Definition
Abscess is a bag containing a collection of pus in certain parts of the body. The body experiencing abscess will hurt. Abscess is generally caused by bacterial infection and can arise in any part of the body. In general, abscess is divided into 2, namely:
- Skin abscess, which is abscess formed under the skin
- Internal abscess, which is an abscess that is formed in the body, namely in the internal organs, or in the space between organs
When the body is infected, the immune system will try to fight the infection. Infection resistance is mainly carried out by white blood cells that will gather in infected areas. White blood cell reactions to the infection can cause inflammation. Nanah will form in the inflammation process. Nanah is a mixture of white blood cells that are still alive or dead, germs, and dead body tissue.
Skin abscess is easy to detect because it generally looks reddish, prominent, and hurts. Absos formed on the inside of the body may not be clearly visible and can damage the organs.
Cause
Most of the abscess is caused by bacterial infection Staphylococcus sp- When bacteria enter the body, the immune system will send white blood cells to fight infection. This causes swelling, inflammation, and tissue death around the infection site.
As a result of inflammation, a cavity will be formed that will be filled with pus and form abscess. Nanah contains a mixture of dead tissue, white blood cells and bacteria. Abscess can become bigger and more painful when infection continues and produce more pus.
Some types of bacteria Staphylococcus sp. produce a poison called the Panton-Valentine leukucidin (PVL) toxine which can kill white blood cells. This plays a role in the onset of repeated infections. Therefore, the body needs to make more white blood cells continue to fight infection. In rare cases. abscess can be caused by viruses, fungi or parasites.
Skin abscess
Skin abscess is formed when there are excess bacteria under the skin. The abscess of the skin can occur in any part of the body, although it tends to be found more frequently in armpits, hands, feet, genitals, and buttocks.
Bacteria can enter the skin and cause abscess if you have skin scars, even though the wound is small and invisible to the eye. Bacteria can also enter through the hair roots or through oil glands and clogged sweat glands.
Internal abscess
Internal abscess is an abscess that forms in the organs in the body. For example, abscess in the stomach cavity can occur due to injuries, stomach surgery, or infections that spread from the area around the stomach, such as lung abscess that spreads to the stomach. Pulmonary abscess can be formed after bacterial infection in the lungs, such as pneumonia.
Risk Factors
Factors that increase the risk of abscess include:
- Has a weak immune system, such as in HIV patients or those undergoing chemotherapy treatment
- Suffering from diabetes
- There is inflammation in one part of the body, such as suppurtiva hydrodenitis, namely inflammation in areas that have hair and sweat glands such as armpits.
- Become a bacterial carrier Staphylococcus sp.
Symptoms
Skin abscess
Signs and symptoms of skin abscess include:
- Soft swelling under the skin
- Pain and pain in areas experiencing and beyond
- Touched warm and reddish
- Seen a buildup of white or yellow pus under the skin
- Fever
- Mengil
Bisul is an example of the most common skin abscess.
Internal abscess
Abscess that develop in the organ or in the space between organs is more difficult to diagnose than skin abscesses because they cannot be seen directly and their symptoms tend not to be typical.
Symptoms of internal abscess also vary depending on the location. For example, heart abscess can cause yellow disease (smallness and yellowing eyes), while lung abscess or around the lungs can cause cough or shortness of breath.
Common symptoms of internal abscess include:
- Feeling uncomfortable in the abscess area
- Fever
- Excessive sweat
- Feeling unwell
- Pain in the area that is experiencing
- Mengil
- Pain or swelling in the area that is experiencing
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Diagnosed
Skin abscess
If you have skin abscess, the doctor will check the area you are experiencing and ask about the duration of your abscess, history of injury or injury in the abscess area, and other symptoms you feel.
The pus sample will be taken from abscess and sent to the laboratory for specific bacterial testing that causes abscess, so that it can help with the best treatment selection.
If you have more than one skin abscess, you can do a blood sugar test which is a sign of diabetes. People with diabetes have a higher risk of experiencing skin abscess.
If you experience repeated boils and abscess, the doctor will ask for further bacterial examinations to see if the bacteria produce the Panton-Valentine leukucidin (PVL) toxine.
Internal abscess
Abses that develop in the body are more difficult to diagnose than skin abscesses because they are not visible. Doctors will ask about your overall symptoms and health condition. If necessary, you can be referred to a more complete health facility for further examination.
Laksana Procedure
There are several ways of treatment and abscess therapy, depending on the type and size. The main treatment options for abscess are antibiotics, drainage procedures or taking out pus, and surgery.
Abses kulit
Some small skin abscesses can dry up on their own and improve without the need for treatment. The warm compress in areas experiencing can reduce swelling and speed up healing. However, compress fabrics must be washed clean after use and not used by others to avoid the spread of infection.
In greater or residential skin abscesses, doctors can prescribe antibiotics to treat and prevent the spread of infection.
However, antibiotics alone are sometimes not enough to treat skin abscesses and it is necessary to do pus drainage to cure infections. If the pus is not issued, the abscess will continue to grow and fill more and more pus until it breaks. If this happens, it will feel very painful and cause infections to spread or recur.
Incision and Drainage
If skin abscess needs to be derained, you need to undergo a small operation with local anesthetic to remove the pus. Doctors will also take nanosample samples to be examined in the laboratory.
Internal abscess
In internal abscess, the pus needs to be removed or derained. Drainage can use a needle inserted through the skin (drainase abscess) or with surgery. The method used depends on the size and location of the abscess.
Drainage procedures will be combined with antibiotics to kill bacteria and prevent the spread of infection. Antibiotics are given in the form of tablets or through blood vessels (injections).
Percutancing drainage
If the internal abscess is small in size, the doctor can remove the pus using a fine needle. This procedure can be done with local or total anesthetic, depending on the location of the abscess. The surgeon used ultrasound to help steer the needle to the right place. After the abscess was found, the surgeon removed the nanosorpt using a needle.
Doctors can also create small incisions on the abscess to insert a thin plastic tube called a drainage catheter into it. Kateters help the pus flow out and into the shelter bag. As with the incision and drainage procedures in skin abscesses, the drainage of the percussion can leave small scars.
Badminton
Or surgery needs to be done if:
- Internal abscess is too big to be drainage with fine needles
- Jarok tidak dapat mencapai abses dengan aman
- The needle drainage is ineffective to eliminate all pus
Types of operations depend on the type and location of internal abscess. Generally, operating procedures are carried out by creating larger incisions on the skin to remove pus.
Complications
In some cases, skin abscess can cause complications, such as:
- Formed carbunkel or multiple abscess
- Fever and swelling of lymph nodes
- Endocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle
- Gangren atau kematian jaringan pada area abses
- Osteomitis or bone infection
- Infections spread throughout the body through blood vessels or lymph nodes and can be life-threatening. Infections that spread throughout the body through blood flow are called sepsis
- Treatment will be more difficult if infection is caused by MRSA bacteria
Prevention
Obsession prevention can be done via:
- Regularly washing hands with soap and running water
- Not sharing towels and clothes with other people
- Waiting for the abscess of the skin to actually heal before using equipment or public facilities such as gymnastics equipment,guides, or swimming pools
- Don't press the abscess by hand because it will spread bacteria to other areas of the skin
- If you use tissue to clean the pus, throw the tissue into the trash properly so as not to spread the bacteria. Wash your hands after cleaning the pus and throwing the tissue
- Be careful when shaving hair on the face, legs, armpits, or area above the genitals so as not to injure the skin of the area
- Clean and treat well if the wound is small
- Immediately seek medical help if you have a stab wound, especially if you are suspected of having dirt or foreign objects in the wound; the wound is caused by human, insect, or animal bites; you have one of the risk of abscess; or are in steroid treatment or chemotherapy.
- A healthy and balanced diet
- Maintaining ideal weight
- Quit smoking
It is difficult to prevent internal abscess because it is often caused by complications of other health conditions.
When Do You Have To Go To A Doctor?
Consult to the doctor if you experience signs and symptoms of abscess as mentioned above.
Immediately seek medical help if experiencing:
- Signs of serious illness, such as fever
- Repeated abscess
- Abses with a weak immune condition or having a chronic disease, such as diabetes.
Want to know information about other diseases? Check here, yes!
- dr Anita Larasati Priyono
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