Staph Infection Questions
health advisory
Hospital
Diseases
2007-11-12 20:36:00
I have a staph boil on the crease of the elbow. It hurts extremely bad. this is my seveth outbreak since Oct. I had 3 at one time a few weeks ago. What causes it? Why do I keep getting them? I went to the doctor last time and he gave me two different types of antibotics, but apparently it didn't help. What do i need to do?
Answer:You have to go back tothe doctor. Assuming you finished both courses of antibiotics, the infection must be resistant.
Don't wait, get it treated before it becomes more serious.
College: I am sorry to be so flip - but the answer is switch doctors. It may be necessary to take a sample from the boil and have it cultured. If you are having repeated boils it might be a different strain of the bacteria or a separate bacteria altogether. The wrong antibiotic or the wrong course of the right antibiotic may cause the bacteria to mutate. Don't mess around - get a new doctor.
I agree: look for a second opinion. Staph is a bacteria, and you may be resistant to the treatment. Did you ALWAYS finish the antibiotics? That is fundamental to avoid resistant strains. Staph is serious, please go to the doctor again, and also look for a second opinion.
See a different doctor like a top notch dermatologist who will culture the abscess. Obviously the antibiotics are not working; some strains are resistant to the regular ones doctors proscribe.