Causes and Treatments for a Neck Abscess
Simply put, a neck abscess is a sac of pus, usually the result of an infection, which is sometimes called a deep-neck infection or cervical abscess. The pus inside the tissue or structure of the neck continues to accumulate, which causes the neck abscess to become larger and more painful. Although rare, there have been cases when an abscess on the neck has grown so large that it actually pushed on the tongue, throat, or trachea.
In children several different types of abscess can develop. For instance, it could be a neck abscess called “retropharyngeal”, which means it has grown behind the pharynx. In this case, the abscess is usually associated with an upper respiratory infection. Another type is called “peritonsillar”, which develops in the tissue wall to the side of the tonsils. Of all types of neck abscess in older children or teenagers, this is the most common. Then, there is the “Ludwig’s angina”, which is on the mouth’s floor and in the tissue.
Usually, a neck abscess will form in association with a viral or bacterial infection specific to the neck or head. This could be anything from the common cold to a sinus infection to a middle ear infection. However, with the infection raging, it moves to the deep tissue spaces where pus accumulates, forming a mass (abscess) within the spaces. Although not as common, a neck abscess could also develop from a dust cyst, branchial cyst, or even infection from time of birth.
Most people become aware that something is going on when they begin to run a low-grade fever. Soon after, the throat becomes sore, red, and swollen, and pain would develop in the area of the neck abscess. Other possible symptoms include an earache, body aches and pains, chills, neck stiffness, and even trouble speaking, swallowing, or breathing. At that point, the individual needs to see a doctor.
To confirm the presence of a neck abscess, the doctor would conduct an examination and if the abscess were deep in the tissue or inside the mouth, diagnostic testing would be required. For this, a culture of the throat would be taken to detect infection, blood work, again to check for infection, x-ray that would possibly show the neck abscess on film, or a biopsy of the mass, which involves a needle removing a small amount of tissue to be reviewed under a microscope. If the neck abscess is larger or hard to detect, the doctor may also request an MRI or CAT scan.
Once a neck abscess has been confirmed, treatment options would be discussed. The exact treatment used would depend on a number of factors to include patient’s age, overall health, and any special medical conditions. Other considerations would be the length of time the abscess has been formed and even input from the patient. Often, doctors will start the person on oral antibiotics or if serious, intravenous antibiotics. It is common for a neck abscess to be drained. While some doctors will do this in the office, most prefer hospitalization to reduce risk of infection.