Need emergency help? Call 999 in United Kingdom.

Open local help

Brain abscess

A brain abscess is a pus-filled swelling in the brain. It's a rare and life-threatening condition, usually caused by infection or a severe head injury.

About this information

This NHS content is written for people in England. Services, entitlements and contact routes may differ in other countries.

A brain abscess is a pus-filled swelling in the brain. It's a rare and life-threatening condition, usually caused by infection or a severe head injury.

Content supplied by the NHS website

Content supplied by the NHS website, refreshed 20 August 2026. View the original NHS article ↗

Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 ↗. MyPHU is independent and is not endorsed by the NHS.