How is Anorectal abscess treated?
Last updated September 7, 2026.
An anorectal abscess is treated by draining the pus, and antibiotics alone will not cure it. What changes is where and how the drainage happens. A small abscess close to the skin can often be numbed and opened in a clinic or emergency department the same day, while a deeper or larger one is drained in an operating room under anesthesia. Antibiotics are added on top of drainage when you have diabetes, a weakened immune system, a heart valve condition, or infection spreading into the surrounding skin. After drainage, warm water soaks a few times a day, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, fiber and fluids, and a stool softener keep bowel movements comfortable while the wound closes from the inside out. Some abscesses leave behind a small tunnel called a fistula, which needs a separate procedure to fix, so keep your follow-up visit even if you feel better.
What to do
- Get it drained early: Book a same-day visit rather than waiting, since pain and swelling build until the pus has a way out.
- Skip the home lancing: Do not cut or squeeze the lump yourself, because it can push infection deeper and damage the sphincter muscle.
- Soak, do not scrub: Sit in a few inches of plain warm water for 10 to 15 minutes two or three times a day and after bowel movements, then pat dry.
- Keep stools soft: Aim for high-fiber foods, plenty of water, and a stool softener such as docusate so passing stool does not reopen the wound.
- Treat the pain plainly: Acetaminophen or ibuprofen at label doses works for most people; ask a clinician before combining them with other medicines you take.
- Go to the ER for red flags: Seek care right away for fever, chills, redness spreading across the buttock or groin, or pain that suddenly worsens.
- Keep the follow-up: A fistula can show up weeks later as ongoing drainage, and it needs a clinician to examine and repair it.
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