An abscess is a localized infection on any part of the body or organ, whereby there is inflammation, swelling, pus formation, and painfulness, with or without other signs of infection.

An abscess is essentially caused by infection, largely bacterial infection. It can also be caused by parasite infection. An abscess may be caused or triggered by a foreign body or physical trauma or injury.

An abscess is a sign of the body's reaction to infection or trauma. It is a sign of the body's defense mechanism at work whereby an army of white blood cells starts fighting against the infection or foreign body and leads to pus formation. In this process, there will be inflammation, swelling, pain, and even fever.

A condition of frequent abscesses, especially on the skin, is a common phenomenon, suggesting an underlying faulty immune system. In such cases, the underlying immunity calls for treatment besides addressing local infection as a stand-alone problem.

Abscesses can occur on any part of the body or organ. Some common sites are Skin, mouth, liver, lungs, bones, appendix, mouth, spine, nose, sinus, tonsils, etc. It depends on the individual tendency to catch the infection, which is governed by the genetic predisposition.

The most common symptoms are pain, swelling, redness, pus formation, discharge, and fever. Also, depending on the site of an abscess, some symptoms may vary. For example, in the case of an abscess of the brain, there will be neurological symptoms; and likewise. If the infection is severe and uncontrolled, there is a possibility of its spread to other parts of the body. Severe infection may lead to a serious condition called septicemia.