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Abscess
An abscess is a well-defined collection of pus that has escaped from blood vessels
and has been deposited on tissues or in tissue surfaces. This is usually associated
with swelling and other signs of inflammation. Abscess is also used to refer to an
opening within solid tissue that is formed by the death of tissue that has transitioned to
a partly or completely liquid substance after being digested by enzymes. An enzyme is
a type of protein that helps produce chemical reactions in the body.
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Abscesses can be extremely painful, particularly if one is under a tooth and the pressure
from the pus compresses on a nerve. An example of an abscess is an alveolar abscess,
which is located in part of the jaw. Another example is a cheesy abscess, which is filled
with a cheese-like consistency.
A cholangitic abscess is a type of abscess in the liver. A bicameral abscess is an
abscess with two separate cavities or chambers. A bursal abscess is the formation or
discharge of pus within a bursa (fluid-filled sac or sac-like cavity).
A chronic abscess is one that has been present for a long time whereas an acute
abscess is one that occurs suddenly. Acute abscesses are generally much more painful.
Chronic abscesses are often also referred to as cold abscesses because they often do
not present with heat, redness, fever, significant pain, or inflammation. A dry abscess is
the dry remains of an abscess after the pus is absorbed.
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An abscess is caused by an infection (usually via bacteria or
parasites) or the presence of other foreign substances in the
body such as a splinter. A parasite is any organism that lives in or
on another living being, gains an advantage by doing so, but
causes disadvantage to the being it is living on. The formation of
an abscess is actually a way the body tries to defend itself
because it is an attempt to prevent the spread of infection to
other parts of the body. Abscesses are usually treated with
surgery, other forms of removal, drainage, and/or medication
(antibiotics). Abscess comes from the Latin word “abscessus”
meaning “a going away.”