festering

A festering problem or wound is one that's not healing and might get worse if not taken care of. You can also use it to describe something that's causing trouble or annoyance.

When we talk about a festering issue, we're usually talking about something that's been bothering someone for a long time. It could be a personal problem like a bad relationship or a family conflict, or it could be something bigger like a social or economic issue in the community. Whatever it is, it's not getting better on its own and needs attention from someone who can help resolve it. A festering wound might need to be surgically cleaned or treated with antibiotics, so you get the idea that we're talking about something that requires care and attention to heal or improve.

In a medical sense, "festering" is often used to describe an open sore or cut that's not healing as quickly as it should. It can also mean that a person has a festering infection like an abscess.