Infection - MRSA

katiie · 23-07-2009, 11:50 PM

okay i think i hav MRSA my arm has been getting boils on my arm and sometimes they pus and its really scarey because mum said i could have my arm amputated because shes fearing it too but thats mums im just worried should i be worried?

frizzly · 24-07-2009, 12:31 AM

have you been to the doctor about it? *hugs*

sobriquet · 24-07-2009, 12:32 AM

The best thing to do would be to get it checked out. Without seeing it we can't actually say what it is (and I wouldn't like to speculate in case I get it wrong). Can you get to your GP? If not, A&E? Better to get it checked and find out it's nothing than wait and end up in serious trouble with it.

Aidee · 24-07-2009, 02:12 AM

The A&E probably isn't necessary unless you have a big infection in your arm currently. It could be MRSA, which is actually a very common bacteria that the majority of people have. However, in some cases it can cause very nasty infections. If it is MRSA it isn't that difficult to treat. The best thing you can do is keep any wounds covered and make an appointment with your GP.

Buttercup. · 24-07-2009, 03:05 AM

Well...if you get it checked out asap you might be able to avoid having it amputated? I doubt you'd have to have it amputated, but really, if you think you have such a serious infection you really should go to the emergency room.

Aidee · 24-07-2009, 03:43 AM

The only reason amputation would become a potential issue is if your whole arm was infected, or the infection went deep into your tissue. If it's just a couple of small skin infections amputation really isn't a concern.

Day Tripper · 25-07-2009, 01:38 AM

I had something like that before that I had got from work. It took months but mine ended up clearing up on their own. Although the scars aren't very nice and are very purple a year later still. :\

But, yes, nothing was amputated on me, and nothing fell off. I'd recommend getting it seen, though, as even when it happened to me I had medical people freaking out telling me I might have a staph infection and I should see a specialist.

Animad · 25-07-2009, 11:34 AM

Also, if left there is a chance it won't heal alone and could also spread into your blood or surrounding structures which is serious. Whilst some people infections can heal alone this often takes a long time and usually once you start seeing pus your body needs a bit of a helping hand.

MRSA is a staph infection; MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphlococcus Aureus; Methicillin being a common antibiotic used against Staph infections as it is in the same group of antibiotics as Penicillin, and Staphlococcus Aureus being the name of that bacteria. The usual/ old forms aren't Methicillin Resistant.