Definition: A pilonidal cyst, also referred as a pilonidal sinus, pilonidal abscess, or sacrococcygeal fistula, is a cyst or abscess near or on the natal cleft of the buttocks that often contains hair and skin debris. source: wikipedia.org
Pilonidal disease is a chronic infection in the epidurmus somewhat preceding the crease between the buttocks. It grows in a cyst (pilonidal cyst) at the peak of or close to the crease between the buttocks. The cyst may appear to be a modest dimple. Hair might bulge out from the pit, and numerous pits may be visible.
A pilonidal cyst can be awful enough to make sitting down or walking challenging, and in some instances pus or blood can drain from the cavity.
What causes a pilonidal cyst?
At one time, most experts thought pilonidal cysts existed at birth. But at present experts believe a pilonidal cyst may take shape in 3 ways. A few are most likely present at child birth. Nevertheless, virtually all experts today think that the cysts arise later on in life in one of two ways, or a combination of the two:
A pilonidal cyst can be created when a hair follicle (the sac from which a hair arises) inside the epidurmus becomes irritated or stretched out. This could be caused by physical exercise that impacts the buttocks surface area (such as horseback riding or bicycling), tight-fitting clothing around the buttocks, warmth, or copious amounts of perspiration. The hair follicle gets closed up and contaminated and and so it puffs up and tears into the bordering tissue, creating an abscess. Continuing exercising or walking frequently pulls hair into the abscess.
In many people, especially those with coarse or stiff hair, a free hair can get trapped inside the seam of the buttocks. The hair may then intrude into the epidurmus, particularly whenever there’s already an elongated or chafed hair follicle. Walking and physical exertion may attract the hair farther into the skin. A cyst then builds around the hair and may become infected.
What are the symptoms?
Pilonidal disease frequently has zero symptoms. Whenever the cyst becomes infected (a contaminated cyst is addressed as an abscess), you might bear redness or swelling adjacent to the top of the crease of your buttocks, cloudy fluid or blood running out from the abscess, and occasionally trouble walking or sitting down because of pain from the region of the abscess.
How is it diagnosed?
Pilonidal disease is diagnosed by your physician after visually analysing and softly pressing the surface area around the crease in the buttocks to check for inflammation, warmth, and swelling up. No other examinations are commonly required.
