Health Information : Brain Abscess

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What is Brain Abscess?

A Brain Abscess is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which there is pus-filled swelling in the brain. It occurs when bacteria or fungi enter the brain tissue through severe head injury or an infection somewhere else in the body.

What causes Brain Abscess?

There are three main ways in which Brain Abscess can develop, namely:

An infection occurring in other part of skull: ear infection, sinusitis, dental abscess spreading directly to brain

An infection occurring in another part of body: infection that causes pneumonia spreads to brain via blood

Severe head injury: it allows bacteria and fungi to enter through wounds to brain

What are the symptoms of Brain Abscess?

The various symptoms of Brain Abscess are:

• Severe headache usually in one section of head
• Confused state of mind
• Problems with nerve function like muscle weakness, paralysis on one side and slurred speech
• High fever
• Seizure
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stiff neck
• Blurred vision or double vision

How can Brain Abscess be treated?

A Brain Abscess calls for medical emergency and must be treated immediately because the swelling caused by the abscess can stop the blood & oxygen supply to brain. Moreover, abscess can also rupture and this can prove to be fatal.

Doctors will recommend a combination of medications (antibiotics or antifungals) and surgery to drain the pus out of the brain.