General description of the disease
This is an inflammatory process of a purulent nature that occurs in the apocrine sweat glands. This disease is popularly known as “bitch udder».
The causative agent of hydradenitis and the ways of its penetration
Bitch udders are caused by streptococci, staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli. These bacteria enter the apocrine sweat glands through their excretory ducts or through the lymphogenous pathways. Entrance gate for infection – various damage to the skin (after depilation, when combing).
The causes of hydradenitis
Hydradenitis can be inherited. In such cases, in addition to hydradenitis, there may be abscessing acne in the family.
The risk group includes people: with increased sweating, low immunity, skin lesions in possible places for the development of the disease, with a disturbed regime of hygiene measures, people with diabetes mellitus, having hormonal imbalances and disruptions in the endocrine system, people with obesity, diaper rash, chronic diseases ( especially of a bacteriological nature).
Hidradenitis symptoms
The development of the disease is gradual, not acute. Initially, in the place of the inflammatory process, itching occurs, a hill appears, when probing it, a dense formation is heard (its size can range from a few millimeters to 2 centimeters). When pressing on the swelling, strong painful sensations arise. Over time, pain and swelling increase with increasing intensity, the skin acquires a crimson-red hue. Pain arises not only from touch, but also from movements of the arm / leg (depending on the location). The resulting nodes mix with the skin, resemble a pear in shape and bulge out in the form of nipples. Because of this, the disease is called so by the people. In this case, the rod, like a boil or carbuncle, does not appear. After that, the center of the hill begins to soften, it opens and pus begins to flow through the hole formed (in its consistency, it resembles sour cream). Often, purulent discharge with an admixture of blood comes out. The resulting infiltrate disappears within 14 days, after its healing, a scar remains.
In most cases, the inflammatory process also spreads to the sweat glands located next to the painful ones. In this case, a very large, extensive infiltration occurs, and the recovery period is delayed by a month. Painful sensations arise not only during movement, but also at rest.
Before the pus begins to flow, the patient has a general intoxication of the body (the temperature rises, chills appear). After the breakthrough, the state of health improves.
Recurrence of hydradenitis is possible.
Complications of hydradenitis
With improper or prolonged treatment, lymphadenitis, abscess, phlegmon, sepsis may develop.
Who has hydradenitis?
Hydradenitis spreads to all nationalities. A severe course is most often observed in the Negroid race. Children and the elderly do not suffer from this disease. This is due to the fact that the apocrine sweat glands are most active at puberty (from 12 years old). And upon reaching 55 years of age, their activity begins to gradually decline.
With regard to sexual division, the female sex is exposed to the disease more often than the male. Most often, hydradenitis occurs in girls during puberty and in women during menopause.
Localization of hydradenitis
Sweat glands are most inflamed in the armpit, perineum, less often in the groin folds, in the labia majora, on the scrotum, around the nipples and near the anus. In most cases, udder boughs are observed in the perineum (in men) and in the armpit (in women).
Useful products for hydradenitis
For a speedy recovery, the patient needs to increase the body’s immune forces, relieve the inflammatory process and remove the symptoms of intoxication. With obesity, you need to get rid of excess weight (it is better to use any low-calorie diet you like). To eliminate the udder of a branch, it is necessary to take vitamins A, B (B1, 2, 6), C, E and ensure the saturation of the body with phosphorus and iron.
To achieve positive results in treatment, the patient should eat dairy products, eggs, liver, goose, chicken, tomatoes, beets, carrots, green peas, black currants, raspberries, viburnum, strawberries, blackberries, sea buckthorn, pomegranate, rose hips, nuts (walnuts , peanuts, almonds, pistachios, cedar), apples, dogwood, butter, vegetable oils (sunflower, sesame, linseed, olive), feta cheese, corn, cabbage, grapes, seafood, oatmeal, barley, buckwheat porridge, millet, pasta, lentils, mushrooms, bell peppers.
Traditional medicine for hydradenitis
To increase immunity, it is necessary to take orally juice of plantain or aloe, tincture of ginseng, eleutherococcus, drink brewer’s yeast (dry, preferably in tablets).
Traditional medicine suggests getting rid of hydradenitis with lozenges. There are 3 most effective recipes.
- 1 To prepare the first medicinal cake, you need 3 egg yolks, a little flour, honey and lard. You cannot knead the dough strongly, it should not be steep. This cake is applied to the inflamed area for 9-10 hours, then it must be changed to a new one.
- 2 The second cake is called “Tibetan patch”. To prepare it, you need to take 50 grams of rye flour and laundry soap, 1 glass of warm boiled water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. All ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and put on low heat. During boiling, you need to add a piece of wax candle (the candle must be a church candle). Cook until the wax is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool slightly and apply to the sore spot overnight.
- 3 To prepare the 3rd type of cake, you need to take 2 tablespoons of sour cream (high fat content) and rye flour (as much as you need – you should get a steep dough). Apply such a cake once a day before going to bed.
Traditional methods of treating a bitch udder include recipes using vegetables and medicinal plants:
- leaves of simple white cabbage and lilacs are applied to the sore spot (before use, the leaves must be thoroughly rinsed and dried; they must be kept on inflammation until the leaf dries and applied to the wound with the inside);
- alternately change the leaves of the plantain and the bulb (so alternate until it breaks through; after the release of pus, it is necessary to wash the wound with a streptocide solution and anoint it with an ointment containing antibiotics (for example, synthomycin ointment or levomekol), put a clean sheet of plantain on top and apply its leaves before the start of the wound tightening);
- wipe the inflamed area with tincture of calendula, arnica, yarrow, St. John’s wort (you can also wipe it with a pharmacy alcohol solution, only before use it must be diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1 to 1);
- a compress from oven-baked onions helps well (bake a medium onion, divide into plates, apply in one layer, put cotton on top and cover with cellophane);
- you can make a compress from laundry soap and onions: 50 grams of soap is rubbed on a grater, mixed with 1 finely chopped onion, add pork lard, put on fire and simmer for 5-7 minutes, cool and apply a compress to the abscess (you can store this mixture for 10 days in a cool place, preferably in the refrigerator);
- hydradenitis is also treated with the help of rabbit skin (the skinned skin from the smooth side is lathered with simple laundry soap and applied to the affected area, during the day the skin needs to be soaped 2-3 times);
- for the treatment of bough udders, an infusion of calendula flowers, elderberry, eucalyptus leaves and sweet clover is used inside (all herbs are crushed, taken in equal amounts, poured with boiling water and boiled for another 5 minutes, left to infuse for 1,5-2 hours; 1 glass of water is needed a tablespoon of a mixture of herbs, you need to take ¼ cup three times a day, you can add a little honey).
In the first 3-5 days after the detection of redness (until the infiltration begins), the bough udder must be acne-prone. To do this, take a simple cloth, iron it, and while the cloth is hot, lean it against the sore spot. Also, it can be warmed up with a blue lamp (for this they take a lamp, turn it on and hold it for 5 minutes over the inflamed area – there should be about 20 centimeters between the body and the lamp).
Hygiene measures for hydradenitis
To prevent inflammation from spreading to other (nearby) sweat glands, it is necessary to cut off the hair that grows in the painful area with nail scissors.
At the time of treatment and for a week after the cure, you cannot take baths and steam. You can only take a shower. Before water procedures, the wound must be treated and sealed with a plaster (preferably bactericidal). This is done so that the wound does not get wet and that a new infection does not get into the hole.
Also, 3-4 times a day, the skin near the abscess should be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or camphor / salicylic / boric alcohol.
During the period of treatment, you cannot use cosmetics, perfumery, depilatory products and roll-on deodorants (if the udder is in the armpit).
Before any procedure, you must thoroughly wash your hands, and it is better to disinfect it with alcohol.
Important!
If 2 weeks have passed, and there are no positive results, you need to urgently consult a doctor! Then antibiotic treatment, surgical excision and active immunotherapy are indicated.
Hazardous and harmful products with hydradenitis
- alcoholic drinks, energy drinks, sweet soda;
- spicy, fatty, fried, smoked dishes;
- any sweets;
- condiments, sauces, dressings, marinades, vinegar;
- semi-finished products, fast food and products with additives.
This diet should be followed for about 3 months. At least for this period, it is worth quitting smoking.
Attention!
The administration is not responsible for any attempt to use the information provided, and does not guarantee that it will not harm you personally. The materials cannot be used to prescribe treatment and make a diagnosis. Always consult your specialist doctor!