Abscess

 An abscess is an enclosed collection of liquefied tissue,known as pus, somewhere in the body. It is the result of the body’s defensive reaction to foreign material. There are two types of abscesses, septic and sterile. Most abscesses are septic, which means that they are the result of an infection. Septic abscesses can occur anywhere in the body. Only a germ and the body’s immune response are required. In response to the invading germ, white blood cells gather at the infected site and begin producing chemicals called enzymes that attack the germ by digesting it. These enzymes act like acid, killing the germs and breaking them down into small pieces that can be picked up by the circulation and eliminated from the body. Unfortunately, these chemicals also digest body tissues. In most cases, the germ produces similar chemicals. The result is a thick, yellow liquid—pus—containing digested germs, digested tissue, white blood cells, and enzymes. An abscess is the last stage of a tissue infection that begins with a process called inflammation. Initially, as the invading germ activates the body’s immune system, several events occur:

• Blood flow to the area increases.

• The temperature of the area increases due to the increased blood supply.

• The area swells due to the accumulation of water, blood, and other liquids.

• It turns red.

• It hurts, because of the irritation from the swelling and the chemical activity.

These four signs—heat, swelling, redness, and pain—charac¬terize inflammation.