How to treat an abscess

Abscesses are the masses which are easily pressed, and area around them is inflamed. They are filled with puss and occur when there is an infection of the tissue. Abscesses can be of different sizes and they can appear anywhere in our body or under the skin, but most usually, they appear on the chest area, gingival area and peri-rectal area. They may sometimes be placed in the liver or brain, but the usual places where abscesses develop beneath the skin are underarm and the groin. Abscesses consist of bacteria, dead cells and debris; they develop due to the injuries on the skin, impediment of sweat and oil glands, and infection of hair follicles; and they can be very painful.

The bacteria that are usually the reason for this condition are called staphylococci. Some fungi can also be the reason for abscess development, while amoebae are responsible for abscess localized on the liver. The bacteria get through to the organ over the blood, or, if under the skin, they get through the tissue after some kind of injury. Those individuals whose immune system is not that strong are at greater risk for developing abscess.The most common symptoms of abscess are pain and higher sensitivity of the infected area, but generally, the problems with abscess are different and they depend on its location and size; for example, abscesses which are under the skin result in skin color changes, high body temperature and pain when the area is touched. You should immediately seek for medical help if your body temperature rises, if you notice enlargement of the abscess, or if the color of the skin around the abscess is becoming red. If abscess is not big, you can treat it by pressing something warm on it few times daily, in order to drain it. You shouldn’t try to squeeze the abscess, because there is a danger of hurting the tissue around it, as well as the danger of helping bacteria to multiply even more. Sometimes the treatment can consist of cutting the infected area in order to let the pus out of the abscess, but this is done with local anesthesia. For a lot of sufferers this procedure is followed by a great sensation of relief. This kind of treatment can be very effective, but sometimes, beside this, a person has to use medicines in order to solve the problem. The abscesses that are located on the brain or liver can cause permanent damage. Several medications can be given for the treatment of this condition depending on the cause of the abscess.