Subareolar Abbreviations:
ABS – Acute subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (acquired infection)
ACS – Acute cerebellar syndrome (injury)
Symptoms of Subareolar Abscess:
The following are some common symptoms of subareolar abscess. They may occur after any type of trauma or even from minor injuries like cuts and scrapes. These symptoms may not be present immediately but they will become apparent later.
Headache
Nausea/Vomiting
Diarrhea/Constipation
Weakness and Fatigue
Fever/Chills (High fever)
Causes of Subareolar Abscess:
There are several causes of subareolar abscess. Most commonly it occurs due to trauma. Other causes include:
Infection caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses
Trauma from falling down stairs, being hit by a car etc.
Overuse of sports equipment such as basketballs, footballs and baseball bats causing a blow to the head causing brain injury (TBI). TBI is one of the most common causes of subareolar abscess. If left untreated it may lead to permanent damage to your brain. This can compromise your mental abilities and even cause death.
Risk Factors for Subareolar Abscess:
Below are some of the risk factors which may make one more prone to subareolar abscess.
Diabetes
Having had a subareolar abscess in the past
Long-term steroid use
History of head trauma or brain injury
Multiple sclerosis or other neurological diseases
Cancer causing damage or pressure to your brain or its surrounding area. This can include many different types of cancers affecting many different parts of your body.
Treating Subareolar Abscess:
There are several ways to treat subareolar abscess. The method used will depend upon the patient and the cause of their abscess. It is important that medical professionals determine what is causing your abscess so that they can treat the underlying cause rather than just the symptom (abscess).
Some of the treatments used to help treat subareolar abscess include:
Antibiotics to fight infection
Surgery to drain the abscess and remove any damaged tissue
Steroid treatment
Drug treatment for multiple sclerosis etc.
Lifestyle changes such as losing weight if you are obese, giving up smoking or other harmful habits etc.
If you have a subareolar abscess it is important that you seek medical attention right away. Delaying treatment can make your abscess worse and more difficult to treat.
Figures: Subareolar abscess male
Fig. 1: The picture shows the male subareolar abscess.
Common Treatments for Subareolar Abscess:
Antibiotics: These are drugs that fight bacteria. They can be given intravenously or taken orally depending upon the severity of the abscess.
Steroids: In some cases of subareolar abscess, doctors may prescribe steroids. These drugs decrease inflammation throughout the body.
Surgery: In some severe cases of subareolar abscess, surgery may be necessary to drain pus and kill infected tissue.
Lifestyle Changes: Losing weight if you are obese, stopping smoking and changing other harmful habits can decrease your chances of getting a subareolar abscess in the future.
Prevention of Subareolar abscess:
Below are some ways to prevention of subareolar abscess:
Always wash your hands before working with food. Keep your work area clean and sanitized.
Change needles after first use.
Be careful when using knives and other tools that could potentially tear the skin.
Wear gloves when working with anything that could potentially cause an infection such as animal feces or bodily fluids.
Treating the underlying condition causing subareolar abscess:
There are several different conditions that can cause subareolar abscess. Below are some of the more common ones and how to treat them:
Diabetes: Diabetes can cause high levels of glucose in the blood. Glucose is absorbed into the blood by the tissues in the body and is also removed by the liver. Cells that have a difficult time digesting glucose such as in the case of diabetes, often absorb it causing high levels of glucose in these tissues. When skin suffers from high levels of glucose it causes it to become thicker and more prone to infection and damage.
Multiple Sclerosis: This is a disease of the central nervous system causing inflammation and damage. Some symptoms of multiple sclerosis include vision problems, paralysis, loss of sensation and memory loss. It is known to affect the brain and spinal cord but it can also affect other organs and systems in the body.
Treating Cancer: There are several different treatment types for cancer such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and immunotherapy. Each one of these treatments helps to either cure or relieve the symptoms of cancer.
Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis is a contagious disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lungs but can also affect other organs such as the kidneys, spine and brain. Common symptoms of tuberculosis include fever, night sweats, loss of appetite and weight, fatigue, and coughing.
Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs which causes them to fill with liquid, mucus and air sacs. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi and even parasites. Pneumonia causes difficulty breathing and can be deadly if not treated right away.
Pericarditis: This is a condition affecting the pericardium, the sac that holds the heart. Common symptoms of pericarditis include chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue.
Anaplasmosis: This is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria called Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It can affect the heart, liver, spleen and other organs. Common symptoms of anaplasmosis include fever, chills, sweats, chest pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: This is a disease of the blood and skin caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii. It affects the blood, intestines, kidneys, liver and brain. Some common symptoms of rocky mountain spotted fever include fever, headache, rash, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Ovarian Cancer: This is a cancer that starts in the ovaries and causes them to dysfunction. Common symptoms of ovarian cancer include difficulty eating, pain in the abdomen and back, loss of appetite, weight loss and feeling full quickly, excessive thirst and urination and constipation or diarrhea.
Cervical Cancer: This is a type of uterine cancer that starts in the cervix. Some common symptoms of cervical cancer include vaginal bleeding after menopause, unusual periods, vaginal discharge, pain during sexual activity and pelvic pain.
Pancreatic Cancer: This is a cancer that starts in the pancreas and causes it to malfunction. The pancreas produces hormones and enzymes that are vital to digestion. Common symptoms of pancreatic cancer include jaundice caused by bile leakage, diabetes, weight loss, loss of appetite and back pain.
Testicular Cancer: This is a type of cancer that occurs in the testicles.
Sources & references used in this article:
Anaerobic subareolar breast abscess by SJ Eykyn, B Corrin, RD Leach, I Phillips – The Lancet, 1979 – Elsevier
An association of cigarette smoking with recurrent subareolar breast abscess by P SCHÄFER, C FÜRRER… – International journal of …, 1988 – academic.oup.com
Pathogenesis-based treatment of recurring subareolar breast abscesses by MM Meguid, A Oler, PJ Numann, S Khan – Surgery, 1995 – Elsevier
