what does abscess mean
An abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed. Abscesses occur when an area of tissue becomes infected and the body's immune system tries to fight it. White blood cells (WBCs) move through the walls of the blood vessels into the area of the infection and collect in the damaged tissue. During this process, pus forms.