An abscess is caused when a solid area of flesh such as the skin starts to collect pus in a specific area due to an infection. The abscess is usually located on the surface of the skin but can also be found on the brain, liver, kidney, lungs, teeth and tonsils. The most common areas for these to occur include the warm or moist areas of the body such as the armpits, groin, rectum, and along the tailbone. They do cause pain in that area and feel warm when they are touched. The abscess itself may turn to a darker color after some time and the surrounding flesh is usually pink or red and appears to be swollen.
The main causes of an abscess include an inflammatory reaction to either an infection or a parasite and to a lesser degree, a foreign object such as a splinter entering into the body. The abscess may form because of blocked oil or sweat glands, or from the collection of bacteria in a cut or scratch or various other similar scenarios. These occurrences provoke an immune reaction which causes a capsule to form then containing the harmful bacteria. This also creates a barrier which stops antibodies from reaching it to eliminate the harmful bacteria. This bacterium then liquefies thus becoming what is known as pus.
Those individuals who have weakened immune system such as those with cancer, diabetes, those that are on dialysis for kidney failure or chemotherapy for cancer, as well as those that have Crohn’s disease, peripheral vascular disease and other conditions that affect the immune system often experience a higher number of abscesses. These abscesses are caused because the immune system doesn’t have as much strength to fight off infection and is one route to containing it before it spreads throughout the body.
The treatment of abscesses is not usually completed strictly through the use of antibiotics. While in some cases, the abscess will open up spontaneously and drain, the majority of cases require a medical expert to perform this. It is recommended to get the abscess drained as quickly as possible because without the proper care, it will get worse and may rupture. It may also deepen and affect other tissue around it. Other symptoms of the abscess if not treated include nausea, vomiting, fever, increasing levels of pain, and a darkening or reddening of the skin.
While it is true that an abscess may be confused for other simple conditions, there are certain cases that should be brought immediately to a medical care professional’s attention. These cases include those that who have a sore that is over 1-cm across, those who have a sore than continues to get worse, those whose sore is located near the rectal or groin area, those who are on steroid therapy, those who are dialysis or taking chemotherapy, anyone who has a condition such as AIDS, HIV, cancer, diabetes, sickle cell disease, peripheral vascular disease and other such conditions. Anyone who has a fever of higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit should also seek medical advice.
