Ongoing Wound Concerns After Injury
Patient profile: 12F, height 170 cm, weight 60 kg, with a history of asthma and eczema. Approximately nine months prior, the patient experienced a fall from a bicycle onto a small gravel surface. While wearing leggings, she sustained a skin tear about 1 cm in size on the upper buttock area. The injury initially appeared to be clean, and there were no visible holes in her leggings. The wound was regularly disinfected and covered, although it took a considerable amount of time to heal. The resulting scar consistently looked delicate and thin throughout the recovery process. About four months ago, the wound reopened unexpectedly, without any specific trauma occurring. A visit to the doctor revealed no signs of infection and an ultrasound confirmed the absence of any foreign objects. The wound ultimately healed again. Currently, she is dealing with a superficial abscess that was treated by lancing with a sterilized scalpel, following the application of lidocaine for numbing. Following this procedure, the area was allowed to drain, and Bactroban ointment was applied along with a fresh dressing. There are no symptoms of fever at this time. Should we consult a doctor once more, or would it be adequate to monitor the healing process at home? Additionally, what might be causing the wound to keep reopening?
Answers (1)
6/21/2025, 3:10:48 AM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like the ongoing issues with the wound healing, along with the recent abscess, are understandably concerning. It's important to address your worries while providing clarity on the situation. Here are the main points to consider:
-
Wound Reopening: The repeated reopening of the wound could be due to several factors, including skin tension, the area’s movement, or underlying skin conditions related to eczema.
-
Current Abscess: Since you've dealt with an abscess that has been properly lanced, cleaned, and treated, the primary focus is on monitoring the healing process.
Explanation
Given the history of a wound that took a long time to heal and has reopened, the key aspects to consider involve both the intrusiveness of the injury to sensitive skin areas and the role of any existing skin conditions like eczema working against normal healing.
The absence of fever and the proper treatment of the abscess are positive signs. However, it could be important to evaluate why the skin is so delicate, as it may require more specialized care.
Next Steps
-
Monitor Healing:
- Keep an eye on the wound for any signs of increased redness, warmth, or discharge. If you notice any of these, it would be wise to consult a doctor.
-
Proper Care:
- Continue to clean the area gently with mild soap and water, and ensure it stays dry. Change the dressing daily or whenever it becomes wet.
- Follow any doctor's advice regarding ointments like Bactroban, ensuring the area is well-protected.
-
Skin Hydration:
- For the delicate skin, using a fragrance-free moisturizer regularly can help improve the skin barrier, especially considering her history of eczema. This may support better healing and reduce susceptibility to issues in the future.
-
Avoid Mobility Stress:
- Try to limit activities that may put tension on the skin in the affected area. Encouraging her to avoid strenuous movements that might stretch the skin could be beneficial.
-
Consider Further Consultation:
- If the wound reopens again or healing does not seem to progress, consulting with a dermatologist may be beneficial to explore underlying skin issues or different treatment strategies.
Your ongoing attentiveness to the healing process is commendable. If you have further concerns or the situation changes, don’t hesitate to seek medical advice.
Related Questions
Assessing My Health Concerns: How Anxious Should I Be?
I’m a 32-year-old woman, weighing 124 pounds and standing at 5 feet 6 inches tall. For over a year, I have been experiencing bright red rectal bleeding. Initially, I attributed this issue to hemorrhoids that developed during my pregnancy two years ago. The bleeding occurs with most of my bowel movements, sometimes happens without one, and on a few occasions, has been enough to stain the toilet bowl significantly. The color of the blood is typically darker than what I observe during a hemorrhoid flare-up. There is a notable family history of bowel cancer on both sides; one family member was diagnosed at age 45, and another at 60. In the past six months, I have encountered several episodes of severe abdominal pain—3 to 4 instances—intense enough to consider a trip to the emergency room. However, the pain usually subsides within about an hour. It’s unusual for me to experience such acute pain, given my high tolerance for discomfort; for example, I once played rugby shortly after dislocating and fracturing my finger. Recently, I mustered the courage to consult with my doctor, who recommended a FIT test, which returned a positive result (30.1). Additionally, I underwent a complete blood test, and aside from having low ferritin levels (7 µg/L), all other results were normal. I have since been referred for a colonoscopy on a two-week waiting list to rule out any possible bowel cancer. Given these circumstances, how concerned should I be? Thank you for your input.
Persistent Pain in Right Shoulder and Arm After Lifting
Hello, everyone! I’m a 23-year-old male and have been engaged in weightlifting for several years now. Recently, I’ve been struggling with ongoing discomfort in my right shoulder and arm, which I haven’t been able to accurately identify. The pain manifests during particular movements, especially with lateral raises or when my arm is raised to shoulder level while rotating my wrist. Certain pressing and pulling activities can also provoke this discomfort. Rather than feeling sharp, it’s a deep, nagging sensation that sometimes seems localized in the front area of the shoulder or at the biceps tendon, and at other times it feels more like it’s situated between the shoulder and upper arm. Fortunately, there’s no numbness or tingling involved. This issue began while I was working out. I decided to take a break for around two months, but when I returned, the pain persisted. After consulting a physician, I was diagnosed with bicipital tendinitis. Since then, I’ve reduced my upper-body workouts, completely steering clear of shoulder exercises and heavy lifting, and have begun a gentle rehabilitation regimen focusing on external rotations, pendulum movements, and scapular exercises. Despite adhering to this routine for about a week, I haven’t experienced any noticeable improvement. Is it typical for this type of tendon injury to require an extended period for recovery? At what point should I consider diagnostic imaging, such as an ultrasound or MRI? Additionally, are there frequent rehabilitation errors that might impede the healing process? I appreciate your insights in advance!
Understanding EEG Results for My 22-Month-Old Son: Insights Needed
Could someone help clarify this for me? My son, who is just 22 months old, hasn’t started walking yet, becomes tired easily, and has been experiencing behavioral outbursts. He had a febrile seizure in February 2025, followed by another unexplained seizure in April 2025, which led us to consult a neurologist. Since he was 3 months old, he has been receiving therapy from a physical therapist for torticollis. At birth, he spent five days in the NICU due to issues with meconium aspiration. A recent MRI showed normal results, and he also had a follow-up EEG after one conducted in July 2025. The results from this recent EEG were abnormal for a pediatric patient in awake, drowsy, and sleeping states. Notably, there were brief episodes of left frontotemporal delta slowing, which occurred mainly when he was awake and drowsy. There were no signs of epileptiform activity detected. In contrast, the EEG performed back on July 3, 2025, was deemed normal for both awake and drowsy states, again with no evidence of epileptiform irregularities, although it did not capture any sleep data. This examination was prompted by the child's existing history of febrile seizures. Importantly, he is not currently on any anti-seizure medications. The EEG procedure used standard electrode placements per the 10-20 system, conducted a single-lead EKG, and included continuous video monitoring. During the analysis, the background activity was symmetric, indicating some anterior-posterior (AP) organization, with a dominant rhythm of 50-80 microvolts at 7 Hz. His drowsy state was marked by a reduced amount of eye blink activity, less breathing motion interference, and a generalized slowing in theta/delta frequencies. Stage II sleep exhibited spindles and vertex waves patterns. Additionally, there were intermittent bursts of 250-300 microvolts in the left frontotemporal region with semi-rhythmic activity of 2-4 Hz, mostly observed during wakefulness and drowsiness. No definitive epileptiform discharge was noted. Photic stimulation during the test did not elicit a strong response, and hyperventilation was not conducted during this session.
INTENSE Spine Discomfort, Breathing Difficulties, Muscle Twitches, and Sweating
To elaborate on the situation mentioned in the title, I’ve been experiencing unusual muscle twitches and spasms for the past few days, along with some discomfort in my back. However, today, I felt an unexpected sharp pain shoot through my spine, which has left my legs feeling numb and made it impossible for me to sit up straight. Additionally, I’ve been dealing with cold sweats for the last hour and struggling to breathe properly. Perhaps I’m just overanalyzing things and it’s a common occurrence, but the intensity of the pain is overwhelming—it's truly unbearable. I’m shaking quite a bit, and unfortunately, my parents aren’t responding to my attempts to reach them for help. I have a history of a chronic heart condition and arthritis, yet I’ve never experienced pain this severe, especially in my spine. For context, I am nearly 15 years old and female. My current medications include pain relievers, anxiety medication, beta blockers, and some vitamins, though those specifics may not be particularly relevant. I don’t smoke; however, I have tried vaping a few times, which might not matter much, but I thought it was worth mentioning as it was requested.
28-Year-Old Male Experiencing Scalp Sensations Post-Amitriptyline Treatment
I am a 28-year-old man in generally good health, without any cardiac concerns. Approximately a month ago, I encountered intense pain localized to one side of my head, which was unresponsive to paracetamol. However, a single dose of a migraine treatment provided substantial relief. Following that, I began a regimen of amitriptyline, starting at a nightly dose of 10 to 25 mg. While my head pain has diminished significantly—by about 90 to 95%—I now experience occasional uncomfortable sensations on my scalp. These feelings include pins and needles, a cooling sensation, and some crawling feelings near my hairline and ears. There are fleeting moments where I feel brief throbs lasting a second, but I do not have any persistent headaches. To clarify, I do not experience any of the following: - Nausea - Weakness in my limbs - Numbness - Changes in my vision - Coordination difficulties - Seizures The symptoms I have are transient, shifting around and often intensifying when I become conscious of them or as the day progresses. I would like to know: Is it common to experience these sensations during the recovery stage following episodes of neuralgia or migraine-like discomfort? Additionally, could the amitriptyline potentially be causing these temporary paresthetic sensations? I am seeking some reassurance or advice on what is typically observed during this healing process. Thank you.