How do I know if my incision is infected?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Watch for spreading redness, warmth, worsening pain, pus or cloudy drainage, a bad smell, and fever. MedlinePlus says most surgical wound infections appear within the first 30 days and lists the tell-tale signs: pus or drainage, bad smell, fever or chills, a wound hot to the touch, redness, and soreness. The CDC tells patients to call their provider immediately if they see redness and pain at the site, drainage, or fever. Normal healing looks different: mild pink at the edges, a little clear weeping early on, itching, and firmness under the scar. The trend matters more than any single day: an infected wound gets angrier day by day instead of quieter.
What to do
- Photograph it daily with a coin for scale so spreading is obvious, not guessed.
- Take your temperature if you feel hot, shivery, or flu-like.
- Call your surgical team the same day for pus, spreading redness, worsening pain, or fever.
- Go to the ER for red streaks, rapid swelling, confusion, or a high fever with a hot wound.
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