Abscess is an infectious process usually caused by bacteria or parasites or other foreign materials such as splinters, bullet wounds, broken tooth or injecting needles. Which is an accumulation of pus normally caused by bacterial infection, and a defensive reaction of the tissue to prevent the spread of infectious to other parts of the body. White blood cells come and attack the bacteria. White blood cells is the body’s defenders against infection, accumulate pus. The body then builds a tissue wall around the pus to keep any remaining bacteria from spreading.

There are various types of abscesses depending on the part of the body such as abscess boils, spinal abscess, skin abscess, liver abscess, tooth abscess, brain abscess, Perianal abscesses, and amebic liver abscess.

Symptoms and Signs of Abscess

• Any kind of inflammatory process are redness , heat , swelling, pain or fever.
• Abscesses may occur on solid tissue but most frequently on skin surface (where they may be superficial pustules (boils) or deep skin abscesses, in the lungs, brain, teeth, kidneys and tonsils.
• An abscess could potentially be fatal if it compresses vital structures such as the trachea in the context of a deep neck abscess.
• Abscessed tooth: pain in the affected tooth and severe pain when touching, biting and chewing, red, tender swelling of the gum over the root of the tooth and loosening of the affected tooth, release of foul-tasting pus into the mouth, If the infection spreads to surrounding tissues, your face may become swollen and fever can develop.

Treatment of Abscess

• Incision and drainage: Doctor will identify the cause of abscess, if the problems are caused by an object, which may require their removal. If foreign objects are not the cause, a doctor will incise and drain the abscess and then prescribe painkillers and possibly antibiotics. If abscess has developed from a harder serous inflammation to a softer pus stage, sugical drainage of abscess may needed.
• Antibiotics: an anti-staphylococcus antibiotic such as flucloxacillin or dicloxacillin is used for Staphylococcus aureus bacteria is most common cause of abscess.
• Magnesium sulfate paste: is considered as home remedy for absccess such as boils, This works by drawing the infected pus to the surface of the skin before rupturing and leaking out.
• Perianal abscess: are required medical treatment such as an incision and debridement or lancing. Perianal abscesses will start as an internal wound caused by ulceration or hard stool. This wound typically becomes infected as a result of the normal presence of feces in the rectal area, and then develops into an abscess.
• Tooth abscess or root abscess: is pus enclosed in the tissues of the jaw bone at the tip of an infected tooth. Usually the abscess originates from a bacterial infection that has accumulated in the soft pulp of the tooth. This is usually, but not always, associated with a dull, throbbing, excruciating ache. Successful treatment of a dental abscess centers on the reduction and elimination of the offending organisms. If the tooth can be restored, root canal therapy can be performed. Nonrestorable teeth must be extracted.