Some problems are too big to handle alone. With the right people around us, even the hardest situations become easier to face.
A large, purple swelling on the upper back is one of those problems. It can grow quietly for weeks before it becomes impossible to ignore.
These swellings often start as a small cyst or infected hair follicle between the shoulder blades, where we cannot see or reach easily.
Once bacteria take hold, the area can turn into a big abscess: hot, tight and painful, with dark red skin and a yellow centre.
In older adults the skin heals more slowly, so an abscess like this can spread wider before it finally comes to a head.
