An abscess is a kind of skin crack which looks like a leak containing pus; one of the major discomforts of abscess is the inflation in the abscessed area surrounding tissues. Mostly abscess is formed due to certain localized infection. Abscess may occur in different parts of organ however, external abscess can be treated by localized treatment as well as it can be identified by symptoms, whereas only a doctor and relevant medical examination can identify an internal abscess problem.
Common sites for abscess are breast, peri-rectal region, gums, armpit, and groin area. The sites and the intensity of infection may differ from one patient to another.
The symptoms of abscess are mostly visible and a few of them are felt as associated complications. The intensity of complications also may vary from one person to another.
The affected area which is infected seems swollen, reddish in skin tone, and touch-sensitive; if touched one can feel the unusual warmth under the skin tone. An abscess is, in general painful, but the intensity of pain again differs from one person to another depending on the tolerance of an individual.
When an abscess gets matured, it forms a point and may come to create a head. In case of advanced stage of skin abscess, spontaneous rupture and pustular drainage may occur also as a part of its auto-drainage system. Therefore an abscess needs to be treated with utmost care and with proper medical intervention; arrangement of proper incision and drainage of the pus accumulated inside due to the infection is the general process for initial treatment of severe abscess. In Case an abscess left untreated, it may harm tissues at deeper level and may cause infection in bloodstream which may lead to septicemia.
In case of an abscess with severe infection concerned patient may feel a spell of headache, mild to moderate temperature, urge of vomiting on and on, muscular cramp, increasing pain, etc issues and at the same time the patient may feel restless due to increasing pain and irritation on the skin surface.
In some cases the patient with abscess may feel certain shivering or abnormal sweating on contrary due to extreme restlessness in body. However, unconditional restlessness is one of the major symptoms of severe abscess.
In case of minor abscess, proper care, localized application of antibiotic ointment may heal the infection whereas there are some complicated conditions which may demand better scale of alertness for prevention for further worsening of the case at the earliest hints of any of these discomforts.
Some of these alarming symptoms are fever, extreme redness of skin on the affected area, severe pain, visible swelling of the wound, tenderness, and certain kind of drainage out of the wound or the cavity of abscess. In these case it is necessary to contact a medical professional at the earliest.