Page 9 - The Autoimmune Protocol

The Autoimmune Protocol

The swelling in the area around the splinter may also work to help push it out of the body.
Many people think that they need to immediately get a splinter out of the body when they
get one, but you may be surprised how fast the body works on its own to push it out.
Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to remove a foreign object if you can to help remove
the bacteria that may be on it. If a bacteria-laden splinter remains lodged in the skin and
the histamine response doesn’t work as well as it should to eliminate invaders, the body
has other means of dealing with the problem.

Phagocytes come to the rescue. Phagocytes are cells in our bodies that work to ingest
foreign substances. In addition to phagocytes, B and T cells can help as well. These
amazing cells have specialized jobs in response to specific bacteria or viruses that are
encountered. Certain B and T cells are triggered, and then begin to multiply to fight the
bacteria or virus. Another amazing aspect of these cells is that they actually remember the
invaders in the future, and will be more ready if exposed to them a second time, providing
the body with immunity!

The results of the body working to fight the invaders in the skin may be noticed by the
evidence of pus around an affected area. Pus is a white, yellow, or brownish (sometimes
green if the infection is bad) substance that collects around an infected area. It is
comprised of dead white blood cells that worked to kill the infection. When infection
becomes advanced, the pus may be accompanied by a foul odor. Sometimes, pus can be
contained in very small, isolated areas like pimples. These are usually easily managed at
home by keeping the area clean and the application of antimicrobial or antibiotic
substances.

However, some infections can become abscesses. Abscesses are deeper in the skin, and
may only be noticed by a sore, red bump on the surface. Under the surface, however, a
pocket of pus has collected and an infection is raging. If noticed early on, abscesses can
also be treated at home with cleaning and antibiotic substances. If they are not caught
early on, they may require medical attention like lancing to drain the fluid and prevent
further issues.

If your skin is breached by a foreign object, it is important to understand the biology of
what will happen so you can help to treat the problem before any serious issues arise.
First, remove the object if it is still in the skin to prevent the spread of bacteria from the
object. Second, kill any bacteria that may have been present on the object by using alcohol
or peroxide.

For mild to moderate wounds, you may also want to treat the area with a wound-healing
and antimicrobial poultice of lavender, plantain, or yarrow several times daily. For more
serious wounds, keeping the area clean is a must, and they also may need stitches to close
the skin back together and prevent the open wound from amassing more bacteria that
could lead to infection.

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