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Infected cartilage piercing

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
I got my rook done about 3 weeks ago but it suddenly started to swell up yesterday and now its so swollen you can't even see the bar and is quite painful and throbbing like it's just been pierced. And its also going a bit crusty so I have to clean it every few hours (but not loads). The pharmacist said to go to the doctors but I dont want to take antibiotics unless I really have to, so I'm going to wait a few days and see if it starts to go down. But what else can I do apart from take painkillers and keep it clean to help it along? Is there anything I can do for the swelling?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would recommend that you see your GP as skin infections/soft tissue infections are generally difficult to clear however if you want to try alternatives I would suggest cleansing the area using a clean cotton pad and something like witch hazel. Applying an anti septic cream like savlon may also help.

    Have you been able to remove the piercing? If you havent and think you can then I would suggest removing it. However if its very painful and the area swollen then its best to leave it for the time being.

    Anti inflammatories such as neurofen can be useful for swelling but when its swelling caued by infection the infection usually needs to be treated first before you will see an improvement in the swelling.

    Hope you get it sorted soon.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Professional advice, tallying with what my piercer told me is to leave the jewellery in.

    I know it's counter-intuitive but if you take it out and it closes you'll get an abcess which might need to be drained in hospital and that's really nasty, it happened to a housemate of mine.

    And go to your GP tomorrow, it's ok to take an emergency appointment because they need to be sure the infection stays out of the blood stream.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah I'm not taking it out - I love it too much! I've been moving the gunk using tea tree oil and cotton buds and I'm going to do a warm saline soak later. I've changed my pillowcases too today. I'll see how it goes over the next few days because I could do without the hassle of doctors appointments in the middle of my exams but if it doesn't improve I'll go.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You should go the first day you are exam-free if you can. Or maybe your school nurse or university surgery could have a look at it for you?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    We don't have a nurse or anything. I'll go tomorrow, but I dunno if I'll get an appointment straight away. Can I demand an emergency appointment?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes you can, just phone as soon as it opens and say you need to see a doctor same day.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My housemate says the redness has gone down a bit but that might be due to the warm salty compress. The stuff thats coming out of it appears to be clear too and doesn't smell, is that promising?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Promising, yes. Is it still hot to the touch? I'd still check in with someone tomorrow.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well it's alot better today, the swelling seems to be going down and it's not painful anymore. The skin is starting to pucker around the top hole so I'm guessing that means its healing. I'm going to continue with the warm salty compressed because they really seem to be helping. I hope it doesn't leave a scar though
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That all sounds normal to me. Keep an eye on it particularly if it feels warm to the touch.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well it still hurts to touch and is warm but it's not constantly throbbing like it was yesterday so I don't need to take painkillers. Keeping an eye on it though.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Awesome. As well as saline, I found steaming really good when I got a slight infection in an ear piercing. Just boil a kettle of water, put it in a mixing bowl (not plastic!!) and then put your head over it under a towel for about 20 mins. Also does wonders for congestion, incidentally...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I might try that! Might get rid of my blackheads too :P
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    No it was done with a needle, it's not possible to pierce the rook with a gun because of the angle and it's too thick. It was healing fine but obviously an infection has got inside it because cartilage takes longer to heal.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ok well it's improving, but I've noticed the top hole has sort of stretched so now its sort of a long hole if that makes sense? I think it's because it was stretched so tight when it was fully swollen, will this heal over eventually? Trouble is it keeps trying to scab over but the pus thats coming out gets trapped underneath it so I have to keep cleaning it off to get the pus out. Also the skin around it has sort of gone shiney and wrinkly a bit like plastic, is that normal?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That sounds pretty normal to me. It basically needs to form a scar around the jewellery, that's what the piercing is. That sounds like how mine was but I don't remember in detail because it was about 6 years back.

    If in any doubt at all, get the practice nurse to have a look.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think the infection is pretty much gone now, it's almost back to how it was before (it was still slightly swollen anyway). Should i just leave the scab to form around the top hole so it can start to heal and just keep dabbing it with saline everyday now?
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