How to Relieve Pain From Hidradenitis Suppurativa

If you’re suffering from hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), pain management is a top priority. That’s because this chronic skin condition can cause tender, painful nodules to form under the skin. Even the scars they leave behind can be uncomfortable.

Inflammation from HS causes your skin to expand and fill with fluid, creating deep-seated and painful nodules.

“Until that tension [and] pressure is relieved, the pain will persist,” says Erum Ilyas, MD, Dermatologist at Montgomery Dermatology in Pennsylvania.

What medications may help you relieve the pain from HS?

In order to relieve the pain you may be experiencing from HS, you may be prescribed medications to target inflammation. Getting disease activity under control may help prevent pain altogether.

As far as over-the-counter medications, you can take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen in order to temporarily relieve your pain. 

Sometimes people with HS are prescribed antidepressants or other non-opiate medications in order to better control pain.

Another short-term solution for pain is corticosteroid injections. These may reduce swelling and inflammation for a few days and reduce scar tissue, and they may help if you have a particular area that’s very uncomfortable.

In general, opioid pain relievers aren’t as commonly used since HS pain can be chronic.

What home remedies or habits may help relieve HS pain?

Cold compresses and ice packs may reduce inflammation and can help to relieve pain. While you may be tempted to try warm compresses on your HS nodules, heat therapy may potentially cause even more swelling and inflammation, says Ilyas. 

Another solution to try is to put your topical medications into the refrigerator to make them cold. This cooling effect can give you instant relief, at least temporarily.

What in-office procedures may help with HS pain?

For particularly painful lesions that are not yet draining to the surface, your doctor may perform incision and drainage. In this procedure, the doctor makes a cut and allows some of the fluid to drain from the surface of the skin. This helps reduce pain by releasing pressure. 

Ilyas explains that if you’re experiencing a lot of pain with your HS, it probably means that your inflammation is not under good control.  Visit your dermatologist if your current treatment plan isn’t helping with pain. They may want to change your treatment to a more aggressive strategy, or refer you to a pain specialist.