Why Can Pus Appear in the Body? How to handle it?
The appearance of pus in the body indicates something is wrong with you. Pus usually develops when you are sick. However, what is the real cause of pus?
The cause of pus appears in the body
Pus is a yellowish or brownish yellow liquid as a result of your body's immune system reaction when fighting infection. The infection will cause pus when bacteria or fungi enter your body through the injured skin, inhaled from coughing or sneezing, and the body is not clean.
Many types of infections can cause pus. Infections that occur due to exposure to Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes are the most common causes of pus.
Pus contains protein and white blood cells die. If the buildup is on or near the surface of the skin, it is called a pustule. The accumulation of pus fluid in a closed tissue is called an abscess.
Why pus has a different color?
The pus color which is whitish white, yellow, yellow-brown, and greenish is the result of the accumulation of dead white blood cells.
However, pus can sometimes be green because some white blood cells produce a green antibacterial protein called myeloperoxide. The causative bacterium is Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing a green pigment called pyocyanin.
Yellowish fluid caused by infection caused by P. aeruginosa is very foul-smelling. If blood enters the affected area, yellowish or greenish color may become reddish.
Pus appears on the incision after surgery, is it normal?
Pus is a sign of infection. The appearance of pus in the surgical incision scar indicates postoperative complications in the form of infection. This condition is also called surgical site infection (SSI). According to John Hopkins Medicine, people who have surgery have 1-3 percent chance of getting this infection.
SSI can influence anyone who has been operated on, but there are some things that can increase the risk. SSI risk factors include:
- Have diabetes
- Smoke
- Obesity
- Surgical procedure that lasts more than two hours.
- Has a condition that weakens the immune system.
- Undergoing treatments that weaken the immune system, such as chemotherapy.
- Symptoms of SSI include redness, warmth around the location of surgery, pus flowing from the wound, and fever.
How to treat pus?
Treating pus depends on how serious the infection causes it. For small pus boils on the surface of the skin, you can compress it with warm water to help remove pus. Do it for a few minutes several times a day.
Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics or ointments to apply to the site of infection. Antibiotics help white blood cells attack the infection so that it speeds up the healing process and prevents further complications with infection.
Make sure you don't break the boil by squeezing it. Doing so will push pus deeper into your skin. It can also cause new wounds and can develop into other infections.
For abscesses that are deeper, bigger, or harder to reach, you need medical help. A doctor can remove it with a needle or make a small incision to let the abscess dry. If the abscess is very large, the doctor may insert a drainage tube.
For deeper or difficult infections, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for you.
