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Pilonidal Cyst Treatment without Surgery
If you do a job that involves long hours of sitting and feel a dimple-like abnormality in your buttock area, the bad news is you will likely get a pilonidal cyst. While the cause of the appearance of the pilonidal cyst remains controversial amongst experts, the most accepted reason is believed to be rooted in loose hairs that penetrate the skin.
Our body senses this kind of hair as a foreign substance and sends signals to the immune system to react by forming a cyst around that hair. It is also believed that a sedentary lifestyle, sitting in one place for too long a day, family history, or even being overweight can also make you more prone to get pilonidal cysts.
These pilonidal cysts cause you nothing but inconvenience. At first, you might not feel any noticeable symptoms except a dimple-like depression in your tailbone or coccyx area. However, when it becomes infected, you can suffer from pains, redness and swelling, pus, blood draining from the abscess, and a foul smell. In some severe cases, the infection spreads, and walking and sitting would be more complex than they should be.
A doctor should be consulted. Surgeries and prolonged treatment are needed in order to prevent infection and reduce the size of the cyst if you have severely suffered from it. However, in some mild cases of pilonidal cysts, you can use some natural home remedies for pilonidal cysts to minimize the occurrence and heal the cysts more quickly using the pilonidal cyst natural treatment.
Read on to learn how to dissolve a pilonidal cyst naturally. As you read, you’ll learn and discover easy home remedies for cysts that you can do in the comforts of your own home.
Natural Home Remedies for Pilonidal Cysts
Garlic
Garlic deserves to top the list when it comes to the natural healing of pilonidal cysts because it is a powerhouse of antibiotics and antifungal properties. When consumed internally, garlic is a powerful immunity booster, assisting our body in fighting infection and encouraging the healing process.
How to apply:
- Crush 1 or 2 cloves of garlic into a fine paste and apply directly to the infected area. Cover it with a bandage for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly with water. You can repeat this remedy for a few days.
- Add 2 or 3 cloves of garlic to your daily diet to improve the immune system.
Warm Compresses
This is a very simple and effective way to reduce the swelling and relieve the pain caused by pilonidal cysts. Warm compresses also promote blood circulation to the cyst and boost healing.
Tea Tree Oil
Certain essential oils for pilonidal cysts work great. For example, tea tree oil is a great essential oil for pilonidal cysts. It’s packed with antifungal, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Tea tree oil is proven to be able to shrink the cyst and reduce inflammation. I just had a friend who had a pilonidal cyst. I told them to use tea tree oil, and they did. The next day after only using it for one day, the pilonidal cyst shrunk in size by 50 percent.
How to apply:
- The simplest way is to use a dropper to apply tea tree oil to the cyst directly.
- Or you can dilute tea tree oil with water and then use cotton to keep it pressed on the cyst for 10 minutes before rinsing and drying. It’s safe to repeat this action 3 to 4 times a day.
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is another simple yet effective remedy to treat pilonidal cysts. Salt helps draw out toxins or liquid from the cyst and shrink it down considerably. Adding Epsom salt to your bathtub and relaxing for 15 minutes can really reduce pain and avoid further irritation and inflammation caused by pilonidal cysts.
Black Tea Bag
With its acidic properties, black tea is a natural healer of pilonidal cysts, keeping the infection at bay. Its anti-inflammatory nature is also a good source of pain and swelling relief.
How to use:
- Dip a black tea bag in hot water for a few minutes, then squeeze the excess water from it and hold it over the infected area for 10 minutes. You can do this several times a day.
Turmeric
Turmeric is well-known for one powerful compound – curcumin which is extremely effective in healing and infection prevention. Besides, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties found abundantly in turmeric also provide relief from pain and drain out extra liquid from the cysts.
How to apply:
- Add a few drops of water to 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to make a fine paste.
- Smear the paste to the infected area and rinse with warm water after the pus dries out.
Aloe Vera
Many people have been counting on Aloe Vera to cure skin-related conditions thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. So no wonder Aloe Vera is trusted to assist in the natural healing process and infection avoidance of pilonidal cysts.
How to apply:
- The first method is to directly rub the flesh of fresh Aloe Vera into the infected area and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes before washing it with warm water.
- Another option is to use a cotton ball soaked with Aloe Vera gel and cover the infected area well with that. You also leave it for 5-10 minutes, then rinse it off with lukewarm water.
- It is safe to use Aloe Vera several times a day.
Good Hygiene
As obvious as it sounds, it is very important to maintain good hygiene if you want to get rid of pilonidal cysts and prevent them from spreading. Please note that you should not try any creams or gels without a doctor’s consultation, a high chance you can irritate the inflammation further.
Apple Cider Vinegar
This amazing, multifunctional liquid is the next guide to the natural healing of pilonidal cysts. Being acidic by nature means apple cider vinegar can balance the skin’s pH level, kill bacteria, and effectively remove toxins from the cysts.
How to use:
- You can dip a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and keep it on the cyst for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Or wash the infected area with vinegar twice a day.
Healthy Diet
When you consider your diet, please remember what you eat also makes an impact on the healing process. Pilonidal is likely to spread when your immune system is weak, so eat healthy foods that strengthen the immune system, such as vegetables, fruits that are rich in vitamins A and C, nuts, yogurt, garlic, ginger, etc.
This article hopes to show you there are easy-to-make natural home remedies for pilonidal cysts that you can use simple ingredients to treat pilonidal cysts effectively.
Pilonidal Cyst Treatment After Surgery
If your incision is left open, it may take from a few weeks to several months to heal. After the incision has healed, you will have a scar where the cyst was removed. This will fade and become softer with time. Most people can return to work and most activities after 2 to 4 weeks.
Author Bio:
This article is written by Lyndsie Beresford. She is currently the Senior Editor of the Health and Nutrition section at AuthorityRemedies.com. She is also pursuing her master’s degree in Food Science at the University of Melbourne. With a great passion for nutrition and a healthy diet, her future is brighter than ever in becoming one of the finest nutritionists and dietitians.