My cartilage piercing us really badly infected and I need a doctor fast!!!?!

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Did you get it pierced at Claire's? if so, that's your problem right there. They use piercing guns on cartilage which alone is bad news bears. The earrings they load into those guns are too dull so they break down the scar tissue and lengthen the healing time and in many cases cause infection.

I don't know about your health insurance and such, but before you even go to a doctor I would recommend you go to a legitimate professional piercing parlor. Make sure they're APP licensed. And ask for their advice. They can tell you how to properly clean it, and they might refer you to a doctor that could be good in your area. You could even ask them if they accept your health care stuff.

But in the meantime, what I'd recommend you should do is this:

Put a pinch of sea salt into the bottom of a paper dixie cup or a shot glass or something small like that. (and it has to be sea salt, normal salt is too irritating. Also, it needs to be iodine free) Then add hot water. It should be about as hot as you can bare. Now if you want to, you can add a little bit of tea tree oil to it too. (they sell tea tree oil at walmart i think) But if you do this, just add a tiny bit because it's really strong. But it can help the healing process. Now soak two cotton balls in the mix and hold one on either side of the piercing. Just allow the piercing to absorb the mixture for about 10 minutes. If the cotton balls dry out or get cold, just simply dip them in the mix again and put them back.

Now do this 2 times a day. This probably won't get rid of the infection entirely if it's as bad as you say, but it will reduce irritation and probably get it a little better.

But do go into a piercing parlor soon. Do NOT go back to Claire's. They don't know their crap. I promise. (I'm just assuming you went to Claire's, but I may be wrong. If you did go to a piercing parlor, then just go back to the same one.)

On another note: Don't twist the jewelry or move it around at all. That's another thing Claire's tells you to do, but it's really irritating to the skin around it and can also lengthen the healing period. Also, do not take out the jewelry unless a professional piercer or a doctor tells you to. Chances are that if you take the jewelry out, the wound would just heal and trap the infection inside of it.

I know that this probably isn't the answer your looking for, I just know a lot about piercings and not so much about health insurance, but I do think that if you do what I said it could really help you.
Good Luck

Your health care card should have a number on it to call and get the name of a doctor near you
that takes medicaid and horizonhealthNJcare..Also you can look it up online or call you local
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Goodwill 'main' offices for a phone number lead..You can even ask them who
others are using who have this insurance.
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In the meantime, there are a number of things you can do to relieve the problem,
but even if it gets well on its own, it's still good to know where your Dr is and have
the number taped to your card even.
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Salt water, epsom salts, dark greens blended in the blender, papaya, cholloidal silver,
antihistamines (like nose spray)..even antibiotic eye drops (Similisan OTC) can all relief
and even reverse the problem, as well as probiotics, like kefir, or by the capsule.
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The problem with antibiotics is that they can cause further health problems.
Cartilage doesn't get much circulation, so hydrogen peroxide should be
used (oxygen), exercise (causes oxygenation--the oxygen is what causes weight loss), and niacin.
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With *niacin, make sure you take a dose just enough to cause you body to flush
..it opens up the blood vessels.
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At first the flush may be irritating, but soon you'll realize you feel better,
your infection can heal easier and your brain wakes up.
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Frankly, I use this opportunity to give myself a 'dry brush massage' using a
natural bristle brush from head to toe..you can get hooked on that 'high', too.
.
This is better that scratching yourself with fingernails!
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..The niacin causes a prickly-ichy feeling but that because it brings attention to
stuff in the skin that needs elimination as your skin is your largest elimination organ.
.
Dry brush massaging causes your entire nymph system to function better,
and thereby help along the infection healing process..It's worth buying a bottle of niacin.
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I keep it in my purse for when I need a boost of energy during the day,
at which time I take just barely under the 'flushing' dose.
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Acne meds like benzoil peroxide can also help dry up some regular infections that aren't acne.
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But dark greens can help heal plus prevent scarring because of the vit K and other multiple ingredients..plantain (not the banana) is known for using on infections and even stops itch..I take that right out of my front lawn (no pesticides).
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Ask your local dept of agriculture extension office to help you identify it it nature..they'll help for free, usually.
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I got an infection on my earlobe despite using the prescribed antibiotic..
I had to lance it using provodone iodine (don't try this w/o something as good as that)

i'm not sure i can help you with a doctor but i have had my ear infected before.

slowly take the earring out(if you haven't yet), it will hurt but you need it out.
then put peroxide on a q-tip or cotton ball and apply that to your infected area.
leave the earring out and DO NOT touch your ear. let it air out and put peroxide on a few times a day.

you may still need to see a doctor, or may not, but this will bring down the pain and kill bacteria.

Go to an urgent care clinic. Call first and ask about Medicaid. All county and non-profit clinics take Medicaid, and county hospitals have low income clinics, Catholic hospitals have charity clinics.