Crystal Wind AromaworX

Digestive System

The appendix is a thin worm-shaped pouch that projects out from the first part of the colon. It is believed that the appendix helps in the immune system of the intestinal tract, and is therefore more likely to become infected, just as tonsils are in the throat.

N.W. Walker, DSC, writes in Become Younger,

The function of the appendix is to provide a secretion which prevents the feces from remaining stationary in the colon; at the same time its secretion neutralizes excessive putrefactive bacteria, in much the same way that the tonsils protect the throat.”

In appendicitis, bacteria get into the appendix and it becomes swollen, inflamed and filled with pus. It has a tendency to flare up quickly, and can develop into a life-threatening emergency within hours. Usually, the trigger for appendicitis is unknown. The pain of appendicitis usually starts around the navel area. As it progresses, there is usually terrible cramping pains accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. When the pain finally extends to the lower right corner of the abdomen, the inflammation is full-blown and requires immediate medical attention. The danger of acute appendicitis is that the pus-filled appendix can burst, spilling bacteria into the abdominal cavity.

Integumentary System

An abscess is a localized inflamed swelling containing pus. They occur when the skin becomes infected with the Staphylococcus pyogenes bacteria, often because the body is under stress. Abscesses can develop externally on the skin, and they can also occur internally in the mouth or on other mucous membranes - these should be referred for qualified medical treatment. Treatments locally on the skin will generally involve hot compresses or poultices to draw out the toxic waste matter; recurrent abscesses often indicate a weakened immune system.

A boil is an acute inflamed and infected area on the skin, often in a blocked hair follicle. If a number of boils occur together, they may produce a large inflamed lump with several pus-filled "heads"; this is known as a carbuncle. A stye is a boil occurring in the base of an eyelash.