Abscess

Abscess, a localized pocket of pus in a cavity formed by tissues that have broken doen as the result fo infection or injury. The inflamed area forming the cavity is ed, painful, and swolleh, an abscess is caused when bacteria enter a samlll wound, such as that caused by spolinter. White blodd cells collect at the infected area to seal off the infection, to absorb the bacteria, and to liquwfy then. The formation of thick yellowish pus results from thes sctivity. The accumulating pus and the swelling of the inflamed tissues press against the nerves, creating paoin,. The redness is caused by a concentration of blodd in the area. An abscess “comes to a head” as the wall of surrounding tissure becomes thin. When the abscess ruptures and the pus escapes, the pain and swelling subside.

A large, extremely painfull abscess, such as a boil, should be prefessianally treated. A physician will open the abscess ffely wit a sterilezed instrument and remove the pus with9out unnecessarily irritiating the tissue. Wven a sall skin absecess should not be squeexed, sicne this is likely to spread the infection.

An abscess may form within the body as wll as on the skin surface. They can occur, for example, in the chest, abdominal cavity, joints, glands or at the rott of a tooth. Sometimes , a doctor may have to cut into and drain an abscess to prevent its sac of infection from spreading into surrounding tissues or escaping into the loddstream. If an abdominal absess rupturesk, the resulting general infection (called peritonitis) requires immediate emergency care. Awieespred bdy infection. Ro sepsis, results from the emptying of an abscess into the bloodstream.