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An abscess on the skin is a limited skin inflammation, which is accompanied by the formation of a purulent cavity in the tissue with damage to the subcutaneous tissue. An abscess can occur on its own in the form of a boil, or develop as a complication after tonsillitis, pneumonia, and various injuries. Abscesses appear more often as a complication after primary inflammation. What you need to know about an abscess, how to recognize and treat them?
General characteristics of the disease
An abscess is an inflammation of tissues that occurs against the background of an illness or is an independent disease. The causative agents are staphylococci, less often – Escherichia coli, streptococci and other representatives of the microflora. As soon as inflammation develops in the tissues, a protective reaction of the body is triggered. A capsule forms around the inflammatory focus, which protects the infected tissue from the healthy one and prevents the spread of bacteria.
Pathogenic microflora can penetrate through damaged skin / mucous membranes or through blood / lymphatic vessels (if the pathogen is already present in the body).
What are the causes of infection?
An abscess can occur in any part of the body, from the balls of the fingers to the brain. Even a small splinter can cause infection and become a serious reason to see a doctor. How is this possible? Bacteria penetrate into the damaged area from the surrounding space. They begin to multiply rapidly, which leads to inflammation, the formation of pus and other unpleasant consequences.
The development of an abscess can be caused by the multiplication of atypical microbes or dangerous infections inside the body. As soon as the immune system finds the pathogen, it immediately begins to produce protective blood cells. Through the blood, they enter the focus of inflammation and destroy the foreign agent. As a result of the “struggle”, a certain substance is formed from the microbial mass, the surrounding tissue, fibrin, interstitial fluid, and molten blood cells. The combination of all components and forms an abscess.
clinical picture
Symptoms directly depend on the etiology of the disease and the protective reaction of the immune system. The intensity of manifestations also depends on the location of the inflammation and its size. Most often, patients encounter an abscess in the superficial tissues. It develops after mechanical trauma and infection of the skin. Doctors distinguish 5 main symptoms of inflammation:
- redness;
- swelling;
- soreness;
- a sharp jump in body temperature;
- dysfunction of the affected area.
The patient’s well-being also lets you know about internal disturbances. A person feels weakness, depression, apathy, headache and lack of appetite. Laboratory manifestations are expressed in a jump in the level of leukocytes and a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Specific symptoms are determined by the type and characteristics of the abscess. For example, an abscess in the brain leads to mental disorders, and inflammation in the throat is fraught with pain when swallowing, nasality, and respiratory failure.
Varieties of abscess
| Type of abscess | Localization | Symptoms | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold | Purulent masses accumulate in small limited areas throughout the body | There are no characteristic symptoms of inflammation (pain, redness, temperature jump) | Appears in certain phases of osteoarticular tuberculosis or actinomycosis |
| Paratonsillar | Acute inflammation develops near the tonsils | Increasing sore throat, chills, high fever, intoxication, swollen lymph nodes, bad breath, trismus | Formed as a complication of angina. Pathologies are most susceptible to younger groups of patients (from toddlers to young men) |
| Subdiaphragmatic | Develops under the diaphragm (abdominal obstruction), which can cause pus to accumulate along with gas | General clinical symptoms characteristic of the inflammatory process | Most often it develops as a complication after acute inflammatory diseases or injuries of the abdominal cavity. |
| retropharyngeal | It is formed on the back wall of the pharynx due to suppuration of the lymph nodes and fiber of the pharyngeal space | Sharp pain when chewing and swallowing, nasal, nasal breathing, shortness of breath, high body temperature | Occurs independently with wounds of the pharyngeal mucosa or as a complication after influenza, measles, scarlet fever |
| slick | A localized collection of pus in an area of the body affected by tuberculosis | Not accompanied by an acute inflammatory reaction, no characteristic symptoms | It develops with osteoarticular tuberculosis. The course of the disease is very latent and slow, can last several months. |
| peripharyngeal | Limited purulent inflammation of the tissue of the peripharyngeal space | Severe sore throat, difficulty swallowing, trismus, discomfort when moving the head, high body temperature (up to 41 ° C), protrusion of the lateral wall of the pharynx | Occurs as a complication of inflammation or injury in the pharynx, middle ear, oral cavity |
| Postinjection | Develops at the injection site | Redness, swelling, fever, pain and discomfort when touching the abscess | Formed due to non-compliance with the rules for injection |
| Periodontal | Formed on the gum | Dizziness, loss of appetite, soreness, fever | Occurs after mechanical injuries of the oral cavity, inflammatory processes, poor-quality prosthetics or other dental services |
Possible complications
If an abscess is found on the surface of the skin, in no case do not remove it yourself. The opening of the abscess leads to scarring of the tissue and additional infection.
Complications arise only with untimely access to a specialist. Often, patients open an abscess on their own, mistaking it for acne, but this is strictly prohibited. For example, damage to the purulent capsule of the tooth can leave a scar on the cheek and significantly affect the aesthetic appearance of the skin. But scarring is not the worst complication. Much more serious is re-infection and the transition to new healthy tissue areas.
If an abscess forms in internal cavities (bones, muscles, organs), the risk of complications increases. Rupture of an abscess threatens with suffocation, development of bleeding, general infection of the blood and the whole organism. Can this be avoided? Yes. For any pathogenic symptoms that you cannot control, consult a doctor.
How to diagnose inflammation?
As soon as you feel a deterioration in the condition or notice an unusual formation on the skin, contact your doctor immediately. If the abscess is located on the surface, the diagnosis will not cause difficulties. But, to make sure the accuracy of the diagnosis, the doctor must prescribe additional examinations. The specialist collects an anamnesis, learns about the patient’s well-being and issues referrals for general clinical tests.
If an inflammatory process in the lungs or brain is suspected, computed tomography is prescribed. Ultrasound is most often prescribed to diagnose an abscess of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, the doctor may require a puncture (diagnostic puncture) followed by fluid sampling for examination.
Features of therapy and prevention
Abscesses are classified as surgical diseases, so most often they are removed during surgery. The therapy is based on opening the inflamed area under local / general anesthesia, removing purulent masses and antiseptic treatment of the cavity. Additionally, the doctor installs a drain that removes the remnants of purulent masses.
In addition to surgical treatment, doctors may use a conservative approach. After a comprehensive diagnosis and diagnosis, the specialist selects the necessary drug, its dosage and monitors the body’s reaction to the incoming substances. Most often, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs are prescribed. It should be understood that the list of drugs is selected for each specific case. Some patients will be fine with regular paracetamol, while others will need additional hormonal therapy. Before making a diagnosis, the patient must undergo a diagnosis. It includes laboratory tests and various types of studies (ultrasound, X-ray, computed tomography).
As a local treatment, a combination of hygienic and therapeutic measures is used. Hair is carefully removed from the affected area (most often shaved off) and treated daily with antiseptic solutions/symptomatic medications. At the end of therapy, the doctor may prescribe a course of vitamins or immunomodulators to speed up the recovery of the body. In addition, patients are advised to undergo physiotherapy, protect themselves from stress, and spend more time in the fresh air.
Is it possible to prevent the development of an abscess? It is impossible to predict inflammation. Its formation can be caused by hundreds of factors that do not depend on the patient himself. To reduce the risk of infection – carefully monitor hygiene, visit only trusted medical and cosmetology institutions, monitor the sterility of the devices used by the doctor. Compliance with the banal rules will really help maintain and strengthen the protective functions of the body. Don’t ignore them and stay healthy.
- Sources of
- Gostishchev VK Infections in surgery. – M.: GEOTAR-Media, 2014. – 768 p.
- Pods V. I. Guide to purulent surgery. – M.: Medicine, 1984. – 512 p.
- The site of the medical genetic center “Genomed”. – Ulcers on the skin.