Until about 6 years ago I had no knowledge of what a Pilonidal Sinus was. I’d never heard of the condition and probably that’s not surprising. Although Pilonidal disease is not that common it’s more widespread than I thought when I discovered that I had it. However it’s not something that people go around telling each other about on the whole, because it’s not an easy thing to talk about if you’re a sufferer.
So the chances are if you’re on this page, either:
1. You suspect you have a Pilonidal Sinus, in which case please, please, go to see your doctor. Why?
2. You know someone who has a Pilonidal Sinus, but aren’t quite sure what it is.
Or 3. You’re just a curious person who’s ended up at this blogsite for one reason or another.
My understanding and a simple explanation
In basic terms a Pilonidal Sinus is a persistent infection in the area of the soft tissue in the natal cleft, or the crack of your bum (though similar conditions have been found in other areas of the body). Normally this is at the top of your cleft in the sacrococcygeal region, and most often to one side. The infection manifests itself either as an acute abscess or a chronic draining sinus. The collected wisdom is that the main cause is due to infected hair follicles, or ingrowing hairs, though that’s not the only theory. The infection generally can be cleared up with antibiotics but will almost always return in future as the underlying cause persists. The condition more often affects men than women and generally young people between teenage years and 30’s. It is also more prevalent amongst fair skinned people who have course dark hair. A more comprehensive explanation can be found at Pilonidal.org for those that are interested.
A Pilonidal abscess can be an extremely painful experience. Any form of Pilonidal disease, because of the discomfort and typically long periods of suffering and post surgical healing, is a particularly annoying, embarrassing, debilitating and depressing medical condition. There are a few different treatments for Pilonidal disease but the ones in widespread use are almost all surgical. The cornerstones of cure are complete removal of the infected tissue in a way as minimally invasive as possible and hair removal to prevent the problem recurring. There are a number of different surgical techniques, and it is the treatment through surgery that forms a large part of what this blogsite is about.
There are quite a few terms used to describe and talk about Pilonidal Sinus’. The word ‘Pilonidal’ refers to a pocket of hair, and a sinus is any tract within the body connecting two (normally unconnected) areas of tissue or organs. The term Pilonidal Sinus actually specifically refers to the sinus that results as a product of a Pilonidal infection. Some people don’t have a sinus, but still have what’s referred to as a Pilonidal Sinus. If talking about the condition in general, I prefer ‘Pilonidal disease’. Sometimes the phrase Pilonidal Cyst is used, particularly in the USA. the surgeons I have seen in the UK have been quick to point out that this word cyst is incorrect in the context of Pilonidal disease. There is a comprehensive discussion and explanation of the terms at Pilonidal.org
