Pilonidal Sinus Causes – A pilonidal sinus infection is an infection or abscess located at the base of your tailbone. It can cause pain, swelling, and drainage from the affected area. A pilonidal cyst infection can also cause fever, chills, and other symptoms, depending on how serious it is.
What is a Pilonidal Sinus?
A pilonidal sinus is a chronic skin condition that can cause irritation, pain, and even infection. These pockets of pus are most commonly located near the tailbone but can also appear around other areas like the inner thighs or buttocks.
Pilonidal sinuses form when hair grows into the skin and becomes trapped under your skin. This causes inflammation to develop, resulting in an infection known as folliculitis. Folliculitis is often mistaken for acne because it looks similar on your skin’s surface (whiteheads and blackheads). The difference between folliculitis and acne is that folliculitis occurs when bacteria grow inside of your hair shafts, while acne occurs when bacteria grow on top of your skin’s surface, causing pimples or whiteheads.
What Causes a Pilonidal Sinus?
A pilonidal sinus is a common condition that affects the area of skin between your buttocks. It’s caused by hair growing into the skin, which can result in infection and inflammation. Having a pilonidal sinus can be painful and cause redness, swelling, and drainage from your bottom.
Pilonidal sinuses are very common — they affect around 1% of people in the UK at some point in their lives.
How do I know if I have a Pilonidal Sinus?
The following are the most common symptoms of a pilonidal sinus:
- 1. Pain and tenderness in and around the tailbone, especially when you sit or lie down.
- 2. A lump near your tailbone.
- 3. A red, painful bump that may look like an infected hair follicle (pimple).
-
The following are the most common symptoms of an infected pilonidal sinus:
- 1. Fever and chills that come on suddenly.
- 2. Diarrhea or bloody stools (feces).
- 3. Bowel movements with pus, mucus, or blood in them.
-
To check for a sinus pocket: Using your fingers or something else smooth (like a toothpick), gently probe around the area just below your tailbone until you feel what feels like a small depression in one place — this is likely where pus is building up under your skin inside the sinus pocket. If you suspect this is happening, call your doctor right away so he can prescribe antibiotics to clear up any infection before it spreads through your body!
Can I prevent a pilonidal cyst infection?
The best way to prevent pilonidal cyst infections is to keep your skin clean and healthy.
- 1. Get regular checkups. If you notice any skin changes or bumps in the area where a pilonidal cyst may develop, make an appointment with your dermatologist as soon as possible. An infected pilonidal sinus can be treated with antibiotics and surgery, but the longer it goes untreated, the more likely it will spread through your body and cause serious complications.
- 2. Use proper hygiene habits. To reduce your risk of developing a pilonidal cyst infection:
- 3. Cleanse gently after every bowel movement or shower (no matter how frequently you do either activity). Don’t use harsh soaps on inflamed areas of skin near your rectum; stick with mild products that moisturize rather than dry out sensitive areas. This one does not require any special care beyond what other parts of our body require (elevation at night, etc.). A moist environment will help prevent dryness around wounds which can lead to infection! If possible, use warm water instead of cold because cold water causes blood vessels around wounded areas to constrict, which reduces blood flow into them, resulting in slower healing times which could mean they won’t heal at all!
-
The tissue at the base of your tailbone is called your sacrococcygeal area
In order to understand how pilonidal sinuses form, it’s important to know a little bit about the anatomy of the area they develop in. The tissue at the base of your tailbone is called your sacrococcygeal area. This includes bones, muscles, skin, and hair follicles. In some people with a history of pilonidal disease, this area may be prone to developing small pockets filled with hair follicles (called pores) that can become infected and cause pain or discomfort.
If you have long hair growing in this region and don’t take care of it properly, there’s an increased chance that one or more of these pores will become clogged by strands from your beard or mustache. If left untreated for too long, bacteria can begin growing inside these clogged pores (a process known as follicular occlusion), leading eventually to inflammation and an abscess that could require surgery if left without treatment for too long!
A pilonidal sinus often develops as a complication after an injury
Pilonidal sinus is often caused by an injury to your buttock. It is a hole or cyst that can develop under the skin of your buttock. These holes sometimes get infected and cause pain, especially when you sit.
A pilonidal cyst most often develops as a complication after an injury to the area. The following are some examples of possible causes for this type of injury:
- 1. Falling on your butt
- 2. Shaving too close to where your underwear sits in the back (this is known as folliculitis)
- 3. Cycling without wearing padded shorts or tight-fitting clothes
-
A pilonidal sinus can also develop when hair follicles in the skin Become Irritated or Ingrown
A pilonidal sinus can also develop when hair follicles in the skin become irritated or ingrown.
The hair follicle is a small channel that grows from the base of a hair shaft and delivers nutrients to the growing hair. When this channel becomes infected, it causes inflammation, which makes it swell and produce pus. The area around it can then become infected as well, forming an abscess (a swollen mass containing infected pus). An abscessed pilonidal sinus will usually drain some fluid as long as it stays open; you may feel drainage coming out of your anus if you have one.
If a Pilonidal Sinus Is Left Untreated, It Can Become Very Serious
Untreated pilonidal sinuses can become serious and even life-threatening. The infection can spread through your body, causing damage to other organs in your body. A pilonidal sinus can also become chronic, meaning that it will never go away on its own. This can lead to permanent damage to the area around your tailbone and even loss of function in that area.
The infection prevents the body from fighting off harmful bacteria
An infected pilonidal sinus can be a serious problem because it prevents the body from fighting off harmful bacteria. If left untreated, an infection can lead to other health problems. For example, people with an infected pilonidal sinus who develop fever and chills could have sepsis (blood poisoning). In addition, the infection could spread to other parts of your body or cause abscesses in other areas or affect nearby organs such as the uterus or kidneys.
It’s Important to have any Unknown Bumps or Cysts on Your Skin checked out by a Medical Professional
It’s important to have any unknown bumps or cysts on your skin checked out by a medical professional. A pilonidal cyst can be dangerous if left untreated, and the best way to ensure that you aren’t missing anything is to see a doctor for an examination. If the bump is painful or infected, it’s also a good idea to go to your doctor as soon as possible. If no treatment is received and the infection gets worse, it could turn into something more serious like an abscess.
Use Proper Hygiene Habits To Prevent An Infected Pilonidal Sinus
To prevent an infected pilonidal sinus, you should:
- 1. Avoid using scented and harsh soaps on your skin.
- 2. Avoid using products with alcohol, perfumes or fragrances, dyes, and oils.
- 3. Take a shower only when necessary (e.g., after sweating), and use warm water instead of hot water to clean your body.
-
Keep the area around your tailbone clean and dry, using gentle products that don’t contain harmful chemicals or fragrances
The best way to prevent an infected pilonidal sinus is by keeping your tailbone clean and dry, using gentle products that don’t contain harmful chemicals or fragrances.
- 1. Clean your butt crack with water
- 2. Use a gentle soap or body wash
- 3. Don’t use alcohol or fragrances
- 4. Don’t use baby wipes! They can irritate the skin around your tailbone region. Instead, opt for soft toilet paper, or even better: consider going commando when you can (either way, make sure you wear loose clothing). This will help keep things fresh and free of bacteria build-up. If you must use a wipe instead of toilet paper, choose one without fragrance and dye—they only add to irritation in this area anyway!
-
Gently remove any hair from your butt crack and gluteal cleft with a razor, making sure not to pull or tug at the hairs if they become stuck in your skin
Use a proper razor. The best way to remove hair from your butt crack and gluteal cleft is to use a sharp, clean razor. This will ensure that the hairs are removed without being pulled or tugged at, which could cause them to become stuck in your skin and lead to infection. It can be tricky getting a good view of your butt crack when you’re shaving, so consider using an extra mirror for better visibility.
Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly to keep yourself healthy and strong
Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly can help you maintain a healthy body. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein sources like fish, legumes, and low-fat dairy products are all great options for maintaining your health. Whole grains such as brown rice or quinoa should be included in your diet as well. Healthy fats such as avocados and nuts can also help you stay strong throughout the day. Coffee is another food item that has been shown to improve mental clarity—so make sure to get three cups of coffee per day!
Water is another important resource to keep in mind when eating right: one must drink half his weight in ounces each day (for example: if you weigh 150 pounds, then drink 75 ounces).
Processed foods are not good for our bodies because they contain too many preservatives that have been linked with an increased risk of cancer—so one should avoid these at all costs! Sugary drinks like soda cause sugar levels in the bloodstream, which leads directly to diabetes, so try drinking water instead!
Even though it may seem embarrassing, it’s important to talk with a doctor about an infected pilonidal sinus before things get worse
There are a few reasons why it’s important to see a doctor if you have an infected pilonidal sinus. First, it may be necessary for you to have surgery. If left untreated, infections can spread through the body and cause problems in other areas of your body, such as the lymph nodes or blood vessels. Second, even if surgery isn’t needed at this point, it’s best to start treatment sooner rather than later so that any complications from the infection can be treated quickly and effectively.
Finally—and perhaps most importantly—it’s important that you do not try to treat the infection on your own with home remedies or over-the-counter medications without first consulting a physician who is familiar with both pilonidal disease and its treatment options.
Conclusion
We hope this article has answered your questions about pilonidal cysts and sinuses and given you the information needed to prevent them from occurring in the future. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact our office today!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know that I have pilonidal sinus?
The symptoms of the pilonidal disease vary from person to person, but they often include the following:
- 1. A painful, red, and swollen area in your buttocks or anal region (the “pilon”)
- 2. Pain or itching when you sit down
- 3. A draining tract that can cause a foul odor
-
Ways to treat infected pilonidal sinus?
There are a number of different ways you can treat infected pilonidal sinus, including:
- 1. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and Antibiotics
- 2. Surgery
-
Is infected pilonidal sinus fatal?
An infected pilonidal sinus is not fatal, but it can cause severe pain and discomfort.
Related Post