A pilonidal sinus is a small tunnel that forms under your skin, usually at the top end of the cleft of your buttocks.

 

Symptoms:

Usually this is symptom free, but an abscess can form, and then this small tunnel will fill with puss.

This will include pain, redness and swelling around the area and fever.

 

Causes:

 - Usually it is caused by an ingrown hair.

- Being obese, having a large amount of body hair or having a job that involves long periods of sitting down can increase your risk of developing a pilonidal abscess.

 

Treatment:

If you have a pilonidal sinus, you should keep the area very clean.

Once infected, you will need antibiotics as this can get worse.

You might need to have a small incision made over the abscess by your doctor to help the puss from draining.

If infections are recurrent, you can be taken to theatre for a procedure where the whole sinus is removed. The recovery of this is a long time, and you will need to see your doctor frequently for a change of dressings until the wound has healed.