Pilonidal Cyst What The Heck Is That
96A Pilonidal Cyst is something I had never heard of. Not until my 18 year old son developed one. I don't believe I have ever seen anything quite like it.
A Pilonidal Cyst is a cyst that forms most commonly on the tail bone area at the top or near the top of the cleft of the buttocks, or the " butt crack". Most doctors believe that the Pilonidal Cyst is caused by an ingrown hair and then becomes infected. Some doctors think a Pilonidal Cyst is a direct result of the human tail that is seen during fetal development in conjunction with the development of the spine. This "tail" is supposed to detach and disappear once the spine is done developing. Sometimes this "tail" doesn't do these things and can develop into a Pilonidal Cyst. Another theory is that some sort of injury of the sacrococcygeal area, the area that includes the sacrum or the lower vertebrae and the coccyx or the tailbone can cause these cysts to occur. Some babies are born with a Pilonidal Dimple which is not the same thing as a Pilonidal Cyst and rarely turn into a cyst. The causes of this cyst are still being looked at.
Pilonidal Cysts are more often seen in men than in women. Usually they show up between the ages of 15 and 24 with very rare occurrences after the age of 40.
Symptoms of Pilonidal Cysts
My son started to complain about his butt hurting and I told him he probably had a pimple or something and it would go away. I hadn't looked because I don't regularly look at my 18 year old sons butt. Haven't seen it since he was 6 or so. After a week went by he woke up on Tuesday morning of this week with blood and pus everywhere, I had to take a look. What I saw stunned me. I don't think I can explain my thoughts any other way as to what I was looking at. After I got it cleaned up I was met with the most shocking thing I do believe I have ever seen, and I don't mean in pictures. This was real life.
My son had two small holes in his skin. There was no flesh of any kind within the holes. And they were deep. My mouth dropped open and I think I muttered, " Oh my God". Albeit I was looking into darkness, I later learned I was looking into a cavity within my son's body. I need to say it again, " Oh my God". The 2nd thing that ran through my mind was, " flesh eating virus". Now my heart was pounding and my stomach was jumping.
The symptoms of Pilonidal Cysts are:
- Pain
- Localized swelling
- Reddening of the skin
- Drainage of pus and blood from an opening of the skin which is called a Pilonidal Sinus
- Hair protruding from the Pilonidal Sinus
- Fever ( although it's rare)
- Foul Smell from the draining pus
The Pilonidal Sinus looks like a channel or tunnel below the surface of the skin that connects the cyst to the opening on the surface of the skin.
Causes and Risks
The cause of Pilonidal Cysts are varying and still being looked into. Some doctors think it is due to inactivity or sitting improperly and others think it's an ingrown hair that the body attacks and forms a cyst around. Others think the human tail that forms with spinal formation during gestation and fails to absorb or disappear once the spine is formed is the cause.
Mayo Clinic gives these risk factors:
- Obesity
- Inactive lifestyle
- Occupation or sports that require sitting
- Excess body hair
- Stiff or coarse hair
- Poor hygiene
- Excess sweating
My son has a few of these such as excessive sitting, excess body hair ( he is a hairy guy), and stiff or coarse hair. So do I think his human tail didn't absorb during gestation, or do I think he plays to many video games sitting on his butt? Well he does play and sit on his butt to much like most teenagers these days. Do I think that's the cause? I just don't know. What I do know is that it must be fixed. My son is having pain and I don't care for that.
Treatments
The first thing to know is that antibiotics will not heal a Pilonidal Cyst, it will only treat the infection. Once a cavity is opened it will not close again without some type of medical intervention. At least that is how I interpret the information I have been pouring over since my son saw the doctor.
One treatment is incision and drainage.The area around the cyst is numbed with a local anesthetic and the doctor makes an incision to drain and clean the cyst. The wound is then packed with dressing so it can heal from the inside out.
Another treatment is surgery. This procedure is necessary if you have recurring infection of the cyst or have one or more of the sinus passages open.
All your options should be discussed with your doctor to find out which treatment is the right one for you. Postoperative care is extremely important and you will have detailed instructions from you doctor on that care.
Preventions
Mayo Clinic offers these tips on helping prevent the reinfection of you Pilonidal Cyst.
- Remove any hair from this area on a regular basis. Shaving or depilatory creams work well in this area. Laser treatments for hair growth also seem to help.
- Clean the area daily with glycerin soap because it's less irritating to the skin. Rinse all soap residue off the area. Once the area is healed and no longer sore, washing the area briskly with a washcloth also helps keep the area free of hair.
- Keep the area clean and dry. Don't use powders, oils, or herbal remedies in this area.
- Avoid sitting for long periods of time.
I will certainly be hounding my kid to get up off his butt a bit more often. Although with the pain he is in I do believe he will do anything to prevent this from happening again.
We Go See The Surgeon
My son has been on his antibiotic for a day and a half and already his infection looks like it's healing. He is on some strong antibiotic, taking 875 mg twice a day. When he gets close to done with his medicine we will be going to the surgeons to see what he has to say about getting this deal fixed. Hopefully we will be fixing my son right up very soon. I hate seeing him in pain like this.
I hope this has helped others who are experience something going on in the " behind " region. I had never heard of Pilonidal Cysts before and found it most interesting and wanted to pass it along.
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Oh that must of been real painful.
What all can happened to us? I have never heard of it. Thank you for the information.
Jen; I will certainly add to this hub as I get more information on my son. He will be ok I'm just glad we know what it is. Thanks for viewing my hub.
Sandyspider: Ya he is hurting a bit but if he stays off his butt the pain subsides. Thanks for viewing my hub.
Hello,Hello: I know what you mean I had never heard of it either. It's a stunning sight. Thanks so much for reading my hub.
Fishtiger, I could imagine how scared and concerned you were at first, especially as a parent. So glad your son is better now. And thank you for such an informative hub, I never knew of such a cyst till now.
Hi Madison I didn't either, I am somewhat relieved it's not life threatening but it still needs surgery which makes me nervous but we will get through it. Thanks so much for viewing my hub.
Hiya, thanks for this I have never heard of it before. But the funny thing is that I have had a friend for years who always said she was born with ' a hole at the bottom of her spine that caused her trouble sometimes' maybe it was this. she never said. I don't think she really knew as she was very young, at the time. thanks nell
Ya she should get it checked out. Apparently after the age of 40 they won't bother you anymore, but if there are open holes they need to be fixed. Thanks for viewing Nell.
Thank-you for covering such an important issue, it was one I had never heard of before but thanks to this informative hub, I am much more aware.
You are so welcome wrenfrost I have never heard of it either, thanks so much for reading.
I've never heard of it before. Thanks for raising awareness. I hope your son's treatment works quickly and he has a complete recovery. Best Wishes.
Thanks Lady E I hope so too we will see the surgeon probably next week. Thanks so much for reading my hub.
Ouch! Looks painful!
I'm glad your son is better!
Thanks so much mhuze for reading my hub. He has an appointment next week with the surgeon I hope everything goes well.
Wow, I had never heard of this. I had an ingrown hair once and a cyst due to that. (It was on my tummy acutally, and no, I don't have coarse hair on my tummy) But it was quite small and certainly there was no pus or a hole allowing you to stare into my body cavities. Yikes, I would have freaked out! Good info. to share. Hope your son is feeling better.
Thanks so much mulberry he is much better but still waiting to see the surgeon to see what he has to say. The Pilonidal cyst is only in that one area of the buttocks. Thanks so much for reading my hub.
Great info! My hubby one as a teen.
Thanks habee and yes they mostly show up between the ages of 15 and 24 my son is having surgery on his Friday April 30, my poor baby.
Great I think I have no words
LOL thanks Miss Nasreen
Ohh, it is so painfull
Thanks Siddharth he is so much better know that he has surgery.
Hi Fishtiger I found you over on RedGage. I never even heard of this type of Cyst. Thanks for sharing your experience with your son. Great hub!
Thanks adrienne2 for reading my hub, and my son is doing quite well after his surgery thankfully.
I'm a 17 year old female. I am pretty sire I have a pilonidal cyst about the size of a large marble. It only hurts and leaks every several month and I think I have had it for about 3 years. Do you know if these cysts ever get worse or larger? Do you think I should see a doctor if I can handle the very slight pain just fine?
My son's doc said it will just continue to reinfect if not fixed. But you need to talk to your parents and have them take you to a doctor as I am neither your doctor or parent. Good luck.
Yea, that looks very painful :(
It was for him but thankfully much better now thanks edguider, the only thing he is not happy about is keeping the area clear of hair. LOL.
I had my surgery Last year May 29th, 2009
I had it for 6 months before I got it diagnosed and excised.
The only difficult part is post operative care and regular depilation. Painkillers do the job in killing pain well for the first 4 weeks after surgery. Antibiotics also cleared my pimples(An added plus point).
Goodluck to your son :)
Regards from India.
Thanks Hemant
Hi,
I had this myself approximately 8 years ago when I was 21ish - it literally is a pain in the arse!
I had the symptoms(which were severe itching and discomfort!) for about 12 months before I could be operated on (due to the then hospital waiting lists). The operation was a success, but the healing process is a lenghty one - it took about 4 months to heal. This is because the surgeon had to dick 4 inches in my back to remove everything - with hindsight I should have booked to go private since that 4 inches would have been considerably less had I been operated on earlier. My advice to anyone would be to have the operation ASAP!
I've been fine since, no real issues - I have one friend though who hasn't made a full recovery and can no longer do sports or anything like that - even working is difficult for him due to the discomfort he has for sitting too long.
Good article this.
Cheers from Manchester - England - UK
Thankfully my son recovered in about a week, but he had his surgery within weeks of his diagnosis.
Hi, I am 32 and had 3 ops already the last one only half a year ago, I am less thank 2 weeks away from my wedding and guess what? It came back again. My wedding is aborad, my flight is in 2 days away and I can not sit on my bum... started antibiotics a day and a half ago but no good only bad development. Can you let me know, what the antibiotics is called, what you used for your son?
Thank you
He was given amoxicillan which is a type of penicillin. It worked wonders for him. Maybe you can get a donut type cushion to sit on while on your flight. Hope this helps Cecilia.
i have one of those,it hurts really bad! my doctor says that if I got surgery it doesnt not garanty that
Yes eater my son's surgeon said he could get it fixed but it could still come back. Thanks and hope you feel better soon.
Hi,
In a way, I'm glad to see that I am not alone. I'm only 16 and I had 6 small holes on my backside running down the middle. I found out what it was 4 months ago thanks to this hub. I had surgery and it was left as an open wound. You can just imagine how large a wound 6 openings can create. It has barely closed, and after visiting the surgeon for a checkup he found a new hole below my wound.
The surgeon didn't say it.. but I know I will need more surgery after the open wound heals.. Over these months I have not been able sit or walk for more than 10 minutes. I feel fed up, scared, and depressed. I hope your son is alright. Please keep me in your thoughts as well.
I hope everything can be fixed for you Jonathon. My son had surgery as well but he had a closed wound and was feeling better in about 3 days. Maybe you and your parents should ask about a closed wound surgery. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck to you.
In 1968, I formed a pilonidal cyst. If you have never had a cyst like this one thank God for that. This formed as a red spot on the buttocks and formed into an abcess. Had to go to the emergency room and have it drainrd. Had it removed for Christmas of 1968. Had to only have one surgery. Every now and then a little pus will form, but will only last a day or two. I can live with that.
You are lucky Joan some people form more even after surgery. My son is so far good, but he needs to keep the hair off his butt or the chances of reoccurance is greater.Thanks for reading my hub.
Hi Fishtiger, i am facing similar kind of problem, but its like have not much pain, but if i sit for longer periods, i am facing this problem, when i clean it up with tissue, it has puss and blood...after some 1 month of struggle with care(warm water bath, regular obervation)it dissappears, but it will reappear after 1 month or so if i have to sit for longer periods....how should i be dealing with this, should i go ahead and consult a doctor, whom should i consult...please suggest me....thanks
Thanks angeles I would see a doctor.
Whoa. I'm thankful your son is doing so well. A friend is having a problem and I wonder...
So many people with this problem. Jonathan, hang in there!!!
The comments are interesting--Manchester UK perhaps had the most interesting:
"I had the symptoms(which were severe itching and discomfort!) for about 12 months before I could be operated on (due to the then hospital waiting lists)."
I have to ask, what makes us think we want socialized medicine!?!
Hi, i have had this Pilonidal Cyst twice now first time in high school, second time i was in my early 20's, and now this will be my third time and i am now 34...been to doctors already but it's still in it's first stages, there is a lil drainage, but right now it's a sinus, (that's the begining stage i am talking about) and she told me theres nothing they can do until its fully into a the cyst, which sucks because it's sore, it heals then re opens again, so i am waiting for it to turn into the thing im regretting the most, because i really don't want to have surgery for my tail bone yet again, pretty soon i won't have a tail bone left lol.. but the doctor told me to put polysporn on it for now..not sure what that will do but i guess i'll have to give it a try.
No kidding RTalloni I have to agree with you, my son had surgery withing a week of getting his diagnosis. Thanks for reading my hub.
Hi tara I am so sorry you are having this problem, I sure wish they could fix this once and it would be the end. My son's doc also said it can reoccur but I'm hoping for his sake it won't. He also said that usually by the age of 40 this problem will be over, why I really don't know. Antibiotics helped my son immensely but he was infected. I do hope everything goes well for you and I do understand that not wanting to have surgery anymore. Take care tara.
I had one of these last fall. I had no idea what it was. I was putting boil ease and heat on the area and that made it easier to sit or lay down to sleep. About 2 weeks later, I was at work in the bathroom and it exploded. It took a month for it to heal. I now pay extra close attention when showering and no longer sit for extended periods of time.
Keep the area real clean HotPinkEmt and while it's not there clean with rubbing alcohol seems to keep it at bay.Thanks for reading my hub.
Thank you for all the information (not the topic of many conversations!). My 17 yr old daughter is lying in a hospital bed beside me. About a year ago she began complaining of the same symptoms as your son. We went to the local doctor, who lanced the cyst, and that was that. Then just a few weeks ago the area began bleeding and was sore. this time we were referred to a surgeon. Last Thursday she had an operation to "remove the sac inside the cyst". Oh MY GOD....the wound is the size of my hand, and deep (right to the bone). She began to bleed excessively last Friday and was rushed in by ambulance to a much larger hospital. We are now in the Golisano Childrens hospital in Syracuse, NY (where we have been since last Friday) Special surgeons and plastic surgeons have been called in and she will undergo another surgery within the week. I am now doing my research on the subject..maybe if I had earlier she wouldn't have to go through so much. Again thank you for the info...as a Mom you know that when your baby(at any age) hurts, you hurt. It comforting to know we are not alone.
Thanks ABCmom I hope they can get this all fixed for your daughter, my son has been doing well since his surgery, he had a closed wound surgery,I have heard the open wound surgery is a much longer recovery time. Good luck to your daughter.
Oh no, that must be really painful. Just can't imagine what will it be or like? Is there any way to prevent it in the first place?
Thanks sockyee and I don't think there is any way to prevent it.
I have had one for nearly a year now, the last time it drained was at least 5months ago as i could feel a lump in my right cheek but now the lump has gone and the leaking has stopped, ive been more active going for walks and such and have noticed a difference! As for the area itself no iritation or pain when i sit or stand so i can only hope for the best that the problem has gone! i was reading and reading but i could not find anything on when a cyst heals naturally, or goes naturally.
Thanks for the comment wellwellwell, I don't think it does go away naturally, that's what my son's surgeon says. I think his is coming back and he had surgery 7 months ago.
Well after seeing my specialist before rushing to any conclusions he was impressed that the swelling and irritation went down! he said that if it was not causing any problems there was not any need to have surgery that might worsen the whole situation! Oh and i forgot to mention in the comment before that i have been keeping the area clean!! And if you are hersuit (hairy) the other option of prevention is hair removal as some believe it is caused by this!! I hope i helped!!
Yes wellwellwell that is what the surgeon said as well, to keep it clear of hair and keep it clean, my son is very hairy, I am happy you don't need the surgery and good luck with yours. My son's was all infected and yucky so he did end up with surgery, right now it looks pretty good but there is a new pilonidal sinus tract or hole, I feel so bad from him. Thankfully he is not infected or hurting so we are just waiting to see how it goes for him.
hi, im 19. i think i have the worst skin you could possibly think of. i have had a few sists but never looked into it too much untill i got this one right at the top of my butt. i cant sit back, i need to lean forward. i cant sleep for more than a few hours at a time. my mom thought it was just a massive zit or something because i have trac acne on my lower back. thanks to this i know what it is and i am going in to have it looked at as soon as i can. and what really sucks is i swear im 75% ape... i have hair from head to toe all over my body.. i know i didnt have any issues until one day i decides to shave my ass. lol, regretting that now because i never had a problem till i did...
Thanks for reading my hub Mike, if you do end up with surgery your surgeon will tell you to keep the area free of hair after you heal. I'm glad my hub has helped you in some small way. Have you seen a hole at the very top of your butt crack? In any case I'm not a doctor but it does sound like you have a pilonidal cyst and it really should be looked at glad you are going to go to the doctor.
not yet... i wish it would just pop. i thought it was just one of theese deep boil/zits that i get so i had been trying to pop it which definatly irritated it so its just been getting worse fast. i had a sist under my armpit about 3 or 4 years ago that was doing the same thing. couldnt move my arm without it hurting. i had it checked out and they didnt have to drain it or anything and since it poped ive been fine ever since. now ive always played my fair share of video games... i dont know why its showing up now and not a few years ago ...
As I said in my hub the cysts show up usually between the ages of 15 and 24 and you are right in the middle of that, my son is also 19, the doctors just don't know why they show up or what causes them. Good luck Mike I truly feel for you.
that has got to be the most painfull thing ive had to go through in a long time... now put your thumbs and your index fingers together in a circle. thats how big my cyst was. the doc told me it was bcuz i shaved... i dont think ill be doing anymore manscaping... lol. was also told im going to need to go in for the surgery at some point but hopefully itll heal good for now. im glad you made this page explaining everything. not one thing the doc told me that i didnt already know. thank you :)
Great Hub! I worked in surgery for 25 years and I cant make hubs with this sort enthusiasm.
Thanks coolbreeze for reading my hub.
Thank you so much for the article. My son had his rupture in school. We thought it was a puncture wound. It seemed to heal and weeks it became sore, so we took him to the doctor. He has no infection, so we are scheduled with a surgeon next week. Thanks for the information on what to expect.
You are so welcome CindyLynn hope all goes well for your son.
Hi there- I had a pilonidal cyst removed about two years ago. The wound was large, and I required the use of a wound vac to help it to heal. The removal of the wound vac multiple times a week was excruciatingly painful. I tried to take pain meds, but they didn't help, and in fact, just made me constipated, so I stopped taking them. I highly recommend the use of a "tush cush" type of cushion for daily sitting- the donut/hemmerhoid type cushions just pushed the wound, and hurt. The tush cush type of cushion has a cut-out closer to the actual wound.
I hope your son feels better soon!
Thanks for reading my hub, glad to hear you are doing well.
I am 31 and currently experiencing either my second or third cyst. I always assumed they were bad pimples, but this one is the worst by far. it is roughly the circumference of a toilet paper tube, and EVERYTHING is painful. Sitting, walking, laying (I haven't slept through the night in at least a week)... On Thursday, my doctor said it will usually go away on its own, and to help it along by taking warm baths, and if necessary, it may respond to antibiotics. Well, about an hour ago, I thought the cat must have had a tummy ache and did some bad business in his litter box, but the smell followed me. I decided to check my pants because although I don't remember it smelling bad before, I knew from the research I did last week that it would have an obscene odor. Sure enough, that s.o.b. had FINALLY exploded. It was seeping, and at some points gushing... I have gone through probably half a box of baby wipes in the past hour, and three cotton balls. smh. It is probably the single most disgusting thing in the entire universe. It smells like a dirty diaper and it an ugly mix of red and pink (blood) and white/yellow/green puss. *puke* It still hurts like hell and is still draining, but OMG, it is SO much better than it was 2 hours ago.
If it's that big, I'm not a doctor, but I don't think it will go away. I would go get it checked out again. Hope this helps. Thanks Phillygirl.
My son who is 18 had been complaining about his tailbone hurting and being that he was a skateboarder i thought he had just had too many falls. Tonite he asked me to looke at his behind which was probably hardest thing for him to do. I knew it must be bad. I had never seen anything like it, and though I din't look at it real close he state dthat he that it had pus coming out of it. I am going to take him to the doc on momnday. Is normal procedure to take antbiotics and THEN have a surgical treatment? This is something I have never encountered or heard about. I was so glad I found your hub.
Thanks fisheti for reading my hub I'm glad you found it too. My son's cyst was infected so the doc wanted that cleared up first, then if there is a pilonidal sinus which means a hole the only way to fix it is surgery, although they can come back. So taking you son to the docs is the best thing you can do right now and then your doc will advise you as to what steps need to be taken. Good luck to your son.
My son had one exactly like your son's. He was about 18 when he had his. He had his for about 6 months going to the doctor every so often to have it drained and cleaned. The doctor finally did an outpatient procedure where he removed the cyst by cutting it out and packing the area. This is gross but there was a long ingrown hair in the cyst. He was very sore for days but has been fine now for 6 years. These things are pretty common I guess.
Thanks stephosz, glad you son is doing well, it looks like my son's cyst is coming back, almost a year after surgery.
hi ive had a pilonidal sinus five times over the last four years they are very painful! ive had it drained, drained and excised, stiched, excised again and excised again after all that i thought it was finally gone and it kinda is augest last year i got the pain again and i thought no not again so i waited for a week or two there was not swelling or anything just a bit red and it just opened on its own so i went to the hosptial and they said it would heal up on its own so i said great at least no operation!! this went on for months and i was in pain so i kept going back to see my sergron and ahain they just kept saying it will heal up it got to the point where i snapped and said something had to be done but they said theres not much to do because the skin was so fragile so since augest if bein in and out every week to get it dressed im actually waiting to see my sergron again on tuesday i might have to have the surgery after all... for something so small (but not small at all) it causes so much pain and takes over your life i wish it would just go away!!!
I was sitting here reading your story on your son and I know exactly how he feels. I have had a pilondial cyst operated on 4 times and looks like I will need to go for round 5. I am a 46 yr old woman and I am getting pretty tired of having this area cut open. I have been told by doctors that they don't think it will ever heal properly because of it's location. So I go to see a specialist in a couple of weeks and I will keep you posted.
I am so sorry to hear this Shauna I think my son is also getting a reoccurance of his cyst, he is not happy, hope things work out for you.
I wish the doctors could figure out what's up with this and fix it once and for all, I don't want my son to have to go through this again but it looks like he may, thanks for reading Gege and yes let me know what happens.
fishtiger58 - I JUST got out of the hospital for the exact same thing. Nice big hole in my tailbone and looking at an 8 week recovery... I feel SO bad for ANYONE who ever has to go through this excrutiating pain
I do too Mandy, I wish they could fix this mess instead of putting people through surgery after surgery, thanks for reading my hub.
Ok. I am 23 years old and this happened to me when I was 21 i went to the doctor and they lanced it and packed it to heal from the inside out it completely healed and was gone for exactly one year to the day and returned but never got swollen or hurt it just leaked directly out so I thought it would go away but I have had it for six months and am scared to go to a doctor why won't it heal ? :(
So sorry to hear this Help Please, I think my son's is coming back too, the doc told us that reoccurance is quite common. Better get it checked.
Fishtiger~I've been looking online for info and came upon your hub first. I believe I will look no further. My 12 year old son has been complaining of pain in his tailbone area on and off for around 2 weeks. I assumed it was either a pimple or maybe pain from wrestling/rough housing. It has been 2 weeks now and he still complains of sitting on certain chairs, in certain positions, and riding in the car. This has left me clueless. After reading your hub he fits into every single category listed. Although he's only 12, he is 5'9" and 200lbs. I looked at the upper area of his bottom, just above his "crack" and didn't see anything at all. Is this the location of where the cyst is or is it lower? Is there a way to describe what it may possibly look like? I just called his doctor and have him scheduled in a few days. How do they diagnose this cyst? Xray? I read of the antibiotics but what did they give your son for pain? I've given my son OTC ibuprofen and/or tylenol but it doesn't seem to ease the pain. Thank you for posting this info and opening my eyes.
Hi Concerned Mama, my son had two holes just below the top of his butt crack, in the butt crack. They were open holes once I got them cleaned up of blood and pus. My son was given antibiotics because he already had the holes in his skin and they were infected. When I looked into the holes I saw darkness but later learned I was looking into his body. Inside his body is what I mean. But it was just dark. As for pain he just took ibuprofen. I believe the cysts themselves are actually under the skin, you can't see them, only the sinus tracts they leave behind so to speak. As for diagnosis he bent over, the doc took about a 5 second look and knew right away what my son's problem was. No xray or anything like that. However if your son has no outward sign yet, I am not sure how they know what it is. That will be up to your son's doc to figure out. I sure hope you son can be helped.
so if u have holes already you really need surgery right plz help........i have 2 holes but i dnt have no pain at all
Hi sergo, my son's surgeon said that's the only way to repair the holes. I advise you to go see your doctor, hope everything goes well.
how long did it take to heal after surgery thank you for your help
Hi sergio, my son was feeling better after about 4 days, but to fully heal it was like 2 weeks.
I had a surgery 5mooth ago coz i broke my ankle and had a large wound which heals very slow but suprisingly when the healing proceds another wound developed on the same spot and pus wont stope i have started using mebo cream past 4days but i dont know .Plz help me
Hi Emmanuel, I would go back to the doctors. Good luck
The doctor told me had a pilonidal cyst about 2 months ago. All I can say is, JEEZ! I have never experienced such pain and discomfort in my life! And I've broken my arm!
So, consigned to sitting on my chair all day, I was glad when I found http://www.pilonidalcystadvice.com
Saved me hours of research.
I just pray that it never comes back!
Glad to hear you got the help you needed John I hope it doesn't come back on you.
sorry to hear that......and i have gone through it also and i am only 16, i just had surgery it wasn't painful at all....and dressing isn't painful also till you get a nurse who could really make it hurt...But good luck! Hope your son gets better!
Thanks Tina glad to hear you are doing well.
I had a pilonidal cyst nearly 3 years ago, had it drained and 2 weeks later it had returned and had to go through the op again, 3 years on and it has come back again. Cant believe it really thought that would have been the end of it. i am currently on antibiotics but this never worked for me before hence the surgey. Have been on them for 2 days and no improvement. The only thing that they docs say is likely to cure it completely is to have a wide excision which means having the whole area cut out and left open which means getting it dressed daily for 3 - 4 months not good when ive just started a new job and am still on probabtion.
wow that's awful guest, I wish they could get this problem fixed once and for all. Good luck
Hi I have a friend who has this problem and I was wondering is it good to shave the area where it's likely to occur, I feel like that would just make it easier for the hair to get forced into the skin?
Yes Questions, my son's doc said to keep the area clear of hair. Thanks for reading my hub and hope this has helped.
Hi, I had the pilonidal cyst when I just turned 18 and I had it drained. I'm 19 now and its almost been 2 years since then and it came back. I'm seeing the doctor next week to have it checked out again. Do you know if it attacks the nervous system also because my whole right leg goes numb and then hurts afterwards and this also happened the first time.
I am not a doctor princess and I would definitely ask the doctor about that, my son didn't mention any of that. Much good luck to you.
Okay, thanks
Go to pilonidal.org and look up a surgeon near you who offers the modern procedures for this disease. They are called pit picking and cleft lift. They offer rapid recoveries and minimal discomfort. I assure you this is the best website for anyone dealing with this disease. It changed my life.
Oh wow thanks David, I haven't heard of this site, will check it out. Thanks for reading my hub.
fishtiger,I've been dealing with the same problem for about ten yrs now.What I have noticed paying attention to my diet, chocolate really seems to set it off.I started staying away from chocolate and it subsided. You might want to keep track of his diet and see if there is anything that he is eating that is setting it off for your son.Mine has all but gone away as long as I stay away from the fudge and chocolate. I hope this helps!
wow no kidding grayhorse, this is a side no one has ever mentioned, I will ask him to cut out chocolate and see if that works for him, thanks so much
i had 2 small holes and been drained and packed and had inflamtory anthebiotics every 4 5 month its drain a little blood any solution other than operating
i hVE no pain only this issnue every 5 month
Thanks for reading my hub elie, my son's doc said once you have the holes there is no other solution except surgery. Good luck to you.
in case the cyst was not treated does anyone have the idea what wld happen?
I think but am not positive, the cyst would keep reinfecting. Thanks elie.
whts the purpose of 1st opp if it will reccure did anyone tried phenol injection or polyphenol i heard they hve w very hight potentiol of sucess
I haven't heard of that healingsniper, my son's doc said if you didn't get it closed up it would reinfect. That's really all I know. Thanks for reading my hub.
I was told back maybe 10 years ago that I had a cist it didn't bother me for about 5 years then it did for a year nothing for a while now its bothering me a lot. Lots of puss and drainage daily.
I think the docs just don't know that much about them, they seem to have trouble treating them, and everyone is different. Thanks Ray
Well I got this terrible problem about a year ago. After antibiotics to calm it down, it would still discomfort me every now and then with pus and blood coming out from my butt area! I don't even want to go into the horror details. Doctors will only recommend surgery after antibiotics as they themselves do not understand pilonidal sinus! But study shows surgery has a recurrence probabilities because it does not 'cure' the root of the problem. See pilonidal sinus is your body trying to message you that something is wrong or imbalanced in your body.
After suffering so much with it that I wished I was better off dead instead, I made a commitment not to give up against it. I changed my diet to more fresh foods. And opted for homeopathic medicines for curing my pilonidal sinus. Homeopathy works from inside out curing the root of the problem but it is a lengthy process. Took me about 4 to 5 months and the holes actually healed themselves. I would urge every one with this problem to research homeopathic remedies at least once before giving in to another surgery.
Do the basics right like:
-Keep the area clean and hair free
-Eat more veggies and fruits, get your body's pH level in good condition again
-Do not put pressure on the area
-Drink more water
If you research, there are tens of hundreds of ways and methods many different types of doctors such as ayurvedic, homeopathic, allopathic docs have treated this condition. But only someone who has it will spend sleepless nights such as me researching some way to get rid of this condition and return to your life.
Good luck. Hope that helped! And remember no matter how depressing and hopeless things may look, know that there is a god up there and he is putting you through this for your own good. Things will always get better. Do not lose hope! I know because at one point, I hit rock bottom because of this condition.
wow that is very interesting Vicky I will certainly talk to my son about this. Thanks so much
Hi,
I am 20 years old and have had this disease for the last 4 years. I first noticed it when I was 16, and I noticed I had a spot a the top of my buttocks that kept bleeding. After a few months, it was still there and getting quite painful, so I went to the doctor and pilonidal sinus was diagnosed. Since then I have had 4 different types of surgery but each time it just comes back. I have been on antibiotics permanently,for nearly 3 years. I usually get an infection every 2 to 3 weeks. The pain can get so bad that it is very difficult to walk or sit. I had my last surgery 3 weeks ago but it's too early to tell whether it's been a success. I should know more in a few months. I hope and pray that this will be the last time it affects me. The last 4 years have been very difficult, I've had to take a year out of university and the pain is very restricting. Each time I have an operation I feel like I've got better only for it to return a few months down the line. It's been extremely frustrating and at times lonely but I can only hope that I've finally turned a corner after this surgery and can get my life back on track.
It really seems like surgery is only a stop gap measure, it always seems to come back. I am so sorry for you Louisa, I hope this 4th surgery is a success.
I was diagnosed at 16 (I'm now 22), dealt with the operation (one where they cut everything out, leving a gaping hole) and then the whole dressing it daily routine. Went through laser hair removal - didnt work too well. Practically needed to do it 10-12 times every 6 months.
Anywho, just found that it's occurred again. After a few weeks of pus coming out, I finally had the big blood explosion. I'm not in any pain whatsoever right now, not sure if it will get worse. I just dont really know what to do, i've actually had 2 fevers out of the blue in the past few months as well, so I dont know if theyre connected.
Dont look forward to surgery again.
I am so sorry for you Max. Seems the medical community is really at a loss as to what will cure this problem once and for all.
i hVE BEEN TO doc lAT WEEK for those 2 holes in my lower spin he clean it up and said thats a micro cyst and he won t do the surgery coz they are very small and harmless an tell me in case of bleesing to use septivan in it hope that i cld help somone with thir article
Septivan hmmm I will have to check that out, thanks Robbin.
ihad 2 small holl by 4cm space between them one of them was infecyed i went to the doc he gaved me med and clean it up and said to clean it up always with bitadine a year later now i wanted to check it up as there was a little bleeding every some months and a little pain so i visited him and the result he have seen only one hole and he said this hole is superficial in the ex visit he said that it was deep so he told me that s micro cyst and he wont put a hole in my low back so he advied me in case of blood to put in antisptic in the hole septivan he wanted to give me something for pain i said no need coz its tolerated.and told me such operation will be local anasthetic put me 6 days out of work and free of pain . the most important thing is keeping way the infection. if their any advice from anyone waiting ur replies
Someone else said spetavin as well, is that over the counter or do you need a prescription? Thanks for reading my hub hope.
I have the same thing im 24 years old bit im scared to tell any one and i did breaxk my tail bone when i was seventeen .mine swells up quite often witch makes me more and more worried if you have some advise my number is 254 813 7615
I think you need to go to see a doctor Ernie, that's what I would do. Thanks for reading my hub.
No problem this is the first time ive ever really did reacerchan im just worried .what will happen if nothing is done about it
It will just keep reinfecting.
They discovered one on my buttocks 2 years ago, they recommended a waiting approach. Last month a preey large abcess formed, took antibiotics to get it removed and drained. Getting the open gap procedure next week, so scared of the healing process :'(
Much good luck to you Jurgen.
I am so happy I came across this site.
Last week my 15 year old son mentioned that his lower back hurt (he was sloutching on a kitchen chair at the time) and asked me to take a look. I couldn't see anything obvious but when I felt on the right side of his buttocks I felt a lump. As we had an appointment with his paediatrician for a cough on Friday I asked him to take a look. He told me to take him to a surgeon but didn't diagnose anything himself.
I took him yesterday to a surgeon who said it was pilonidal sinus. He actually showed me 2 black holes and proceeded to pull hairs out of them with his tweezers. He said he will need surgery which will be performed under local anaesthetic and it will be an open wound to help it heal. He also said that the pain is minimal as there aren't any stitches to pull on the area.
We have decided to go ahead with the surgery before Easter as the schools will be closed for 2 weeks which should give him a bit of recovery time before he has to go back to school. The doctor explained to both of us that daily baths are a must and sitting in salt water will also help.
He said that full healing could take up to 4 months. This upset my son more than anything as he is really athletic and he will have to give all of that up until the doctor gives him the all clear.
The doctor is very nice, very informative and someone we trust as a surgeon as he removed my gall bladder 4 years ago and my husbands appendix 2 years ago, but since the appointment I have been searching on the internet and all I seem to read is horror stories about how the surgeries don't work and they keep having to be repeated and how much pain people are in after. Another thing that is bothering me is that although my son he has had other surgeries they have been under general anaesthetic. How will he hold out under local anaesthetic?
We actually know someone who has had this same procedure with the same doctor done 3 times.
Sorry this was such a long winded note but I just feel as if I need a little reassurance that we are following the right path. As he isn't really in any pain is it best to leave it or will it just get worse and worse.
Thanks for listening.
hey puppy
i had a small cyst dscovered when he was swelling he had an hole on top of it the doc drain it and infection medication.and told me to keep cleaning and he pulled out a big hair from it now every while it drains a little blood a weeks ago it drained blood again and i was feeling little pain . so i visited my doc he still says that a micro cyst and he said he wont do me the surgeir coz it small and to tacke panadol for pain if needed it in case of blleeding to use betadine in thehol and it will stop bleeidng but i was forbiddem from aclohol or traveling to africa.but he told me that the op in case done will be local anasthetic i will need minium 6 days in bed he mentioned that i will not feel any pain. so far i will work by his instruction but in case of repetitive infection god forbidden i guess than removing is must and from what i now and read the op have 20 percnr reoccurence i would advise for ur soon to clean observeine find u could always go to op but never come back watch if its growing larger or fixed presence of pus any infection signs. gd luck hope medecice cld find a non surgical treatement for this case and i noticed on site nothing positive they put the complicated and hard issues that what i have been told at least
Thanks Vicko for taking the time to answer. It looks like we will have to go ahead with the surgery as the doctor really believes that it has to be done. Lets pray it all goes well.
Hi puppy, my son's surgeon said that without surgery it will surely reinfect. But multiple surgeries are possible, you son could have problems with this cyst until he gets into his 40's. Wish they could solve this problem once and for all but that doesn't seem possible at this time. Good luck to your son.
Hi fishtiger. Thanks for your answer. This is exactly what I am afraid off. We all have to get on with it I suppose and pray for the best. Hope your son is well.
My son's cyst is coming back, thankfully still not infected. I feel so bad for all that have this, he is almost 21 now, I am afraid he is going to have trouble with this until he is in his 40s. Apparently they seem to go away sometime in the 40's. Good luck to your son Puppy.
Thanks fishtiger. We are scheduled for surgery this coming Friday. Will let you know how we get on.
Thanks Puppy, I will be waiting to hear.
hi,i m 20 yrs old,i 2 hv discovered about pylonidal cyst on my body & even informed my parents they hv given me permission 2 visit my family doctor but i dont knw why i m neglecting this disorder,may be becoz i m afraid of treatment and pain and dont want any disturbance in my busy engineering,but still i need your advice, what am i doing something wrong?
I don't think you are doing anything wrong except not getting it treated, apparently it will not go away on it's own. I'm not a doctor, seeing one is your best course of action at this point. Good luck jagdish.
Thanks for the update; and truly interesting information. And really amazing hub. Keep up the great work on sharing information that can help others. :)
Thanks for you kind comments Saif
So, had the surgery yesterday, it wasnt a very large region they had to remove so they decided to close the wound. It's pretty painfull when sitting but it's doable, I hope for a small recovery time. Was very afraid of a lrage open wound so, this feels definatly better. Will keep my status updated, thx for reading, great site!
Good to hear it all went well Jurgen, hope you heal quickly. Good luck.
Yeah, just hope it stays quiet down there, i've had it with this messy cyst
Within the last two days I've noticed pain and a growing painful, tender red nodule on my right buttocks, where it starts to curve into the "crack". I feel it's too far down to be a pinodal cyst, after reading up on them, especially since they "typically" occur toward the left side of the cleft. But the symptoms seem to match. It hurts soooo bad to sit or stand or lay or walk. It's come to a nasty, red head (whereas I was expecting a white head) and I'm scared of it exploding all over the place. I also don't have health insurance, so going to the doctor is a no, and my experience with abscesses in the E.R. are terrifying, to say the least. I don't know what to do.
It sounds more like a boil to me, but I'm not a doctor. If it is a boil it may have to be lanced. Good luck Mysti.
I was infected with this disease in 2006 and was treated with simple excision. Afer that it never healed and had my second operation in 2007 - it was rotation by flap method where they cover the wound by skin via plastic surgery so that it doesn't recur. And Now, just a week back its back again and i have to go for surgery. Once i am finish with this surgery, I would be looking into alternative methods such as homeopathy and ayurveda. This is very worst condition or disease and I don't wish this even to my deadliest enemy.
I wish all the best to your son. May he get well soon and doesn't have to go through this again.
Thanks Pravin, I haven't heard of this type of surgery, but sounds like it doesn't work. Good luck with everything you try.
I know what your son went though as I am Going.though it as we speak. It hurts so much to sit lay down I had two just got them.cleaned up and it feels better already thank.god. hope your sons is.better.too.
Thanks Julie, I do hope everything works out for you as well, good luck.
Hello ure hub is very informative and the comments are very interesting as well, but experience really speaks louder than anything, i would like to share mine with you, okay so 4 months ago i was 18 and i starting feeling immense pain when i sat slept or even walled, first i thought smthng was wrong with my back but when i looked at my butt i couldnt believe what i was lking at, it litetally looked like a small tail and it really hurt a lotttt...anw i didnt do anything to it except use a medicine that forces the cyst to.mature and gives it like a heaf to open up and release the pus in it, it was very painfull it lasted a week maybe until it ex ploded and yes it felt much bettet and when this happened i pressed on the tail-like thing that was between my bottocks and got it allll out(this was like really the most painful part like my soul was being expelled my body) anw after i did that and took some anyibiotics it healed by itself it hasnt returned till now and the area feels and looks pretty normal...all he has to do is endure some pain. Good luck to ure son...i know how he feels, this is literally the most painful thing ever...
Thanks for reading my hub I'm dying of it, glad you are doing so much better.
hey! i had surgery for mine yesterday, im currently seventeen years old. they cut out the absece (is that how you spell it?) and they also cut out the four, not two holes, i had. do you have any idea how long it will take to heal? to be honest im really scared because its long, about the length of my middle finger and as deep as it is thick. that is the place they surgically cut out. i just really want to know how long it will be until i can stop wearing these gauze pads, having my mom help me after i take my daily two showers to spread my cheeks and pack the gauze in is embarressing, expecially since i like to be independant. please help?
Hi Dabomb, well my son's didn't take very long to heal but he had a closed incision. Apparently there are 2 different ways to do the incision. If you have an open wound incision it could take months to heal, that is my understanding of it. Much good luck to you.
hey dabbomb how are u dealing with the pain after surgery ?? is a lot what medication are u tacking, pain killers are they working for u?
Eliosse i had the same surgery, open wound i was scared at first nd all but after i dis it i took diantalvic every 6 hours for 1 week its a pain killer nd today would make it 2 weeks since the surfery, honestly during recovery i neer felt pain excpet the first 3 days i feel much better now but i cant sit on it compleltly
A cyst is not formed from obesity or being seditary. It is with you from birth but not relly noticed til later in life. I have this and it is so painful. I will be getting the surgery soon I hope.
peter didn t get u u only felt pain the first 3 days ? what was the size of your wound?
thk u
I have the same thing your son has. I have had it for almost two months, and at first thought it could've been a boil but it didnt feel or look like one. So I actually googled it and found this, and went to the doctor today and asked him if this is what I have and he told me I was exactly right. I'm on medicine for 10 days then I get it surgically removed. Hopefully it doesn't hurt anymore after that. This post really helped.
It's been 5 weeks now since I had the surgery, closed wound. After the stiches where removed after 10 days it opened up for like one centimeter bus that's almost fully closed now. Yesterday I went to see a movie at the theatres and after an hour i'm getting small pains so I have to adjust my sitting position abit. Now I really hope i'm done with this awfull disease, but I'm reading chances up to 50% it can return with a vengeance :'(
Hi Kelly so glad this hub helped you, much good luck with your surgery.
Hi Jurgen good to hear things are going well for you.
From as early as 14 yrs old I would notice leaking from what I thought was my butt and then once in the shower as I was washing I noticed clumps of short body hairs coming out. I was embarrassed so I never told anyone. When I was 16 I formed what I later learned was an abcess and I finally caved and told my mom. We ended up being referred to a surgeon who cut open and packed the abcess and then I was set for surgery a few weeks later. The surgery wasn't too bad, but the tube I had coming out of my butt was. I had to measure the fluid draining from it twice a day. I thought I was fine when they removed the tube and my stitches weeks later, but at 20 I started having pain again so I went to a surgeon. I wanted to add that I have had several MRIs because they can spot the cysts. During that operation they discovered another cyst that was even deeper, almost on my spine, and they removed that as well. I have never completely recovered as I still have pain when I sit, a large scar that always feels numb, and just discomfort in general. The surgery at 16 was the most traumatic experience of my life. I am now 27 and fear it is returning again. I hope I am wrong. Maybe one day they will find a way to end this misery for us. I just want to recommend that if you can find a surgeon who doesnt do the open wound packing method, to go with them. The recovery is easier and less painful. Good luck to all dealing with this hell.
My son had a closed wound surgery and healed quite quickly but I think his is coming back too. They say that this can recur until the age of 40 or so. I am so sorry for your misery MrsHogan, I hope you are wrong about it coming back. Much good luck to you.
Thank you...
I think my boyfriend is suffering from the same thing. He complained of a pain just at the top of his 'crack'. When I checked it out I found a small red lump, about the size of a pea. I pierced it and only blood came out - no pus that I could see. I've instructed him to keep the area really clean and use antiseptic cream. Before finding this hub I would have assumed that this was just a boil/pimple, but now I'm concerned. It doesn't look swollen but he says the surrounding area is still tender and there is a small hole(size of a peppercorn)where the red lump was. I don't know how deep it is as I can only see black inside. He told me this is around the 3rd time he has had this and that they are moving. He has exams for the next two weeks so no doc will be seen until after, do these details resemble your sons (size, pus, swelling etc) I just want to know if this is a severe case and if we are being dump postponing doc visit..sorry about the long comment!
I am also suffering from this bullshit pain. I am 24 year old girl, Before I didn't notice it considering that its may be skin infection due to long sitting or over sweating. but 3 months back I have consulted an Allopathic Doctor and he confirmed it as Pilinidal Sinus and told to get it operated which is the only cure in Allopathy.
But, I don't want to get it operated as there are chances of reoccurance as per the WwikiPidia Wwebsite information.Also, there seems to be quite complications involved in surgery.
I have studied up alot about pilonidal sinus while surfing on the net and came to know the complete & proper cure for this disease is possible in Homeopathy as well. So now m looking for a best and safe homoeopathic treatment.
Selena if there is a hole it sounds like a pilonidal cyst to me but I'm not a doc. I don't think a 2 week delay is going to do him that much harm, his exams are important, but that is a decision you both will have to decide. I would get to a doctor as soon as he can after his exams however. Much good luck to him.
Hi kiran so sorry for this. I don't know if Homeopathy works what I do know is that even with surgery the chance of the cyst coming back are great. Whatever you decide I wish you all the luck in the world. I do know its more common in males than females and you could have problems with this until the age of 30 or so.
I am so glad I found this.
A little more than a year ago I started having a lot of pain on my butt, and just as you said, my mother told me it was probably nothing. After a few days, the pain got so bad I could no longer walk, sit or even lay down. I went to the doctor's and found out what it was. The healing process was terrible. I was out of school for two weeks and missing the end of my senior year of high school was no fun. After getting it lanced and packed with gauze, the hole itself went away. I was told if I got surgery, it would decrease the odds of having to experience this again. I opted out of the surgery because I did not want to have to start college being away from my parents and still recovering from the surgery.
Turns out it is starting to come back. The area is now inflamed and it hurts a lot. Thankfully I only have one more day left in school until I return home. Sorry to hear that your son may be experiencing this again. I really wish doctor's were more knowledgeable about this. Now I'm starting to think that even if I get the surgery after all, it may come back.
I hope your son gets better!
Hi aherrer, yes I agree I wish the medical community could figure this out once and for all, and yes you are correct even with surgery the chance of it coming back are still there, at least until you are in your 40s is what I have read. Much good luck to you.
Jen's Solitude Level 3 Commenter 2 years ago
Wow fishtiger that is enough to scare a person to death! Sorry your son is in so much pain but glad you were able to get the medication he needs. Keep us posted I am interested in the outcome. Thanks for providing this info. I had no idea this could occur.