Having a brain, aka cerebral, abscess means an enclosed mass exists in a region of your brain because tissue formed a sac around a collection of foreign material. This material is usually made up of white blood cells, pus, infectious organisms and other matter as a consequence of an infection. The formation of a brain abscess is rare.
An abscess in the brain typically is caused by the spread of a bacteria or fungus from an infection in another part of your body They ordinarily gain entry through the blood or an adjacent infected site, particularly from an ear, mastoid, sinus or tooth. Although pathogens causing a cerebral abscess can enter via a penetrating injury or surgical site as well. As such, certain other conditions put you at a higher risk for developing a brain abscess, including:
- meningitis
- mastoiditis
- head injury
- jaw infection
- skull fracture
- tooth abscess
- chronic sinusitis
- chronic otitis media
- congenital heart disease
An abscess in your brain is an extremely serious health condition because the mass and accompanying inflammation can put pressure on delicate brain tissue, interfere with blood flow supplying nutrients to your brain or rupture, further complicating an already life threatening situation.
Headache is the most common symptom caused by a brain abscess. This may be your only symptom, which is usually felt on one side, not relieved by aspirin or other painkillers and tends to worsen. Some other general symptoms are fever, mental changes and unilateral or isolated weakness or paralysis. Otherwise, abscess in the brain symptoms vary depending on its location, including:
When left untreated, a brain abscess can cause permanent brain damage or death.
Typical cerebral abscess treatments are drugs, surgery or both. Medication options include antibiotics and antifungals to fight infection, and in some cases diuretics and steroids to help reduce swelling. A shunt may be place in your brain to drain fluid of hydrocephalus. Under certain circumstances, e.g. large abscess causing excessive pressure, surgery might be required. Surgery may involve draining the abscess or removing it if possible. After surgery you could suffer permanent neurological problems.