What is an abscess? How can it be treated effectively? Explore the different treatment options for skin and internal abscesses to find the best solution.

Understanding Abscesses: Symptoms and Causes

An abscess is a localized collection of pus that develops in the body due to a bacterial infection. Abscesses can form in various locations, including the skin, gums, and internal organs. Symptoms of an abscess may include intense pain, swelling, redness, and sometimes fever. Abscesses are often caused by a buildup of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus, which can enter the body through a cut, wound, or other entry point.

Treating Skin Abscesses

Skin abscesses, also known as boils or furuncles, can be treated in several ways. Some small skin abscesses may drain naturally and heal without the need for treatment. Applying heat in the form of a warm compress can help reduce swelling and speed up the healing process. However, it’s important to thoroughly wash the compress afterwards and avoid sharing it with others to prevent the spread of infection.

For larger or persistent skin abscesses, a course of antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider may be necessary to clear the infection and prevent it from spreading. In some cases, especially with recurrent infections, a process called decolonization may be recommended, which involves using antiseptic soap and antibiotic cream to remove all the bacteria from the body and prevent re-infection.

If a skin abscess is not draining on its own, it may need to be drained surgically. This procedure, known as incision and drainage, is typically performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon will make a small incision in the abscess to allow the pus to drain out, and then clean the area and apply a dressing to promote healing.

Treating Internal Abscesses

Internal abscesses, which can form in organs or other parts of the body, often require more complex treatment. The pus usually needs to be drained, either through a needle-guided procedure (percutaneous abscess drainage) or with surgery.

In percutaneous drainage, the surgeon will use imaging guidance, such as ultrasound or CT scans, to locate the abscess and insert a thin needle or catheter to drain the pus. This procedure may be done as an outpatient or require a brief hospital stay. Antibiotics are typically given alongside the drainage to help clear the infection.

If the abscess is too large or cannot be safely accessed with a needle, surgery may be necessary. This involves making a larger incision to allow the surgeon to wash out the pus and clean the affected area.

Preventing Abscess Recurrence

To prevent the recurrence of abscesses, it’s important to maintain good hygiene, treat any underlying conditions that may increase the risk of infection, and seek prompt medical attention if symptoms of an abscess develop. In some cases, a healthcare provider may recommend a course of antibiotics or other preventive measures to reduce the risk of future infections.

Dental Abscesses: Symptoms and Treatment

Dental abscesses are a specific type of abscess that can form inside the teeth, in the gums, or in the bone that holds the teeth in place. They are caused by a bacterial infection and can be painful, although not always.

Symptoms of a dental abscess may include:

• Intense, throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum
• Pain that spreads to the ear, jaw, or neck on the same side as the affected tooth
• Pain that is worse when lying down, which may disrupt sleep
• Redness and swelling in the affected area

It’s important to seek prompt treatment for a dental abscess, as they will not go away on their own and can potentially spread to other parts of the body. Treatment may involve antibiotics, draining the abscess, or in some cases, root canal therapy or tooth extraction.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you suspect you have an abscess, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Abscesses should not be ignored, as they can potentially spread and cause serious complications if left untreated. If you experience severe pain, fever, or signs of the infection spreading, seek immediate medical care.

The Importance of Proper Wound Care

Proper wound care is crucial in the management of abscesses. This includes keeping the affected area clean, changing dressings regularly, and following any instructions provided by your healthcare provider. Neglecting wound care can increase the risk of the abscess returning or spreading to other parts of the body.

Abscess – Treatment – NHS

Abscesses can be treated in a number of different ways, depending on the type of abscess and how large it is.

The main treatment options include:

Skin abscesses

Some small skin abscesses may drain naturally and get better without the need for treatment. Applying heat in the form of a warm compress, such as a warm flannel, may help reduce any swelling and speed up healing.

However, the flannel should be thoroughly washed afterwards and not used by other people, to avoid spreading the infection.

For larger or persistent skin abscesses, your GP may prescribe a course of antibiotics to help clear the infection and prevent it from spreading.

Sometimes, especially with recurrent infections, you may need to wash off all the bacteria from your body to prevent re-infection (decolonisation). This can be done using antiseptic soap for most of your body and an antibiotic cream for the inside of your nose.

However, antibiotics alone may not be enough to clear a skin abscess, and the pus may need to be drained to clear the infection. If a skin abscess is not drained, it may continue to grow and fill with pus until it bursts, which can be painful and can cause the infection to spread or come back.

Incision and drainage

If your skin abscess needs draining, you’ll probably have a small operation carried out under anaesthetic – usually a local anaesthetic, where you remain awake and the area around the abscess is numbed.

During the procedure, the surgeon cuts into the abscess, to allow the pus to drain out. They may also take a sample of pus for testing.

Once all of the pus has been removed, the surgeon will clean the hole that is left by the abscess using sterile saline (a salt solution).

The abscess will be left open but covered with a wound dressing, so if any more pus is produced it can drain away easily. If the abscess is deep, an antiseptic dressing (gauze wick) may be placed inside the wound to keep it open.

The procedure may leave a small scar.

Internal abscesses

The pus usually needs to be drained from an internal abscess, either by using a needle inserted through the skin (percutaneous abscess drainage) or with surgery.

The method used will depend on the size of your abscess and where it is in your body.

Antibiotics will usually be given at the same time, to help kill the infection and prevent it spreading. These may be given as tablets or directly into a vein (intravenously). 

Percutaneous drainage

If the internal abscess is small, your surgeon may be able to drain it using a fine needle. Depending on the location of the abscess, this may be carried out using either a local or general anaesthetic.

The surgeon may use ultrasound scans or CT scans to help guide the needle into the right place.

Once the abscess has been located, the surgeon drains the pus using the needle. They may make a small incision in your skin over the abscess, then insert a thin plastic tube called a drainage catheter into it.

The catheter allows the pus to drain out into a bag and may have to be left in place for up to a week.

This procedure may be carried out as a day case procedure, which means you’ll be able to go home the same day, although some people will need to stay in hospital for a few days.

As with the incision and drainage procedure for skin abscesses, percutaneous drainage may leave a small scar.

Surgery

You may need to have surgery if:

• your internal abscess is too large to be drained with a needle
• a needle cannot get to the abscess safely
• needle drainage has not been effective in removing all of the pus

The type of surgery you have will depend on the type of internal abscess you have and where it is in your body. Generally, it involves making a larger incision in your skin to allow the pus to be washed out.

Page last reviewed: 04 November 2019
Next review due: 04 November 2022

Dental abscess – NHS

A dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form inside the teeth, in the gums or in the bone that holds the teeth in place. It’s caused by a bacterial infection.

An abscess at the end of a tooth is called a periapical abscess. An abscess in the gum is called a periodontal abscess.

Dental abscesses are often painful, but not always. In either case, they should be looked at by a dentist.

It’s important to get help as soon as possible, as abscesses do not go away on their own.

They can sometimes spread to other parts of the body and make you ill.

Symptoms of a dental abscess

Symptoms of an abscess in your tooth or gum may include:

• an intense throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum that may come on suddenly and gets gradually worse
• pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck on the same side as the affected tooth or gum
• pain that’s worse when lying down, which may disturb your sleep
• redness and swelling in your face
• a tender, discoloured or loose tooth
• shiny, red and swollen gums
• sensitivity to hot or cold food and drink
• bad breath or an unpleasant taste in your mouth

If the infection spreads, you may also develop a high temperature (fever) and feel generally unwell.

In severe cases, you may find it hard to fully open your mouth and have difficulty swallowing or breathing.

What to do if you have a dental abscess

You should see a dentist as soon as possible if you think you have a dental abscess.

Avoid visiting a GP, as there’s little they can do to help.

You can get help from:

You may have to pay for emergency NHS dental treatment, depending on your circumstances.

Find out about NHS dental charges

Relieving pain from a dental abscess

While you’re waiting to see a dentist, painkillers can help control your pain.

Ibuprofen is the preferred painkiller for dental abscesses, but if you’re unable to take it for medical reasons, you can take paracetamol instead.

Aspirin should not be given to children under 16.

If 1 painkiller does not relieve the pain, taking both paracetamol and ibuprofen at the doses shown in the medicine leaflet may help.

This is safe for adults, but not for children under 16.

It may also help to:

• avoid hot or cold food and drink if it makes the pain worse
• try eating cool, soft foods if possible, using the opposite side of your mouth
• use a soft toothbrush and temporarily avoid flossing around the affected tooth

These measures can help relieve your symptoms temporarily, but you should not use them to delay getting help from a dentist.

Treatments for a dental abscess

Dental abscesses are treated by removing the source of the infection and draining away the pus.

Depending on the location of the abscess and how severe the infection is, possible treatments include:

• root canal treatment – a procedure to remove the abscess from the root of an affected tooth before filling and sealing it
• removing the affected tooth (extraction) – this may be necessary if root canal treatment is not possible
• incision and drainage – where a small cut (incision) is made in the gum to drain the abscess (this is usually only a temporary solution and further treatment may be needed)

Local anaesthetic will usually be used to numb your mouth for these procedures.

More extensive operations may be carried out under general anaesthetic, where you’re asleep.

Antibiotics are not routinely prescribed for dental abscesses, but may be used if the infection spreads or is particularly severe.

What causes dental abscesses?

Your mouth is full of bacteria, which form a sticky film on your teeth called plaque.

If you do not keep your teeth clean, acids produced by the bacteria in plaque can damage your teeth and gums, leading to tooth decay or gum disease.

The following can increase your chances of developing a dental abscess:

• poor oral hygiene – plaque can build-up on your teeth if you do not floss and brush your teeth regularly
• consuming lots of sugary or starchy food and drink – these can encourage the growth of bacteria in plaque and may lead to decay that can result in an abscess
• an injury or previous surgery to your teeth or gums – bacteria can get into any damaged parts of the teeth or gums
• having a weakened immune system – this includes people with certain underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, and those having treatment, including steroid medication or chemotherapy

Preventing dental abscesses

You can reduce your risk of developing dental abscesses by keeping your teeth and gums as healthy as possible.

To do this, you should:

• use floss or an interdental brush at least once a day to clean between your teeth and under the gum line
• brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day – spending at least 2 minutes each time
• avoid rinsing your mouth with water or mouthwash after brushing because this washes the protective toothpaste away – just spit out any excess toothpaste
• cut down on sugary and starchy food and drinks – particularly between meals or shortly before going to bed
• visit your dentist regularly – your dentist can suggest how often you should have a check-up, based on your oral health

Read more on how to keep your teeth clean and dental check-ups.

Page last reviewed: 05 February 2019
Next review due: 05 February 2022

Abscess – Causes – NHS

Most abscesses are caused by an infection with staphylococcal bacteria.

When bacteria enter the body, the immune system sends white blood cells to fight the infection. This causes swelling (inflammation) at the site of infection and the death of nearby tissue. A cavity is created, which fills with pus to form an abscess.

The pus contains a mixture of dead tissue, white blood cells and bacteria. The abscess may get larger and more painful as the infection continues and more pus is produced.

Some types of staphylococcal bacteria produce a toxin called Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), which kills white blood cells. This causes the body to make more cells to keep fighting the infection and can lead to repeated skin infections.

In rare cases, an abscess may be caused by a virus, fungi or parasites.

Skin abscesses

When bacteria gets under the surface of your skin, an abscess can form. This can occur anywhere on the body, although skin abscesses tend to be more common in the:

• underarms
• hands and feet
• trunk
• genitals
• buttocks

Bacteria can get into your skin and cause an abscess if you have a minor skin wound, such as a small cut or graze, or if a sebaceous gland (oil gland) or sweat gland in your skin becomes blocked.

Internal abscesses

Abscesses that develop inside the tummy (abdomen) are caused by an infection reaching tissue deeper within the body. This can occur as a result of:

• an injury
• abdominal surgery
• an infection spreading from a nearby area

There are many ways an infection can spread into the abdomen and cause an abscess to develop.

For example, a lung abscess can form after a bacterial infection in your lungs, such as pneumonia, and a burst appendix can spread bacteria within your abdomen.

Increased risk

In addition to the specific causes mentioned above, things that increase the likelihood of an abscess developing can include:

• having a weakened immune system – this could be because of a medical condition such as HIV, or a treatment such as chemotherapy
• having diabetes
• having an underlying inflammatory condition, such as hidradenitis suppurativa
• being a carrier of staphylococcal bacteria

However, many abscesses develop in people who are otherwise generally healthy.

Page last reviewed: 04 November 2019
Next review due: 04 November 2022

Abscess (for Teens) – Nemours Kidshealth

What Is an Abscess?

An abscess is the body’s way of trying to heal from an infection. Abscesses form after bacteria, fungi, or other germs enter the body — usually through an open wound like a cut — and cause an infection.

An abscess might appear on the skin, under the skin, in a tooth, or even deep inside the body. On top of the skin, an abscess may look like an unhealed wound or a pimple. Underneath the skin, it may create a swollen bump. A skin abscess might hurt and feel warm when you touch it.

It’s easier to tell if you have a skin abscess because you can see and touch it. But when someone gets an abscess in another part of the body, there will still be clues that something is wrong. With a tooth abscess, for example, people will feel pain even though they can’t see the abscess.

What Causes an Abscess?

Abscesses can form wherever the body is fighting off an infection. For example, a skin abscess can appear when germs get into the body through an opening in the skin (like a cut, insect sting, or burn).

Most germs don’t belong in a healthy body and the immune system knows it: It’s the immune system’s job to be on the lookout for infection. After figuring out that something is wrong, it sends in the troops (otherwise known as white blood cells) to destroy whatever’s causing the infection. Some of these white blood cells will end up in pus, which also includes stuff like dead skin and dead germs.

The body considers pus garbage and will try to get rid of it. But when pus collects in an abscess, it may not be able to drain out. As pus builds up, it can press against the skin and surrounding

inflamedtissue, causing pain.

Some abscesses are caused by an irritant like an injected medication that was not completely absorbed. Since they’re not caused by infection, these kinds of abscesses are called “sterile” abscesses. Sterile abscesses aren’t as common as infected abscesses, but they can happen on occasion.

How Are Abscesses Treated?

Most abscesses can be managed at home. If you think you have a skin abscess, avoid touching, pushing, popping, or squeezing it. Doing that can spread the infection or push it deeper inside the body, making things worse.

Try using a warm compress to see if that opens up the abscess so it can drain. You can make a compress by wetting a washcloth with warm — not hot — water and placing it over the abscess for several minutes. Do this a few times a day, and wash your hands well before and after applying the washcloth.

If the abscess opens on its own and drains, and the infection seems to clear up in a couple of days, your body should heal on its own. If it doesn’t, it’s time to call your doctor’s office.

If you have tooth pain and you suspect there may be an infection, call your dentist.

P

When Should I Call a Doctor?

Sometimes, an abscess needs a doctor’s care. If you notice any of these problems, call your doctor:

• A skin abscess becomes more painful, swollen, and red.
• Red streaks develop around the infected area of skin.
• You have pain or discomfort inside your body.
• You have a fever or chills.

If a doctor thinks you have an abscess, he or she will decide if it needs to be drained or if it can be treated another way, like with antibiotics.

If an abscess needs to be drained, the doctor will decide if it’s best to pull out the pus using a needle (called aspiration) or to make a small cut in the abscess with a scalpel so the pus can drain out.

For a skin abscess, the doctor will probably use numbing medications before draining an abscess so it’s not too painful. After the doctor drains the abscess, he or she may pack it with gauze. The gauze will soak up drainage and help the abscess heal.

An abscess that is deep inside the body might require surgery. This may mean staying in the hospital for a while so doctors and nurses can be sure the person heals properly.

How Can I Feel Better?

Your doctor will give you instructions about how to take care of an abscess so it heals properly. Your doctor also might tell you to avoid specific activities until the abscess heals. You may need to take antibiotics, and you (or your lucky mom or dad!) might have to change a bandage regularly.

If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, take all the medicine until it’s gone — even if you start feeling better.

If you have a skin abscess, take steps so you don’t spread the infection to anyone else. Don’t share anything that’s touched your abscess (like washcloths, towels, athletic equipment, or razors).

Even after a visit to the doctor, you’ll still need to keep an eye on the abscess. Let your doctor know right away if it gets worse or if you develop a fever or chills.

If you have a skin abscess, your doctor might want to do tests to find out if you have something called MRSA, a kind of bacteria that can cause serious skin infections. MRSA infections need special treatment because they are resistant to many kinds of antibiotics.

Can Abscesses Be Prevented?

Good hygiene is the best way to avoid infection. Keep cuts and wounds clean, dry, and covered to protect them from germs. Also, don’t share clothing, towels, razors, or bed linens with anyone else. When these items get dirty, wash them separately in very hot water.

Wash your hands well and often using plain soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time. It’s OK to use alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers or wipes (the kind that you can pick up at a drugstore) if you’re not near any soap and water.

Abscess (for Parents) – Nemours Kidshealth

What Is an Abscess?

An abscess is the body’s way of trying to heal from an infection. Abscesses form after bacteria, fungi, or other germs enter the body — usually through an open wound like a cut — and cause an infection.

When this happens, the body’s immune system is activated and sends out white blood cells to fight the infection. It’s these white blood cells, along with other debris, that can collect in the wound and make pus. When pus collects and can’t drain out, the area forms a painful abscess.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Abscesses?

Abscesses usually are red, swollen, and warm to the touch, and might leak fluid. They can develop on top of the skin, under the skin, in a tooth, or even deep inside the body. On top of the skin, an abscess might look like an unhealed wound or a pimple; underneath the skin, it may create a swollen bump. The area can be painful and tender.

In the most severe cases, the infection can cause fever and chills.

Who Gets Abscesses?

Kids are more prone to abscesses because they’re less likely to clean and care for their cuts and other wounds, putting them at risk for these types of infections.

Foreign objects that get inside a wound, like sand or clothing fibers, also can lead to abscesses, as can irritated hair follicles.

How Are Abscesses Treated?

Most abscesses can be treated at home. Make sure your child avoids touching, pushing, popping, or squeezing the abscess because that can spread the infection or push it deeper inside the body, making things worse.

Prevent the spread of infection by not letting your child share clothes, towels, washcloths, sheets, or anything else that may have touched the abscess.

To help the abscess open up and drain, try applying a warm compress. You can make a compress by wetting a washcloth with warm (not hot) water and placing it over the abscess for several minutes. Do this a few times a day. Always wash your hands well before and after touching the abscess.

If the abscess opens on its own and drains, and the infection seems to clear up in a couple of days, your child should be OK. But if it doesn’t heal, make an appointment with your doctor.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Call your doctor if:

• Your child’s abscess doesn’t heal with home treatment.
• The abscess becomes more painful, swollen, and red.
• Red streaks develop around the infected area.
• Your child has a fever or chills.
• Your child is suddenly getting sicker or feels more tired.

The doctor will examine the abscess to see if it needs to be drained. If it does, this will be done by making a small cut in the abscess that lets the pus seep out. Medicine is given beforehand to numb the area. Then, gauze might be applied to absorb the fluid in the wound and help the area heal. If your child has this procedure, make sure to follow instructions about the cleaning and bandaging of the wound.

The doctor may prescribe antibiotic liquid or pills to treat the infection. If so, be sure your child takes all the medicine until it’s gone — even if he or she starts feeling better.

Call the doctor if the wound doesn’t begin to heal after a few days, or if it comes back.

A Note About MRSA

Some skin infections are caused by MRSA bacteria. This germ is difficult to treat because of resistance to certain antibiotics and can be life-threatening. The good news is that MRSA infections are rare. However, your doctor will keep MRSA in mind while treating a skin abscess, especially if it doesn’t heal properly.

Can Abscesses Be Prevented?

Good hygiene is the best way to avoid infection. Keep all cuts and wounds clean, dry, and covered with a bandage to protect them from germs.

Teach kids to wash their hands often and well, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren’t handy, it’s OK to use alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers or wipes.

Cutaneous abscess | DermNet NZ

Author: A/Prof Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton New Zealand, 2013.

What is an abscess?

An abscess is a cavity filled with pus (pyoderma or sepsis). It contains white blood cells, dead tissue and bacteria.

Cutaneous abscesses may occur anywhere on the skin, but are most common under the arms, at the base of the spine (pilonidal disease) or around the genitals (for example, Bartholin abscess) and anus.

An abscess usually presents as a hot, red, swollen and painful lump. It may lead to fever, swollen lymph nodes, and illness including potentially dangerous septicaemia. Non-bacterial abscesses may be cool, skin coloured and painless.

If not treated, an abscess eventually bursts and drains thick yellow pus.

Although it may become ‘walled off’ by an inflammatory reaction, an abscess is not surrounded by a true capsule.

Abscess

What causes an abscess?

A painful abscess is usually due to acute bacterial infection. Bacteria penetrate a break in the skin such as a puncture wound, or via a hair follicle. An abscess may also develop around a foreign body, such as a splinter. The most common causes of infective abscesses are:

Infective abscesses may affect healthy people, but they are more common in the following circumstances.

A sterile abscess may persist after an infection has been cleared, as it contains dead or necrotic tissue and inflammatory cells.

A sterile abscess may occur after corticosteroid injection. This is more likely when the medication has spilt into subcutaneous fat. A foreign-body or other hypersensitivity reaction to injected material such as bovine collagen may also result in abscess formation.

Certain inflammatory skin diseases may cause tissue destruction and abscess formation, in the absence of pathogens (infectious microbes). These include:

What tests should be done?

If the cause of an abscess is unknown, the following tests may be undertaken.

• Microscopy and Gram stain
• Bacterial culture (standard, anaerobic, and at low temperature)
• Biopsy of adjacent tissue

If a patient has had recurrent abscesses, consider nutritional deficiency, especially of iron; immune deficiency; immune suppression by medications such as systemic steroids; diabetes; or poor circulation.

What is the treatment of an abscess?

An abscess should be explored to remove foreign bodies, and its contents should be removed. This requires making a surgical incision and draining the pus. The cavity is then thoroughly washed out with saline. It should be left open to allow further pus to drain away. Wicks are sometimes inserted if the abscess is deep, to help it drain.

Antibiotics are often prescribed, chosen according to the organism causing the abscess and its sensitivities.

Prevention of further abscess formation

If abscesses are due to staphylococcal infection, the risk of recurrence can be minimised by:

• Hygiene: wash hands frequently (or use hand rubs) and do not share towels, clothing, razors and toothbrushes.
• Reduce transmission to others: while infected, do not share equipment at a community gym or attend a sauna or swim pool.
• Dispose of tissues and dressings in a sealed bag or burn them.
• Take care not to nick skin while shaving
• Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
• Aim for normal weight and do not smoke.

Boils, Abscess & Cellulitis – HealthyChildren.org

​Boils, abscess, and cellulitis are bacterial infections of the skin that usually begin from a scratch or bug bite and progress to a red nodule that fills with pus.

• Boils are superficial infections with a thin layer of skin over fluid.
• Abscesses are generally larger and deeper than boils with redness and painful swelling over an area filled with pus.
• Cellulitis is an infection within the skin and the area just beneath it; the skin is red and tender. The area of cellulitis can spread quickly.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Boils are usually small areas (penny or nickel size) with a thin covering of skin, while abscesses are larger raised areas on the skin that are tender to touch and filled with pus in the deeper tissue. Abscesses and boils may drain when the skin over the infected area opens and lets the fluid or pus out. Signs of cellulitis include areas of redness, skin tenderness, and fever. All of these skin infections are usually warmer than the surrounding normal areas of skin because of the body’s reaction to the infection.

What are the incubation and contagious periods?

The incubation period (the time between being exposed to the disease and when the symptoms start) is unknown. Common skin bacteria (staph and strep) are the cause of boils, abscesses, and cellulitis. These bacteria are present on the skin of most children and usually do not cause a problem. However, staph and strep may cause infection when there is a break in the skin or when the bacterial infection becomes more aggressive and overpowers normal defenses against infection.

In recent years, a certain type of staph called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA has become a more likely cause of more serious infections. These skin infections are contagious when the infected area is open and drainage is present. People who carry the bacteria in their noses and throats and on their skin may pass the bacteria on to others. However, for an infection to occur, the bacteria must get through a break in the skin.

How is it spread?

Person-to-person contact with pus and skin bacteria and to a lesser extent, contaminated environmental surfaces and objects.

How do you control it?

• Use good hand-hygiene.
• Eczema is a risk factor for MRSA. Those with eczema on their hands should practice good eczema control.
• Cover lesions if they are draining.
• Infected children may need antibiotic treatment for tissue infections. Surgical drainage without antibiotics may be used for an abscess. If antibiotics are prescribed, they should be given according to the instructions on the prescription label.

Occasionally, multiple people within a family or child care setting may become recurrently infected with boils and abscesses. This may be due to MRSA. In some cases, the infected person never spreads the bacteria to others.

No effective and long-lasting way to eliminate MRSA from child care settings and families is known because it commonly lives on the skin and in the noses of those not infected.

Additional Resources:

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

90,000 Treatment of abscesses. Where to go about the treatment of an abscess in Moscow

Treatment of an abscess

An abscess is a purulent inflammation of tissues that occurs with the formation of a purulent cavity. With an abscess, tissue decay is limited: the decay focus is separated from healthy tissues by a membrane – a wall that has arisen as a result of a purulent process. Abscesses are superficial (subcutaneous) and deep (deep in tissues or organs).

Treatment of abscesses with conservative methods is ineffective. The only effective method is surgical treatment. An opening and emptying of the purulent cavity is performed. Treatment of deep abscesses requires hospitalization. Superficial abscesses can be treated on an outpatient basis. If symptoms of suppuration are detected (the appearance of a painful swelling, the contents of which, upon palpation, can be determined as a viscous liquid), you should consult a surgeon.

Treatment of abscesses is carried out in JSC “Family Doctor”.Experienced surgeons will perform the excision and drainage of the purulent cavity, perform the necessary wound treatment. Below you can check the prices, as well as make an outpatient appointment with the surgeon by choosing a polyclinic located in the most convenient area of ​​Moscow.

Dear patients!
Please note that the cost of a visit to a doctor does not always coincide with the indicated admission price.
The final cost of admission may include the cost of additional services.
The need for the provision of such services is determined by the doctor depending on the medical indications directly during the appointment.

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Prevention and treatment of skin abscess in CVL ArtMed

What is a skin abscess?

A skin abscess is a collection of pus, limited by a pyogenic capsule, which is characterized by swelling of the skin and painful sensations at the site of inflammation.

The most common skin abscess occurs in the following places:

• armpits;
• groin area;
• on the external genitals;
• in the coccyx area;
• in the head area.

Causes of skin abscess

An abscess is an inflammation caused by an infectious irritant, usually Staphylococcus aureus.

There are several causes of skin abscess:

• violation of the skin cover, with the penetration of infection;

90,062 results of injections performed without observing aseptic conditions;

• consequences of purulent-inflammatory diseases;
• inflammation of the hair follicles;
• Irregular or insufficient outflow of sebaceous secretions.

People who are immunocompromised have an increased risk of contracting an infection that causes a skin abscess.

Symptoms of skin abscess

A skin abscess is accompanied by symptoms that can often be attributed to other diseases:

• nausea, vomiting;
• increased body temperature;
• weakness;
• dizziness.

With regard to external symptoms, the following manifestations are characteristic of a cutaneous abscess:

• formation of a dense boil;
• redness in the field of education;
• gradual increase in the size of the boil;
• Gradually increasing soreness of the skin at the site of the abscess location.

When to ask for help?

Skin abscess is a relatively safe disease, often abscesses open by themselves and go away without causing complications. However, situations are possible when the abscess continues to progress, increasing in size and causing more severe pain.

It is necessary to seek the advice of a doctor in the following cases:

• abscess has grown by more than 1 centimeter;
• you are using drugs or chemotherapy drugs;
• you have AIDS, cancer, anemia, diabetes or peripheral vascular disease;
• abscess location: area of ​​the buttocks, rectum or groin;
• the possibility of penetration of a foreign body into the wound.

If you have the following symptoms, urgent help is needed:

• temperature rise to 38 degrees and above;
• the appearance of a red strip on the skin, at the site of the abscess;
• severe soreness of education;
• finding a patient on steroid treatment.

Treatment of an abscess on an outpatient basis

When seeking urgent medical attention in case of progression of a skin abscess, the following manipulations will be performed:

• anesthesia;
• abscess incision and drainage;
• rinsing the wound with saline;
• applying a gauze bandage for 1-2 days;
• in case of development of infection or weak immunity – the appointment of antibiotic drugs.

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90,000 reasons, diagnostics, treatment methods – dentistry President

Phlegmon, abscess and periostitis (flux) are different degrees of purulent inflammatory diseases of the maxillofacial region.Most often they appear against the background of advanced caries.

Contents

Flux

In modern medicine, the term “flux” as such no longer exists. The once popular word has now been replaced by “odontogenic periostitis.”

Periostitis is the first stage of jaw inflammation, which almost always occurs due to advanced caries. Rarely manifests itself as a result of a bruise, the entry of pathogenic bacteria into the pocket between the tooth and the gum.Previously treated pulpitis may be a prerequisite.

Symptoms:

• persistent toothache, aggravated by pressure or tapping on the tooth;
• severe tooth decay;

90,062 swelling of the tissues around the tooth;

• swelling of the cheek;
• in especially severe cases – an increase in body temperature.

Abscess – the second stage of inflammation

An abscess practically does not differ functionally from periostitis.The symptoms in this case are the same. Pus, as with flux, is limited to the periosteum, but it can penetrate deeper into the tissues.

Phlegmon – a dangerous omission

Phlegmon is the third, most severe stage of purulent inflammation in the tissues around the tooth. Pus in this case is not limited to the periosteum alone, but freely walks through the tissues, often penetrating into the facial muscles, cervical regions, and behind them into the trachea, esophagus, heart.

IMPORTANT! If phlegmon is not cured in time, it can be fatal!

Treatment of periostitis, abscess

The first and most important step in treating a flux is to visit a doctor.During the procedure, the dentist makes an incision in the mouth, releasing the accumulated pus, after which a so-called drainage – a rubber strip – is inserted into the wound. Further, the treatment continues at home with the prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs.

Treatment of an abscess differs from the elimination of periostitis only in the period of wearing drainage. Usually the rubber strip stays in the mouth for a little longer.

What happens after treatment?

Usually, the first 2 days, unpleasant sensations persist, although the body temperature gradually begins to decrease, and the pain is no longer so obvious.A sharp improvement in the condition and appearance occurs on the third day.

Infiltrate – tissue compaction in the focus of inflammation – can persist for quite a long time. Gradually, the “bump” should dissolve.

Drainage – rubber strip – should remain in the wound for some time after the procedure. It prevents the incision from tightening ahead of time, leaving an open path for pus to escape. It is strictly forbidden to loosen, push out, correct drainage in any way.If the strip falls out, see a doctor right away. Call a specialist even if you do not feel better 12 hours after opening the flux.

Prohibited for inflammation:

• to make warming compresses and dressings;
• independently prescribe antibiotics and other medications;
• take pain relievers before visiting a doctor;
• drink aspirin (before and after opening).

Finally, I would like to say one thing: please, do not be afraid to go to the doctor at the first symptoms of caries.Treating a tooth is still less painful than trying to cope with inflammation in the tissues later. Take care of yourself!

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Bartholinitis and its complications are most common in women between 20 and 30 years of age. Timely conservative treatment usually leads to recovery. In the chronic form of the disease, the formation of abscesses and cysts is possible. In such cases, surgery may be required.

Paired Bartholin glands are located in the thickness of the labia majora and provide a normal level of moisture in the vestibule of the vagina.They got their name in honor of the anatomist Kaspar Bartholin, who described them in the 17th century.

Bartholinitis is an inflammation of the large gland of the vestibule. Disease can cause:
– External infection . In this case, infection occurs when personal hygiene rules are not followed or unprotected sex. The infection first enters the duct of the gland, and then spreads to its tissue.
– Internal infection (chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis).In this case, pathogens through the blood first enter the tissue of the gland, and only then the pathological process spreads to its duct. This way of occurrence of bartholinitis is typical for women with weakened immunity.

Acute bartholinitis is usually accompanied by painful sensations, which forces a woman to see a doctor.

Subacute bartholinitis is characterized by mild symptoms that are often overlooked.A sluggish current pathological process leads to a chronic form of the disease, in which cysts and abscesses of the Bartholin gland are formed. An abscess is a delimited accumulation of pus in her tissue). The cyst is formed as a result of the accumulation of the secretion produced as a result of blockage of the lumen of the duct of the gland. In this case, suppuration and the development of an abscess are also possible.

It is noteworthy that the causative agents of bartholinitis can be both representatives of the normal microflora of the female genital organs (staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli), and causative agents of venereal diseases (gonococci, chlamydia, etc.).From abscesses of the Bartholin gland, microorganisms are sometimes isolated that cause diseases of the upper respiratory tract – streptococci of pneumonia and influenza sticks. Once in the blood, they are carried throughout the body, causing purulent foci in various organs.

Important! If symptoms occur, seek medical attention immediately

In an acute inflammatory process, the duct of the gland becomes denser, redness appears around its outer opening.The pain syndrome increases with walking, changing the woman’s gait. An experienced gynecologist may suspect acute bartholinitis for this symptom even before the examination.

An abscess of the Bartholin gland is characterized by an increase in body temperature, asymmetric edema and pain in the vulva. An abscess is an indication for surgical treatment and antibiotics. In some cases, it can open itself.

The operation to open and drain the abscess is carried out only with a formed abscess.After appropriate processing of the operating field, its cavity is opened. The emptied abscess is treated and tamponized (placed inside a gauze turunda moistened with a special solution). Immediately after the operation, the woman is prescribed antibiotic therapy.

In chronic bartholinitis, marsupialization is sometimes performed. The operation involves the formation of an artificial excretory duct of the gland.

With long and persistent relapses of the disease, the gland is extirpated.After such an intervention, the Bartholin gland ceases to function.

Reliable prevention of gynecological pathologies is a regular gynecological examination.

How to get rid of an abscess and not earn blood poisoning

From Latin the word abscess is translated simply – an abscess. With this Latin term, doctors mean an active inflammatory process, in which a cavity filled with pus is formed in living tissue.

Photo: Tavarius / Shutterstock

See what an abscess looks like

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An abscess can occur in any part of the human body, including internal organs.But most often ^{it affects the skin in the armpits, groin, the area around the anus, the base of the spine and the gums near the teeth.}

Inflammation around the hair follicle can also lead to the formation of an abscess – this type of abscess is commonly called a boil.

How to tell if you have an abscess

Symptoms of an external abscess developing inside the skin are usually obvious ^:

• it looks like a dense swelling, a “bump” that has grown under the skin;
• touches are painful;
• the skin on the affected area turns red and feels hot to the touch;
• Not always, but quite often you can see an accumulation of white or yellow pus under tight skin.

Extensive subcutaneous abscesses can also be accompanied by an increase in temperature.

Abscesses on internal organs or in the tissues between them are more difficult to recognize. The signs of an abscess in this case are vague and may vary depending on which organ is affected. For example, a liver abscess is often accompanied by jaundice – a yellowing of the skin of the body and the whites of the eyes. A lung abscess causes coughing and shortness of breath.

If we talk about the general and most common symptoms of an internal abscess, here they are:

• discomfort and pain in the area of ​​the organ on which the abscess occurred;
• temperature rise;
• loss of appetite up to complete reluctance to eat;
• active sweating;
• distinct weakness.

Small abscesses often resolve on their own. However, much more negative scenarios are also possible.

When you need to seek help faster

Urgently consult a physician or surgeon if:

• the diameter of a subcutaneous abscess exceeds 1 cm;
• The abscess continues to grow and becomes more painful;
• inflammation occurred in the groin or anus;
• abscess is accompanied by an increase in temperature.

Go to the emergency department or call an ambulance if:

• An abscess more than a centimeter in diameter appears on the face.
• The temperature has risen to 38.8 ° C and above.
• You notice red streaks under the skin that extend to the sides of the abscess.
• There are enlarged lymph nodes in the area between the abscess and the breast. For example, an abscess in a leg can cause swollen lymph nodes in the groin area.

These symptoms indicate that there is a high risk of blood poisoning.And this is a deadly condition.

What to do if you have an abscess

Ideally, any abscess, even if it looks small and relatively harmless, should be shown to a physician, surgeon or dermatologist. A specialist will examine the abscess, assess its location and size, and analyze your health status. And after that he will give recommendations on how and how to treat the abscess in your particular case. Note: Antibiotics or surgical removal of the abscess may be required.

Before you go to the doctor, you can try to relieve the condition with home methods ^.

Apply warm compresses

They will help reduce pain and accelerate the maturation of the abscess. 3-4 times a day for 15 minutes, apply gauze soaked in warm water to the affected area.

Use ointments

Apply antiseptic ointments with a pulling effect to the abscess. About which is better and safer to use in your case, consult a doctor.

Do not forget about the antiseptic

If the abscess opened on its own, wash the wound with antibacterial soap and treat with any antiseptic, it is also possible on an alcohol basis. Then apply an antibacterial ointment (such as levomekol or tetracycline) and apply a bandage. Rinse the wound with warm water 2-3 times a day and apply warm compresses until it heals.

You should never do anything if you have an abscess

Trying to squeeze out the pus

The pressure can drive it deeper, which means that the abscess will only increase in size.