Anal abscesses need drainage on an urgent basis. Once drained, the abscess cavity is left open for the tissue to heal naturally. Patients with large abscess or sepsis will require hospitalization for a few days. To keep you comfortable and help the body to heal properly, the surgeons will prescribe antibiotics and painkillers. The wound will take a few weeks to completely heal. Some patients will form a fistula later in the course which needs to be addressed by another surgery.