If you have a small hole-like structure or a tunnel at the top of your buttocks, you have Pilonidal disease. It is not necessary that you catch the symptoms early or sometimes people have no idea that they have a cyst in their lower back area. This is because the cyst can stay dormant for a long time until there is a sign of infection. So, it needs to be treated on time to make sure that the infection stays under control and the sac-like structure is removed. However, some doctors suggest a watch-and-wait approach. Do you have any ideas about it?
Well, this approach is not new in the medical field because sometimes all you need is not medicine or surgery. You have to wait until there is some progression in the disease that confirms the need for medical help. This approach has several benefits, and let’s check out why we must follow it for patients suffering from Pilonidal Disease.
Explain the watch-and-wait concept:
After your doctor says that you have pilonidal disease, it starts to feel uncomfortable because you have no idea what it is. You wait for him to prescribe you some medicines to treat it or suggest any cyst removal procedure. But the doctor advises you to follow the watch-and-wait approach. The reason is that it offers several benefits to the patients, especially if the disease is not progressing or is not showing any symptoms. Here are a few reasons that contribute to the success of this approach.
- Saves you from taking a lot of medicines:
It saves you from taking unnecessary medicines when you have the chance to avoid taking them. There is no doubt that medicines can help us get rid of several diseases but at the same time, taking too many medicines can send an alarm to our body. These drugs include some ingredients that can have adverse effects on the human body. That is why some doctors try this approach. They check the patients, advise on some regular tests and scans and if they do not find anything alarming, they keep the patient on watch.
- Keeps the patient safe from invasive procedures:
Here we can explain with an example, if your doctor says that you have a pilonidal cyst and you need to remove it immediately, you will go as per his words. But your doctor suggests that you wait and keep a watch for pilonidal cyst infection. This means that he is not in support of any invasive procedure when there are no symptoms like pain, infection, or swelling in the cyst. This will keep you safe from the pilonidal cyst surgery, and in case of infection, pain, or any discomfort, you can call the doctor anytime and proceed with the appropriate treatment. Going under the knife frequently for pilonidal sinus surgery is not a good sign for your body.
What if this concept does not work?
This concept is not followed to treat any disease but to avoid unnecessary consumption of medicines that can cause severe side effects. Also, it reduces the chance of surgery because sometimes the disease does not progress and you do not feel any kind of pain or discomfort. So, rather than thinking about whether this concept would work or not, you have to keep track of the cyst and make sure that you let your doctor know if there is any change in it.
Is there anything I can do during this watch-and-wait period?
Yes, you can do a lot of things during this period. The first thing is to collect all the necessary information regarding the pilonidal disease and its symptoms. When you have all this information, you can easily keep a check on the one in your lower back. There will be no confusion. In addition, stay connected with your doctor and never miss a scheduled appointment. Sometimes, when you fail to check for the symptoms, your doctor may help you with it. Early diagnosis increases the chance of avoiding surgeries and taking medicines to treat the issue.
List the important points to keep in mind during this waiting period:
Here are a few things that you must keep in mind while you are on the watch-and-wait period.
- Keep the area clean and hygienic
- Always wear loose clothes that do not put pressure on the cyst
- Do not put a lot of strain on yourself while using the bathroom
- Do not experiment with anything like draining out abscess; try removing the ingrown hair or anything like that.
Conclusion:
In this post, I tried to explain why the watch-and-wait concept must be prioritized when your doctor advises you to. It has several benefits and will keep you away from unnecessary medications like antibiotics or painkillers. You just have to be more conscious of it and keep a watch. That is all you have to do until your doctor suggests some treatment to remove it. You have nothing to worry about because patience is the key and you must try using it.
