If an abscess is not treated effectively in its early stages, the patient is at risk of developing sepsis. An abscess is frequently the result of the body's natural response to a bacterial infection and sepsis develops when the immune system over-reacts to infection.
It also may progress into septicemia, a more serious blood infection that is always accompanied by symptoms such as chills, high fever, rapid heartbeat, severe nausea, vomiting and confusion.
While skin abscesses are usually harmless, rare cases can lead to: Infection that spreads from the abscess throughout the body, and can be life-threatening. Sepsis, or blood poisoning. Additional skin abscesses.
If you have a fever and swelling in your face and you can't reach your dentist, go to an emergency room. Also go to the emergency room if you have trouble breathing or swallowing. These symptoms may indicate that the infection has spread deeper into your jaw, throat or neck or even to other areas of your body.
Emergency medical care could be in order if the abscess is accompanied by a fever higher than 101°F or if the abscess measures more than half an inch. If red streaks radiate from a possible infection site, seek medical attention right away.
Abscesses can develop relatively quickly - as little as one or two days after the first signs of infection. They may progress undetected and therefore untreated, and develop for months or even years.
High heart rate or weak pulse. Fever, shivering, or feeling very cold. Confusion or disorientation. Shortness of breath.
Sepsis can develop quickly from initial infection and progress to septic shock in as little as 12 to 24 hours.1 You may have an infection that's not improving or you could even be sick without realizing it.
If your symptoms persist or worsen despite over-the-counter treatments, or you have a fever and high levels of pain with an abscess, seek medical help at once. These situations require immediate attention in order to prevent further infections or serious complications in other parts of your body such as organ failure.
The decision of discharge was depended on the patient's condition. Most patients were discharged when their conditions became stable for 3 days after using systemic antibiotics or abscess drainage. If there was any complication happened, the hospital stay would be extended till the problem was solved.
It may appear red, raised and swollen. The skin over the center of the abscess may be thin. It may look yellow or white because there's pus underneath the surface of your skin. The abscess may feel tender and warm to the touch.
An abscess can primarily present in four basic syndromes viz. focal mass expansion, intra-cranial hypertension, diffuse destruction, focal neurological deficit. There are marked variation in clinical symptoms and signs.
It can lead to sepsis, the body's reaction to the infection, which can cause organ damage and even death.
Sepsis happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.
Sepsis can overwhelm the body. This can cause vital organs to shut down. This usually starts with the kidneys. Blood pressure can drop dangerously low.
Organ failure, including kidney failure, is a hallmark of sepsis. As the body is overwhelmed, its organs begin to shut down, causing even more problems. The kidneys are often among the first to be affected.
As sepsis worsens or septic shock develops, an early sign, particularly in older people or the very young, may be confusion or decreased alertness. Blood pressure decreases, yet the skin is paradoxically warm. Later, extremities become cool and pale, with peripheral cyanosis and mottling.
The condition can arise suddenly and progress quickly, and it's often hard to recognize. Sepsis was once commonly known as “blood poisoning.” It was almost always deadly. Today, even with early treatment, sepsis kills about 1 in 5 affected people.
Blood tests may reveal the following signs suggestive of sepsis: Elevated or low white blood cells – Higher than usual levels of leukocytes, known as white blood cells (WBCs), are a sign of a current infection, while too few WBCs indicate that a person is at higher risk of developing one.
NICE - the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - urges hospital staff to treat people with life-threatening sepsis within one hour, in its quality standard. In clinical practice, this is often referred to as the 'golden hour' after diagnosis.
The symptoms and signs of cutaneous and subcutaneous abscesses are pain, heat, swelling, tenderness, and redness. If superficial abscesses are ready to spontaneously rupture, the skin over the center of the abscess may thin, sometimes appearing white or yellow because of the underlying pus (termed pointing).
A skin abscess would normally eventually burst on to the skin surface and let out the pus. This may be after it becomes larger and more painful. So surgical drainage is usually best. However, a small boil may burst and heal without treatment.