Abszess – Ursachen, Beschwerden & Therapie

Abscess

An abscess is a painful collection of pus in what is called an abscess cavity. An abscess can form in different parts of the body. Depending on the size, location and symptoms, an abscess is considered harmless or a health risk. In any case, the diagnosis should be left to a doctor. As a rule, the accumulation of pus is drained by the doctor on an outpatient basis with a minimal surgical intervention.

What is an abscess?

An abscess is a purulent inflammation that separates itself from the surrounding tissue as a pus capsule. This is basically a sac containing a collection of pus surrounded by a protective wall of granulation tissue.

Abscesses are caused by pathogens ( bacteria ) penetrating the skin and can occur anywhere on the body. You can recognize an abscess by swelling and reddening of the skin. In addition, the skin around the focus of inflammation becomes hot.

Causes

An abscess is caused by the penetration of bacteria (usually staphylococci, streptococci) that enter the body through minor injuries to the skin (e.g. shaving), accumulate in the tissue and cause inflammation there.However, abscesses can also occur without any externally recognizable reasons. All parts of the body that are exposed to constant friction are particularly susceptible to the development of an abscess. This includes the inner thighs, armpits and genital area.

Abscesses can also form in response to a foreign object in the body, such as a splinter, or as a result of surgery or being given an injection. Abscesses usually do not recur. If they do – which is considered common, with an abscess recurring about three times a year – the doctor should dig deeper into the cause of the abscess development. For example, diabetes is an option .

When to the doctor?

An abscess does not always require medical treatment. A doctor’s visit is necessary if there is an accompanying fever, chills and other symptoms or if other abscesses or cysts appear at short intervals all over the body. Boils of pus on the face, in the genital area or on the breasts should always be examined by a specialist, as there is an increased risk of a subsequent infection. It may also be a cyst or tumor that needs to be removed immediately.

An abscess in the jaw area should be evaluated promptly by a dentist to prevent oral infection. Larger abscesses that are filled with pus or blood or are very painful should be treated quickly. An emergency doctor should be alerted if a reddish streak is noticed on the skin from the abscess, as this indicates life-threatening blood poisoning. In the case of a ruptured abscess, depending on the location and size of the boil, the emergency services are also recommended. Risk groups such as patients with immunodeficiency, pregnant women, children and the elderly should always have an abscess medically clarified.

Symptoms and course

An abscess on the eye is very painful and can cause vision problems.

An abscess is usually painful, but fever with chills and severe malaise may also occur. A similar clinical picture occurs when the patient suffers from a boil . Unlike an abscess, the symptoms here are not caused by bacteria, but by the inflammation of a hairball. A laboratory examination shows an increase in the inflammatory values, for example the leukocytes.

Diagnosis

If the abscess is just below the surface of the skin, diagnosis is not difficult. Such superficial abscesses show typical symptoms of inflammation. The respective area is usually red and swollen. It also feels hot and is sensitive to pressure. In addition, sufferers may have fever and chills.

The most common cause of an abscess is inflammation of a bacterial nature. A swab of the pus is taken to identify the pathogen.

It is more difficult to diagnose deep-seated abscesses. They are neither recognizable nor palpable from the outside. If such an abscess has formed in organs such as the kidneys or lungs, the doctor uses imaging methods such as ultrasound , MRI or computer tomography for diagnosis . In addition, it makes sense to have the blood tested in a laboratory to look for signs of inflammation and antibodies.

An increased number of leukocytes and a higher concentration of C-reactive protein are additional signs for the diagnosis.

Complications

If an abscess is not treated in time or improperly cared for, it can rupture and empty into body cavities or hollow organs. This can lead to the formation of further abscesses in the organs or in the brain. In the worst case, the bacterial pathogens cause life-threatening blood poisoning, which is associated with serious complications. If the connective tissue is too weak, the inflammation can also spread to the tissue. Such phlegmon is accompanied by fever and painful redness and heating of the body part.

In severe cases, an enlargement of the focus of inflammation can also lead to serious circulatory problems. In patients with a weakened immune system, there is an increased risk of circulatory collapse and other complications. When treating an abscess, there is a risk of secondary bleeding and numbness in the affected body region. With an anorectal abscess, the scarring can cause problems with bowel movements. Finally, the drugs and materials used can cause allergic reactions and thus contribute to a further deterioration in general well-being.

Treatment and therapy

How an abscess is treated depends on its size. Small abscesses are usually treated with a traction ointment. The ointment is applied to the abscess and it effectively pulls the inflammation and pus out of the abscess cavity.

Larger abscesses, on the other hand, need to be treated surgically. The abscess is opened and the pus is completely peeled out. The patient should then take an antibiotic to ensure that the bacteria are fully controlled. Irrespective of which treatment method is used, the patient should be observed further after the procedure. If the body temperature rises above 38 degrees, this is a clear sign that the inflammation is spreading.

The surgical procedure is harmless. The abscess is opened under local anesthesia and only takes about 10 minutes. After the procedure, the patient will quickly feel a significant improvement in their condition. The feeling of pressure around the focus of inflammation decreases, as does the discomfort and pain. 

The procedure goes something like this: the surgeon splits the abscess, squeezes the pus out of the opening and then places a drain in the wound cavity. The wound is usually not stitched, so that the further penetration of bacteria is prevented as much as possible.

It is then important to clean the wound regularly and change the bandages regularly. The doctor shows the patient what to do. Whether an abscess is large or small, it is important for the patient to avoid treating the abscess on their own.

Constant squeezing can quickly lead to the encapsulation of the abscess cavity rupturing and the pus spilling out into the interior of the body. Not only is this very painful, it is also difficult to treat and, if the highly infectious pus enters the bloodstream, can cause blood poisoning .

The abscess treatment goes back to the Greek doctor Hippocrates. During his lifetime, he taught the still valid sentence: “Ubi pus, ibi evacua.”, which means something like “Where there is pus, empty it there.”.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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