Staph infection in nose can lead to small number of boils or large boils. If the infection is minor then you might just get swelling. It is important to get rid of staph infection, before it spreads to other skin regions or to other people. Here are ways to treat staph infection in nose.
Many bacteria live on our skin. One of them is staph. Staph actually refers to a group of bacteria. These bacteria live on the skin and are harmless. However, once you have an open wound or cut, they enter the skin and cause health problems. They can affect various skin regions like mouth, nose, groin, underarms, etc. They produce different symptoms on every skin region. One of the painful regions where staph can cause infection and last for months or years is the nose region.
Ways to Treat Staph Infection in Nose
The treatment depends upon the severity of the condition. When you go to the clinic, the doctor will perform a physical exam. The doctor might also ask you questions regarding how long the infection has been there, and what are the other symptoms you are experiencing, how you got the infection, etc. In rare cases, the doctor might ask you to take few tests. After the doctor has done with the diagnosis the appropriate treatment will be given.
The treatment usually involves use of topical antibiotics. Mostly it will be an ointment that you can apply yourself. However, if you have a severe case of infection then the doctor might prescribe some oral antibiotics too. This will make a powerful treatment against staph infection in nose. It is important to finish the full course of oral antibiotics pills and keep applying topical antibiotics till the staph infection is fully gone.
Sometimes, you might need to continue taking pills even if you don’t see any symptoms of skin infection from staph. This is because staph infection is contagious, and it is possible that you might spread it to other people. Hence, the oral antibiotics full course is to be finished. This will also ensure that the bacteria has been treated completely, and the infection doesn’t occur again.
In some people, the infection can last for years. If this is the case then the doctor will ask you to use medicated honey. This greatly helps to inhibit the growth of staph infection in the nose. In some people, staph infection can be severe and there can be small to large boils inside the nose or around the mouth. If this is the case then surgical drainage of large boils will be performed at the doctor’s clinic or at a hospital. After this process the doctor will ask you to take care of the skin region better by cleaning it regularly and applying antibiotic ointment to it. In addition you might also be asked to take antibiotic pills. This will prevent any further infection of staph.
Apart from following medical treatment for staph infection, you can also do some home care measures to prevent infection and keep it at bay. Keep washing the affected area with a mild soap and water. Use the unscented variety of soap, or it can cause irritation and sneezing. Use clean gauze patches to clean the nose region using mild soapy water. If you have crusted skin regions, then use soapy water to remove the crusted layers. However, do this gently and don’t scratch to get rid of the crusts.
As staph infection is contagious avoid sharing your towel, napkins, clothes or personal belongings with others. Also, importantly avoid sneezing in public, and cover your nose while doing so with a tissue. Most important of all, avoid picking your nose. If you feel you have a cut in the nose, then apply some petroleum jelly to prevent infection of staph.