Q-I say an abscess is best left untouched to heal itself. My husband insists that abcesses must be opened as soon as they are ripe to prevent the spread of poisons through the body.
A-Your husband gets the nod on this one. Abscesses are collections of pus beneath the skin, formed by collection of white cells assembled to fight an invading bacterial infection.
Abscesses may begin as cellulitis, which is an inflammation within the solid tissue noted by the redness, heat, swelling and tenderness that accompany the inflammation. As the tissue dies, a space is created that becomes filled with tissue fluids, white cells, bacteria and parts of the destroyed cells, forming pus and creating the abscess.
Abscesses can grow larger and larger, destroying adjacent tissue and eroding blood vessels. When the bacteria get into the bloodstream (septicemia), the infection may spread to all parts of the body. By incising (cutting into) an abscess, the contents may be drained away, reducing the pressure inside the abscess and reducing the chances of spreading infection. Once the pus is removed, it permits the body's own power to repair itself to begin to function and heal the wound. When an abscess appears somewhere on your body, it's time to consult a physician, who may be able to further protect your system by prescribing the appropriate antibiotic to help fight the infection.
Blisters, however, are another thing.
The fluid inside a blister is sterile and the tissue beneath the liquid pad formed by the blister is damaged by trauma. The blister functions just as a cushion would and protects the area from further damage. Therefore, it should not be drained but covered by a thick bandage to add another layer of protection to the injury.
ACROSS MY DESK: During the past five years, the number of cholesterol-lowering prescriptions have risen steadily, according to epidemiologist Margaret Mushinski, in an article in the latest Statistical Bulletin, which is a quarterly journal published by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
There are four major cholesterol-lowering prescription drugs (lovastatin, gemfibrozil, cholestyramine and probucol) as well as nicotinic acid, which may be sold either over-the-counter or by prescription.
In 1992, more than 26 million prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs (exclusive of nicotinic acid) were dispensed in the United States.
Cholesterol-reducing drugs also accounted for 3.7 percent of the total pharmaceutical market as of 1992, with a retail value in excess of $1.5 billion.
Write to Dr. Bruckheim in care of the Chicago Tribune, Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611.