I have some kind of an abscess on the inside of my thigh, I have been draining it for the past 3 days and each day that goes by the fluid inside turns a darker green and is very very smelly, almost like rotten meat. What should I do? Does anybody know what it could be?

You have an infection and need to get to the doctor as soon as possible to rule out MRSA.

What is MRSA?

I get them quite often. They are cysts. The white part is usually the size of a dime. My doctor suggested to me to sit in a nice warm bath and that released the infection and cleans out the area.

Definitely talk to your doctor about it as he/she may want to cut it out.

Good Luck!

I am on J_9's point of view here - you may well have a staph infection - that is what MRSA is. GET yourself to a doctor. Soaking in the tub will not make it go away. An untreated staph infection can land you in the hospital, with surgery and a long recovery. I have known people who have become so ill with staph that they were in ICU. Not to scare you, but get yourself seen by a doctor and do it ASAP!

I agree that you should see a doctor but also do a Google search for "Hidradenitis Suppurativa".

Sounds like an infection to me too.

MRSA is Methacillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, and can be a life threatening infection. The Staph are resistant to many different antibiotics. The "cillin" in Methacillin is reflective of the Penicillin family. Any antibiotic that ends in "cillin" is in that category of antibiotics. This family of antibiotics will most likely not kill this form of Staph.

MRSA is a very serious infection that has been known to be deadly.

I am concerned because you said that the color was green and smelly, you likened it to the smell of rotten meat. That is most likely what is happening, your flesh is rotting from the infection.

Soaking it right now could be very dangerous. That can add moisture to the infection. What you want to do is keep it dry and clean, away from anything that can ad bacteria. Best thing to do is keep it covered with gauze.

Then get into the doctor's office ASAP!!

I had a home health client last year who had this staph infection and it became gangrenous. She spent several months in the hospital, luckily she was able to keep her leg. So please please please see your doctor ASAP!

I had in in my thumb 2 years ago and spent a week in the hospital and mine was not as bad as the OPs.

I get them quite often. They are cysts. The white part is usually the size of a dime. My doctor suggested to me to sit in a nice warm bath and that released the infection and cleans out the area.

Definately talk to your doctor about it as he/she may want to cut it out.

Good Luck!


Well guys, I think this is worst than a cyst as there are no white spots or anything, it's deep purplish red and what I thought was one big spot is actually 2 side by side, one (the one I have been draining) is soft and mushy while the other is really hard. Not to worry, but I am going to the doctor tomorrow, I got a fresh sample of the "ooze" or drainage, what ever you want to call it, sitting at the bottom of the fridge. Maybe my doctor can tell me what is going on as I have been getting them for as long as I can remember (I'm 22 years old now) and it's got to end sometime soon, I'm tired of getting them. This one has me actually worried as I have never had one stink before and this one smells so bad; it smells like a cross between rotten meat and a really dirty fish tank (for those of you that don't know what a dirty fish tank smells like, think moldy fish then times it by 10, it's very over powering)

Please ask your doctor about Hidradenitis. It sounds like you've moved into Stage 2 where the abscesses start forming channels. If you have Hidradenitis then there is no cure but a lot of people are able to get relief by using tea tree oil. A small dab of it on the abscess can cause it to dry up within 24-48 hours. Others have reported going into remission after starting a low-carb diet.

Check out http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/hidradenitissupp/a/072703.htm for a general explanation and description. Then do a Google search and you'll find hundreds of websites about it. There's even a Yahoo support group where people give all of their tips for keeping it under control.

Wow, Lisa, that is pretty interesting, I have never heard of that before, and am wondering if that indeed could be a possibility, however, after reading the OPs last post, I am beginning to lead more toward a bacterial infection called pseudomonas. The green discharge and the particular odor are common symptoms in psuedomonas infections. If I could actually smell it I could tell you. If you have ever smelled pseudomonas you will never forget it. I know that sounded terrible, but in severe infections the odor permeates the room.

I hope to hear back from him (?) to find out what the doctor said.

The description that the original poster gave is also exactly what an HD abscess is like when it ruptures. It can be smelled from across the room and you never forget what it smells like. The interesting thing is that, in many cases, the liquid from the abscess has no infection present when tested. That's why antibiotics aren't an effective treatment.

Most doctors and health professionals aren't even aware it exists. Some refer to it as a rare disease but it's thought that most people are too embarrassed to tell their doctor about it. There have been estimates that it affects at least 1% of the population.

Yes, I read that, it is very strange. I am glad you brought it up so that the OP can bring it up to the doctor just in case. GOOD catch!!

I really do hope that it is not MRSA or pseudomonas though. Those are really tough ones to clear up.

LOL, the funny part was that I read DOCTOR. I did not even notice you wrote DAUGHTER until now!!

LOL, way too funny!!

Not to worry, but I am going to the doctor tomorrow

ANXIOUSLY waiting to hear from you...

If you have Hidradenitis then there is no cure but a lot of people are able to get relief by using tea tree oil.

Just curious, do you know, is it known exactly what type of organism causes this condition? Fungal perhaps? It is interesting that people can benefit fom both tea tree oil and a low carb diet.
Thanks.

They don't know yet what causes it. Some theories are hormones (since it affects more women than men by a ratio of about 5:1 and tends to begin at puberty), ingrown hairs, plugged glands, etc. It's not likely that an organism causes it since there is no infection present. It's known that it has nothing to do with cleanliness or a lack of it.

The tea tree oil is a severe drying agent, to the point that if you use too much it makes the skin start to flake or peel and it can cause a burning feeling. A lot of people need to dilute it with water. The low-carb diet has been proven to change the body's hormone balance.

Thomas, I believe, from my reading, that the etiology is still unknown. It is said that no causative organism "exists" that may be why it is usually misdiagnosed.

However, in some of my other readings it seems to be caused by E-Coli, yet others say it is caused by Streptococcus milleri. So, I would be interested in hearing from a doctor about this. Maybe I will ask one of my professors who is a doctor to get it from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

Please let me know if you get any answers! I am fortunate enough to be in remission for several years now (the low-carb diet did it for me) but there are many, many people who suffer from it. It is a debilitating disease and I believe that there are many people who have it and don't know it, and their doctors don't know it either.

To add a little more info, I have PCOS. The research I've done on it has said that there are many PCOS sufferers who also have HD, which makes me think that it is hormone-related.

Thanks Lisa. Thanks J_9. I wasn't aware of that about tea tree oil. I use tea tree oil shampoo myself, and I know it is an excellent antifungal. I've just never applied it to skin full strength.
I just thought perhaps fungal, as a low carb diet is beneficial in controlling yeast, which largely wouldn't be detectable by many standard tests. I wasn't aware that such a diet had such an effect on hormones either.
Thanks. I appreciate it. :)

Thomas, I believe, from my reading, that the etiology is still unknown. It is said that no causative organism "exists" that may be why it is usually misdiagnosed.

However, in some of my other readings it seems to be caused by E-Coli, yet others say it is caused by Streptococcus milleri. So, I would be interested in hearing from a doctor about this. Maybe I will ask one of my professors who is a doctor to get it from the horse's mouth, so to speak.


Thanks for the info. Sorry, I couldn't increase your rep. :)

Agree with J_9 - you need to see a doctor ASAP to rule out a serious infection. The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner you will get better.

Another rare possibility would include an anal fistula. Have you had previous problems with hemmorhoids, constipation, rectal pain, etc? Fistulas usually develop in conjunction with an abscess of an anal gland. A draining fistula develops from the abscess to the skin surface - usually near the anus, but it can extend to the buttocks, perineum, upper thighs, genitals. These need treatment and will not likely heal on their own.

Went to doctor's office this past Friday and am doing OK, it was a severely infected abscess that was in danger of going septic. He has prescribed me two different antibiotics one taken orally and one applied directly to the abscess in the form of a cream. He did not do any tests as to why I keep getting these abnormal abscesses but based on what some of you have mentioned about Hidradenitis Suppurativa and my research on it, it sounds a lot like what I am getting and they are appearing in exactly the areas mentioned. (Unfortunately, my Primary Care Physician was out of town at the time and so I had to go to Urgent Care so I don't know if my regular doctor will do anything)

Indeed, do follow up with your regular doc ASAP. If it is hidrandenitis, there is no cure - but there are medications to help control it including antibiotics and even the acne medicine Accutane in severe cases. I'm not trying to be judgemental here, but weight loss may help reduce the occurrence of lesions. Avoiding heat exposure and situations / conditions that promote sweating may help - although this may be difficult living in Georgia. An antibacterial soap for bathing may be beneficial - although it could promote resistance with long term use. In addition to your general doctor, you likely need to seek an appointment with a dermatologist since they deal with such problems much more frequently than other physicians.

Thanks for letting us know what happened!

In the future if you find yourself developing a lesion, try dipping a q-tip in tea tree oil (you can find it at a health food store) and then dab it lightly on the lesion, once a day. If you find that it burns your skin then dip it in water first. Some people also report that a few drops of tea tree oil in the bathtub helps as well.

Good luck!

I have some kind of an abscess on the inside of my thigh, I have been draining it for the past 3 days and each day that goes by the fluid inside turns a darker green and is very very smelly, almost like rotten meat. What should I do? Does anybody know what it could be?
I personally think you should go see a dermotoligist.
I have no idea what it could be.

Ashley, this gal has already been to the doc on November 20, 2006 and was diagnosed. Please read the entire thread prior to posting your answers.