What are the causes of boils on the body? What are the symptoms of boils? When should you seek medical care for boils? Get the answers to these questions and more in this informative guide.

Understanding Boils: Causes and Locations

Boils are a common skin infection that typically start in a hair follicle or oil gland. They are caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, although other types of bacteria or fungi can also lead to boil formation. Boils can occur in various areas of the body, with some of the most common locations being the groin, buttocks, face, and eyelid.

Symptoms of Boils: Recognizing the Signs

A boil typically begins as a red, painful lump that gradually becomes larger and more tender. Over the course of a few days, a pocket of pus forms at the center of the boil, which may eventually rupture and drain. Other symptoms of boils include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and red, painful skin around the affected area.

Seeking Medical Attention for Boils

Most boils do not require medical treatment and can be managed at home. However, it is important to seek medical care if the boil does not improve after two weeks, if you have a fever or swollen lymph nodes, or if the skin around the boil becomes increasingly red, painful, and warm. Certain underlying conditions, such as diabetes or a weakened immune system, may also warrant medical attention for boils.

Diagnosing and Treating Boils

Your healthcare provider can diagnose a boil through a physical examination. They may also perform tests to rule out other skin conditions or to identify the specific type of bacteria causing the infection. Treatment for boils may include the use of warm compresses, over-the-counter pain medication, and in some cases, antibiotic creams or oral antibiotics.

Home Remedies for Boils: Effective Strategies

In many cases, boils can be effectively treated at home. Some home remedies include applying warm compresses, keeping the affected area clean, and avoiding picking or popping the boil. It is important to resist the temptation to squeeze or pop the boil, as this can spread the infection and lead to further complications.

Preventing Boils: Strategies for Maintaining Skin Health

To help prevent the development of boils, it is important to practice good hygiene, maintain a healthy immune system, and avoid contact with individuals who have active boils or other skin infections. Additionally, properly treating any skin conditions that may compromise the skin’s protective barrier can help reduce the risk of boil formation.

Outlook and Recurrence: Addressing Persistent Boils

Most boils resolve on their own within 10 days, although some may take longer to heal. In some cases, individuals may experience recurrent boils, which may be a sign of an underlying condition or a need for more intensive treatment. If boils persist or recur, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider to determine the best course of action.

What is the difference between a boil and a pimple?

Boils and pimples are both skin lesions, but they have distinct differences. Pimples are caused by clogged pores, while boils are the result of a bacterial infection in the hair follicle or oil gland. Boils are generally larger, more painful, and more contagious than pimples.

How can I differentiate a boil from a cyst?

Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that are not caused by an infection, unlike boils. Cysts typically grow slowly and are not painful, whereas boils are painful and grow more quickly. Additionally, cysts do not produce pus when drained, while boils will release a yellowish, pus-filled fluid.

When should I seek medical attention for a boil?

You should seek medical attention for a boil if it does not improve after 2 weeks of home treatment, if you have a fever or swollen lymph nodes, or if the skin around the boil becomes increasingly red, painful, and warm. Certain underlying conditions, such as diabetes or a weakened immune system, may also warrant medical attention for boils.

How can I prevent the spread of a boil to others?

To prevent the spread of a boil to others, it is important to avoid touching or picking at the boil, keep the affected area clean and covered, and avoid sharing personal items like towels or clothing. Practicing good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing, can also help reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

What are the potential complications of a boil?

In rare cases, boils can lead to more serious complications, such as the development of a more severe infection called a carbuncle, the spread of the infection to other parts of the body, or the development of a life-threatening condition called sepsis. Seeking prompt medical attention can help prevent these complications.

How can I properly treat a boil at home?

To treat a boil at home, you can apply warm compresses to the affected area several times a day to help bring the boil to a head and encourage drainage. Avoid picking or popping the boil, as this can spread the infection. Over-the-counter pain medications can also help alleviate discomfort. If the boil does not improve or worsens, it is important to seek medical attention.

What factors can increase the risk of developing boils?

Certain factors can increase the risk of developing boils, including diabetes, a weakened immune system, poor hygiene, exposure to harsh chemicals, and contact with others who have active boils or skin infections. Maintaining good skin health and addressing any underlying medical conditions can help reduce the risk of boil formation.

How to Get Rid of a Boil

Written by Kristen Fischer

• Common Boil Locations
• Causes of Boils
• Symptoms of Boils
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests for Boils
• Boils Treatment: Home Remedies
• Medical Treatment for Boils
• Next Steps: Follow-Up
• Preventing Boils
• Outlook
• More

A boil is a contagious skin infection that starts in a hair follicle or oil gland. At first, the skin turns red in the area of the infection, and a tender lump develops. After 4-7 days, the lump starts turning white as pus collects under the skin.

When you know how to get rid of a boil, you can probably treat it at home.

Boils can affect any area of your body where you have hair, or where rubbing can occur. They usually form in places where you sweat. 

Most often, they’re caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. But they can form from other types of bacteria or fungi on your skin. You may get them just once, every once in a while, or often.

Here are some common places they can appear:

Boils in the groin area. Boils can affect the skin folds of the groin, the pubic area, and the lips and folds of the vagina. This area has lots of hair follicles and can be prone to chafing, especially if you wear tight-fitting clothes. You can also develop a boil after you get a cut or ingrown hair due to shaving this area.

Boils on buttocks. Boils frequently affect the buttocks due to hair follicles, sweat, and friction in the area. Dirty underwear could make a boil here more likely. 

Boils on the face. Boils on your face are different from cysts and pimples, though they can look similar. Cysts are filled with fluid, while a pimple is the result of a clogged pore. Cysts and pimples aren’t contagious like boils can be.

Boil on eyelid. If a boil occurs here, it’s called a stye, and it can be painful. You treat them similarly to the way you treat a boil anywhere else. If it doesn’t go away on its own, a dermatologist can prescribe an antibiotic cream or eye drops.

Other areas where boils often appear include:

• Breasts
• Armpits
• Shoulders
• Legs

Keep an eye out for several boils that appear in a group. That’s a more serious type of infection called a carbuncle.

Most boils are caused by staph bacteria. This germ enters your body through tiny nicks or cuts in your skin or can travel down a hair to the follicle.

These things make people more likely to get boils and other skin infections:

• Diabetes, which can make it harder for your body to fight infection 
• A weakened immune system
• Other skin conditions that break your skin’s protective barrier
• Contact with others, especially if someone you live with has a boil
• Poor hygiene
• Poor nutrition
• Exposure to harsh chemical that irritate the skin

A boil starts as a hard, red, painful lump about the size of a pea. Over the next few days, the lump becomes softer, larger, and more painful. Soon a pocket of pus forms on the top of the boil. 

These are signs of a serious infection:

• Fever
• Swollen lymph n
• odes
• Infected, red, painful, and warm skin around the boil
• Additional boil or boils

Boils vs. pimples. Pimples are caused by clogged pores, but boils stem from an infection. That’s why you might notice boils around scratches or cuts, unlike pimples. Pimples aren’t contagious, but boils can be. A boil will likely grow faster than a pimple and hurt more. And it won’t get better when you use pimple treatments.

Boils vs. cysts. A cyst isn’t caused by an infection. It doesn’t hurt and is usually harmless. Cysts usually grow more slowly than boils. Fluid might come out if you squeeze a cyst, but it’s not whitish yellow pus, which is a sign of infection. Cysts aren’t contagious, but you can spread boils to others.  

Boils usually don’t require medical attention. But if you’re in poor health and develop high fever and chills along with the boil, go to the emergency room. 

Call your doctor if your boil doesn’t go away after 2 weeks or or you have:

• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Red or red streaks around the boil   
• Serious pain
• Multiple boils 
• Vision issues
• Recurring boils
• Other conditions such as a heart murmur, diabetes, a problem with your immune system, or if you use immune-suppressing drugs like corticosteroids or chemotherapy

Your doctor can do a physical exam to see if you have a boil. This skin infection can affect many parts of the body, so they may ask about other parts of your body.

You may be able to treat boils at home. But whatever you do, don’t pick at the boil or try to pop it yourself. The boil may drain on its own, which is important in the healing process. 

Some ways to treat a boil include:

Apply warm compresses.  Soak a washcloth in warm water and then press it gently against the boil for about 10 minutes. You can repeat this a few times throughout the day. Once you see the pus at the center (that’s called “bringing a boil to a head,” it’ll probably burst and drain soon. This usually occurs within 10 days after you see the head.

Use a heating pad. A heating pad can help the boil start to drain, too. Put the heating pad over a damp towel and lay it on the affected area. It may take up to a week for the boil to start opening and draining the pus. Keep applying heat, either with a heating pad or compress, for up to 3 days after the boil opens.

Keep it clean. As with any infection, you should keep the area clean. Use soap and warm water to wash the boil twice daily, and then gently pat the area dry. Keep towels and washcloths that come into contact with the boil separate from other towels.

Use a cover or bandage. To help the boil heal faster, keep it covered. After you wash the boil and the area around it, apply a clean dressing to keep it protected. You can use a bandage or gauze.

Practice good hygiene. After touching the boil or surrounding area, thoroughly wash your hands to prevent spreading the infection to other parts of your body — or passing it to another person. Take a bath or a shower daily to keep your skin clean and prevent the spread of infection to others. Avoid public swimming pools and gyms until your boil has cleared up.

Wash your linens. To lower the risk of further infection, wash your bedding, clothing, and towels at least once a week at a high temperature to kill off bacteria. Don’t share your towels with anyone else while you have a boil.

Take a pain reducer. If your boil is painful, take a pain reliever like acetaminophen or  ibuprofen. These can also lower your fever if your boil is causing one.

If you’re concerned about the infection, your doctor may run additional blood tests. They might prescribe antibiotics if the infection is serious.

If they drain the boil, they may take a sample (called a culture) to determine what type of bacteria caused the infection and assess whether you got the right antibiotic.

Whether your boil drains at home or is drained by a doctor, you’ll need to clean the infected area 2-3 times a day until the wound heals. Apply an antibiotic ointment after washing, then cover with a bandage. 

If the area turns red or looks as if it is getting infected again, call your doctor.

To avoid getting boils: 

• Carefully wash clothes, bedding, and towels.
• Don’t share personal items, like towels, that touch your skin.
• Clean and treat minor skin wounds.
• Practice good personal hygiene including regular hand-washing.
• Stay as healthy as possible.

Most boils will disappear on their own or with simple home treatment. In rare cases, the bacteria can enter your bloodstream and affect other parts of your body. That could lead to more serious infections.

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How to Get Rid of a Boil

Written by Kristen Fischer

• Common Boil Locations
• Causes of Boils
• Symptoms of Boils
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests for Boils
• Boils Treatment: Home Remedies
• Medical Treatment for Boils
• Next Steps: Follow-Up
• Preventing Boils
• Outlook
• More

A boil is a contagious skin infection that starts in a hair follicle or oil gland. At first, the skin turns red in the area of the infection, and a tender lump develops. After 4-7 days, the lump starts turning white as pus collects under the skin.

When you know how to get rid of a boil, you can probably treat it at home.

Boils can affect any area of your body where you have hair, or where rubbing can occur. They usually form in places where you sweat. 

Most often, they’re caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. But they can form from other types of bacteria or fungi on your skin. You may get them just once, every once in a while, or often.

Here are some common places they can appear:

Boils in the groin area. Boils can affect the skin folds of the groin, the pubic area, and the lips and folds of the vagina. This area has lots of hair follicles and can be prone to chafing, especially if you wear tight-fitting clothes. You can also develop a boil after you get a cut or ingrown hair due to shaving this area.

Boils on buttocks.  Boils frequently affect the buttocks due to hair follicles, sweat, and friction in the area. Dirty underwear could make a boil here more likely. 

Boils on the face. Boils on your face are different from cysts and pimples, though they can look similar. Cysts are filled with fluid, while a pimple is the result of a clogged pore. Cysts and pimples aren’t contagious like boils can be.

Boil on eyelid. If a boil occurs here, it’s called a stye, and it can be painful. You treat them similarly to the way you treat a boil anywhere else. If it doesn’t go away on its own, a dermatologist can prescribe an antibiotic cream or eye drops.

Other areas where boils often appear include:

• Breasts
• Armpits
• Shoulders
• Legs

Keep an eye out for several boils that appear in a group. That’s a more serious type of infection called a carbuncle.

Most boils are caused by staph bacteria. This germ enters your body through tiny nicks or cuts in your skin or can travel down a hair to the follicle.

These things make people more likely to get boils and other skin infections:

• Diabetes, which can make it harder for your body to fight infection 
• A weakened immune system
• Other skin conditions that break your skin’s protective barrier
• Contact with others, especially if someone you live with has a boil
• Poor hygiene
• Poor nutrition
• Exposure to harsh chemical that irritate the skin

A boil starts as a hard, red, painful lump about the size of a pea. Over the next few days, the lump becomes softer, larger, and more painful. Soon a pocket of pus forms on the top of the boil. 

These are signs of a serious infection:

• Fever
• Swollen lymph n
• odes
• Infected, red, painful, and warm skin around the boil
• Additional boil or boils

Boils vs. pimples. Pimples are caused by clogged pores, but boils stem from an infection. That’s why you might notice boils around scratches or cuts, unlike pimples. Pimples aren’t contagious, but boils can be. A boil will likely grow faster than a pimple and hurt more. And it won’t get better when you use pimple treatments.

Boils vs. cysts. A cyst isn’t caused by an infection. It doesn’t hurt and is usually harmless. Cysts usually grow more slowly than boils. Fluid might come out if you squeeze a cyst, but it’s not whitish yellow pus, which is a sign of infection. Cysts aren’t contagious, but you can spread boils to others. 

Boils usually don’t require medical attention. But if you’re in poor health and develop high fever and chills along with the boil, go to the emergency room. 

Call your doctor if your boil doesn’t go away after 2 weeks or or you have:

• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Red or red streaks around the boil   
• Serious pain
• Multiple boils 
• Vision issues
• Recurring boils
• Other conditions such as a heart murmur, diabetes, a problem with your immune system, or if you use immune-suppressing drugs like corticosteroids or chemotherapy

Your doctor can do a physical exam to see if you have a boil. This skin infection can affect many parts of the body, so they may ask about other parts of your body.

You may be able to treat boils at home. But whatever you do, don’t pick at the boil or try to pop it yourself. The boil may drain on its own, which is important in the healing process. 

Some ways to treat a boil include:

Apply warm compresses. Soak a washcloth in warm water and then press it gently against the boil for about 10 minutes. You can repeat this a few times throughout the day. Once you see the pus at the center (that’s called “bringing a boil to a head,” it’ll probably burst and drain soon. This usually occurs within 10 days after you see the head.

Use a heating pad. A heating pad can help the boil start to drain, too. Put the heating pad over a damp towel and lay it on the affected area. It may take up to a week for the boil to start opening and draining the pus. Keep applying heat, either with a heating pad or compress, for up to 3 days after the boil opens.

Keep it clean. As with any infection, you should keep the area clean. Use soap and warm water to wash the boil twice daily, and then gently pat the area dry. Keep towels and washcloths that come into contact with the boil separate from other towels.

Use a cover or bandage. To help the boil heal faster, keep it covered. After you wash the boil and the area around it, apply a clean dressing to keep it protected. You can use a bandage or gauze.

Practice good hygiene. After touching the boil or surrounding area, thoroughly wash your hands to prevent spreading the infection to other parts of your body — or passing it to another person. Take a bath or a shower daily to keep your skin clean and prevent the spread of infection to others. Avoid public swimming pools and gyms until your boil has cleared up.

Wash your linens. To lower the risk of further infection, wash your bedding, clothing, and towels at least once a week at a high temperature to kill off bacteria. Don’t share your towels with anyone else while you have a boil.

Take a pain reducer. If your boil is painful, take a pain reliever like acetaminophen or  ibuprofen. These can also lower your fever if your boil is causing one.

If you’re concerned about the infection, your doctor may run additional blood tests. They might prescribe antibiotics if the infection is serious.

If they drain the boil, they may take a sample (called a culture) to determine what type of bacteria caused the infection and assess whether you got the right antibiotic.

Whether your boil drains at home or is drained by a doctor, you’ll need to clean the infected area 2-3 times a day until the wound heals. Apply an antibiotic ointment after washing, then cover with a bandage. 

If the area turns red or looks as if it is getting infected again, call your doctor.

To avoid getting boils: 

• Carefully wash clothes, bedding, and towels.
• Don’t share personal items, like towels, that touch your skin.
• Clean and treat minor skin wounds.
• Practice good personal hygiene including regular hand-washing.
• Stay as healthy as possible.

Most boils will disappear on their own or with simple home treatment. In rare cases, the bacteria can enter your bloodstream and affect other parts of your body. That could lead to more serious infections.

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Furuncle – causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of boils in Kaliningrad

Treatment and prevention of boils

Furuncle is an inflamed, pus-filled cavity in the skin. Most often, boils appear in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe skin where there is hairline, and in the place where the skin rubs with clothing. The sizes of boils can be different. From the size of a pea to the size of a walnut. Boils can occur on any area of ​​the body.

Disease description

The common name for a boil is a boil. In fact, this is inflammation of the hair follicle, spreading to the sebaceous glands and soft tissues. The pathology is quite serious, and a frivolous attitude towards it can provoke very unpleasant consequences, up to sepsis and purulent meningitis.

Most often the disease affects adult men, while women and children are less likely to be affected, due to the smaller area of ​​hair on the body. Inflammation can appear anywhere where there are follicles, even in the nose.

Furunculosis is a common pathology, it affects almost 17% of all patients of dermatological clinics and departments. The peak of maximum disease activity is observed in autumn and winter, when human immunity is reduced.

Treatment of a boil

A boil, which can only be treated by a specialist, is a rather unpleasant neoplasm that often causes pain. There is an opinion that the removal of a boil can be done at home on your own, but it is better not to take risks so as not to aggravate the situation. The causes of a boil can be very diverse, this is a fairly common disease that occurs in people who, for various reasons, cannot maintain the proper level of hygiene. A furuncle develops when bacteria enter the hair follicle and penetrate into it. After that, the skin tissue swells, a red, pus-filled swelling appears on it, which gives painful sensations.

Causes of boils

The main pathogen is staphylococcus, which penetrates the hair follicle. Normally, these microorganisms are already present on the surface of the skin, but a decrease in immunity provokes their pathogenic growth. As a result, staphylococcus appears in the pores and follicles, causing an inflammatory process – this is how a boil is formed.

The disease can also have a hormonal rather than a bacterial etiology. This mainly applies to people with diabetes. Inadequate tissue nutrition due to impaired blood circulation reduces the barrier function of the skin, weakens local immunity, as a result of which the pathogen freely penetrates to the hair follicle.

Factors that increase the risk of developing boils

Which leads to a weakening of the protective properties of the skin and pathogenic reproduction of staphylococcus:

• Increased sweating. The composition of sweat contains salts that have an aggressive effect on the skin, resulting in a boil. Hardening, elimination of stress factors, moderate physical activity, and a balanced diet will help reduce sweating.
• Mechanical damage to the skin. These are abrasions, scratches, scratches and cracks in various skin diseases. In such cases, staphylococcus penetrates without encountering any resistance, the boil, as a rule, does not appear alone.
• Regular skin irritation with secretions. Here we are talking about chronic otitis media and rhinitis, when tissues are in contact with pathogenic microorganisms for a long time.
• Poor quality care and make-up products.
• Non-observance of hygiene rules. As a result, a large amount of pathogenic microflora accumulates on the surface of the skin, and mechanical damage (rubbing against clothing) only exacerbates the situation.
• Constant contact with chemicals, dust, other irritants. They break the natural skin barrier and form favorable conditions for the occurrence of a boil. To prevent this, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment.

If at least one of the listed factors is relevant for you, try to minimize its influence and carefully monitor the condition of the skin. If a pathology occurs, be sure to consult a doctor – a boil should be treated only with a specialist.

Symptoms of a boil

The symptoms of a boil may vary depending on its location and time of development.

The main symptoms are:

• pus in the center of the neoplasm on the skin;
• white-bloody discharge from the center of the boil;
• yellow spot in the center of the boil;
• general malaise;
• temperature increase.

Stages of a boil

There are three stages of a boil:

• The development of an infiltrate (that is, an area through which pus cannot pass). The infiltrate is a mass of blood, lymph and cellular elements, it forms around the affected follicle. The tissues are thickened, puffiness is noticeable. Redness forms around the hair, which reaches 10-30 mm in diameter. The furuncle hurts, but not very much, gradually the pain increases, when touched, there are complaints of tingling. The duration of the first stage is up to 2-3 days.
• Stage of suppuration and necrosis. On the 3-4th day, a white core is visible inside in the center of the formation – an abscess, consisting of directly pus and keratinized cells. Its top rises above the surface of the skin, provoking its tension. At one point, the epithelium diverges – the abscess “breaks”, the contents flow out of it, the cavity is cleared.

Important: it is strictly forbidden to treat furunculosis by squeezing out an abscess, otherwise you can at least infect the skin and severely injure the skin.

• Healing stage. It happens, as with a conventional wound: first, a crust forms on the surface, then it disappears. If the boil is small, there are no traces, but if it is large, a temporary scar may remain (but it is still not permanent).

Treatment of furunculosis should be strictly under medical supervision. This ensures that there are no dangerous consequences and life-threatening conditions.

Removal of a boil

The operation to remove a boil should be carried out only by a specialist who has the necessary tools and knowledge necessary to effectively rid the patient of the disease. In the medical center “Nadezhda” such operations are carried out quite often and have positive results. Treatment of boils depends on the stage of their development. In no case should a boil be squeezed out, this can lead to rather sad consequences.

The core of the boil is removed immediately after it has completely separated from the tissues that surround it. Experts note that as soon as pus appears in the boil, its opening becomes a paramount task. The operation lasts only a few seconds, but this intervention itself will help patients avoid the associated problems that arise when boils appear. The operation takes place under local anesthesia, which allows you to completely avoid pain.

Internal furuncle is a type of boil that does not appear on the surface of the skin, but appears under it. They are also dangerous to human health, so they must be treated in time.

Operations to remove boils in the medical center “Nadezhda” are carried out by competent specialists. Patients who come to the clinic do not have to worry about the cost of the procedure. Prices are reasonable and loyal.

Nasal boil – causes, symptoms and treatment

Furuncle is an inflammation of the hair follicle along with the surrounding area of ​​the skin. The appearance of a boil in the nose is facilitated by a lack of vitamins, diabetes, metabolic failure in the body, and hypothermia.

The initial sections of the tissues of the nose are called the vestibule of the nose, where there is hair. It is here that boils in the nose most often occur. A furuncle can also form in other areas – on the back or wing of the nose.

Causes of a boil in the nose

The main cause of a boil in the nose can be called the instability of the skin to infectious agents such as streptococcus and staphylococcus aureus. The microflora of the skin in this composition contributes to the occurrence of an acute form of inflammatory processes, with pus secretions.

The appearance of a furuncle in the nose is facilitated by a lack of vitamins, diabetes mellitus, a metabolic failure in the body. Hypothermia can also cause the appearance of a boil in the nose. Boils often appear not only in the nose, but also on other parts of the body.

Symptoms of a furuncle of the nose

The main signs of the appearance of a furuncle of the nose can be called the occurrence of acute pain in the area of ​​the inflammatory process, where there is a formation with limited edges in the form of a cone. A few days later, a white-yellow abscess is observed at the top of the cone. After 5-6 days, the abscess matures, and the inflammation subsides.

In general, the state of the body remains unchanged, provided there is mild inflammation. The severe form of the disease is characterized by an increase in body temperature above normal, and the appearance of a carbuncle is also possible. In some cases, there may be an increase in lymph nodes and leukocytosis.

Treatment of a furuncle of the nose

The treatment of a furuncle is to give an outflow of purulent contents. For this, the furuncle is opened. The operation is usually performed under local anesthesia. Further, it is necessary to ensure a constant outflow of pus from the wound. To do this, a small rubber band is inserted into the wound. After opening, a bandage is applied to the area of ​​​​the boil with a hypertonic solution of sodium chloride. The main condition is that the bandage must be constantly wet.

Treatment of uncomplicated forms of nasal furuncle is carried out on an outpatient basis and does not require hospitalization. But if the patient has swelling of the soft tissues of the cheeks, lips or eyes, this is an absolute indication for hospitalization and further inpatient treatment. In this case, antibiotics are prescribed (intramuscularly), and heparin, a blood thinner, may also be prescribed. this is necessary to prevent the development of thrombophlebitis and the terrible complications associated with it.