
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Boil differential diagnosis
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Boil (furuncle) must be differentiated from other common diseases that cause tender swelling or a reddened lump filled with pus such as cystic acne, hydradrenitis suppurativa, and pilonidal cyst.[1]
Differentiating Boil(furuncle) from Other Diseases
Differentiating Boil(furuncle) from Other Diseases
Boils must be differentiated from:[1]
| Disease | Findings |
|---|---|
| Cystic acne | Presents with tender cystic pustules usually confined to the face and trunk, where there are higher concentration of sebaceous glands. |
| Hydradrenitis suppurativa | Presents as painful suppurative lesions in the axillary, genital and perianal areas, where there are higher concentration of apocrine glands. Chronic disease may cause irregular sinus tracts and scarring. Diagnosis is primarily clinical based on distribution, characteristic lesions and recurrence. |
| Pilonidal cyst | The cyst usually contains skin and hair debris, which if gets infected results in painful pus filled nodule at the bottom of tail bone (coccyx). Diagnosis is based on physical examination. |
| Others | Anthrax, Herpetic whitlow, Cellulitis, Furuncular myasis, Impetigo herpitiformis, SAPHO syndrome, Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist deficiency, sporotrichosis and Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis can produce signs and symptoms that may be confused with boils(furuncles). |
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Boil(furuncle)(2016).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boil Accessed on August 9, 2016.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yamuna Kondapally, M.B.B.S[2]
