Unfortunately, I've had 3 abscesses. I started getting lazy and didn't always clean the site with alcohol. CLEAN THE SITE WITH ALCOHOL!!! My first was on the top of my foot, (small veins and shooting for a decade plus causes one to get creative) I knew something was wrong when it stayed hot and was very red and painful and that redness was radiating up my leg. No bueno. After 3 days I went to the
ER and they told me I was lucky I didn't get sepsis. They lanced the abscess and drew a nice line with pen around the area they were concerned with. I spent the night in the hospital and couldn't work
for a week. The second one was on the side of my knee. Lanced that and was released shortly after. Third was on top of my hand. Basically, if you aren't in any severe pain and the area isn't screaming
red...you might be ok. But, you said its still hot after 5 days, so I dunno. My dealer had an abscess on her arm. She had shitty veins also. I, now having experience under my belt, tried telling her to please
get to the ER before she loses her arm. Well, she did. After a week or so. And the fucking doctor looked at her arm and told her it didn't look too bad and sent her home. He was white and she is black.
I was fucking pissed, because I knew what was up. She went back a week later and this time they lanced it and she really did almost lose her arm from the elbow down. She was too scared to go to the
ER, so I went with her. Now I know why she was scared. They fucking didn't give a fuck about her. Anyway, you should probably go get it looked at. Make up a story if you are worried about the docs
knowing what you did. I told mine that I was GARDENING and must have got some dirt or something into an open wound.