Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
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Symptoms of Abscess
Symptoms often depend on whereabouts in the body the abscess occurs.
A skin abscess may appear as an open wound or sore, or as a smooth lump under the skin. The area may be warm and tender to touch. People with white or pale skin may notice that the skin around the area is reddened.
A tooth abscess usually causes severe toothache. This may be a sharp or throbbing pain and becomes worse when you chew. If you have a tooth abscess, you may notice a bitter taste in your mouth and your breath may begin to smell bad. Tooth abscesses can also cause fever (high temperature), shivers and general aches and pains. In very serious cases, the upper or lower jaw, or the glands in the neck may become swollen. If this occurs, you should get urgent medical attention or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
Abscess in other parts of the body, such as the liver, anus, rectum, vagina, tonsils, brain and spinal cord, are less obvious. However, there is often pain in the affected area and a general feeling of illness, with fever, sweats, chills and general aches and pains. Abscesses in the brain or spinal cord can affect your mental health, causing drowsiness or confusion for example. Any symptoms that affect your mental health require urgent medical attention.
