How Does an Abscess Develop?

What is an Abscess?

An abscess is a pus filled lump that can be painful. It can appear swollen and red. They can develop externally or internally. An external abscess develops just underneath the skin and is easily visible. An internal abscess develops inside the body. Abscesses can develop almost anywhere in the body. Anyone can get an abscess but people with diabetes and compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of developing them.

Why Does an Abscess Develop?

An abscess develops as a result of the body trying to fight a bacterial infection and stop it from spreading. It is a defense mechanism of the body. The body sends white blood cells to fight and trap foreign bacteria. Toxins released from the bacteria destroys some of the surrounding body tissue. The pus that develops is an accumulation of dead white blood cells, dead bacteria and dead body tissue.

External Abscesses

External abscesses can occur anywhere on the skin. They develop when an open wound gets exposed to bacteria. The wound does not have to be large. Sometimes the wound is only a small scrape. Sweat and oil glands can also develop abscesses after exposure to bacteria. Bacteria is present on practically everything we touch. That is why it is important to keep an open would clean and covered to prevent bacterial contamination. Staphylococcus is a bacteria that commonly is responsible for abscess development.

Internal Abscesses

Internal abscesses can be difficult to diagnose because they are hidden inside of the body. Fortunately they are not very common. An internal abscess develops as a result of an infection in one of the organs. For example: A kidney infection can result in the development of an abscess on the kidney. Internal abscesses can also be caused by a bacterial infection that has spread into the bloodstream. When an infection has spread throughout the bloodstream, an abscess can develop anywhere in the body. For example: A person has a bacterial infection in the lungs that spreads throughout the bloodstream and an abscess develops in the brain.

Treatment

An abscess on the skin may go away without any treatment at all. When the body successfully fights off the bacteria, the would opens by itself, the pus drains, and the wound heals. Skin abscesses that don't heal by themselves or continue to get worse, need to be treated by a doctor. When the body is unable to fully kill the bacteria, the abscess grows larger and larger as the body continues the fight. A growing abscess requires medical treatment. A doctor will treat an abscess that is not healing unassisted, with either antibiotics or a small surgical procedure. Surgical treatment involves the doctor lancing the abscess and cleaning the bacteria out.

A doctor may suspect an internal abscess when a person has an internal infection and is experiencing pain. An ultrasound or x-ray can be done to diagnose an internal abscess. If one is found, the doctor will either treat it with antibiotics or surgical removal.

Prevention

Although abscess can't always be prevented, the risk of getting them can be reduced by following three guidelines.

1. Eat healthy to keep the immune system strong. A healthy immune system can better fight off infection.

2. Maintain good hygiene. Wash hands after touching something that could be contaminated with bacteria. Keep wounds clean and covered.

3. If bandaging another person's wound, do not allow the wound drainage to touch you. The pus from another person's wound can carry harmful bacteria.

Resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention