs or other instruments to try to remove pus from the wound, this could cause the wound to reopen or allow bacteria to enter.
- Due to these risks, it is best to only treat the surface of the wound at home. If you feel the need to clean the wound more thoroughly, seek medical care.
Avoid squeezing the wound. While it might seem like a quick way to remove pus from the wound, this is actually not effective. Squeezing the pus may push it deeper into the wound without fully eliminating it, and it could cause the wound to reopen, increasing the risk of infection.
- Instead of squeezing, gently care for the wound while it heals and allow your body to naturally recover.
Avoid touching the pus and keep it away from surfaces. Touching the wound with dirty hands will only make the infection worse. Additionally, pus may be a symptom of a contagious disease, and contaminating objects that others use could spread the infection.
- For example, use a separate towel from others in your household to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
- Remember to wash your hands frequently to minimize the chances of transferring the infection when you touch objects with unclean hands.
