Thai use of 'abscess'

[bluesofa]

So many times I've heard Thais (medical professionals and general public) use the English word 'abscess' in a Thai language conversation.

I'm not an expert on the English use, but I've always seen it used when referring to a build-up of yellow puss in an affected area.

 

I get the impression the Thai use of this word can be anything from a swollen/bruised area,  to an infection, and perhaps other things too?

 

At the moment I have a swelling inside one ear, somewhat painful, but it effectively has closed the ear canal making me completely deaf in that ear.

My wife said the doctor at the hospital said it was an abscess, but I didn't hear (no pun intended) him use that word to directly me.

 

Can anyone enlighten me on the Thai use?

 

[uhuh]

The general public - not english speaking - does not know the word abscess.

There is a Thai word อักเสบ àksèep meaning inflammation/infection, the general public uses this word for all kinds of health problems. 

[bluesofa]

9 minutes ago, uhuh said:

The general public - not english speaking - does not know the word abscess.

There is a Thai word อักเสบ àksèep meaning inflammation/infection, the general public uses this word for all kinds of health problems. 

AHA! Thanks so much for clearing that up.

Fancy me thinking it was an English word that had been bastardised into Thai.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, uhuh said:

The general public - not english speaking - does not know the word abscess.

There is a Thai word อักเสบ àksèep meaning inflammation/infection, the general public uses this word for all kinds of health problems. 

 

As above. The word you are hearing is not "abscess" though it sounds like it and may be used to describe an abscess.  But will also be used for an inflamed area or sore that is not an abscess. The term does nto distinguish between inflammation due to infection and inflammation from other causes.

 

There is another word widely used,  แผล

usually pronounced like "peh" or "pehn" but with a long vowel sound

 

which simply means wound.

 

Neither of these terms has any medical precision. For actual medical term, a doctor would use  English term.

[PPMMUU]

อักเสบ is inflammation. which may or may not cause by infection.

comparable to --itis, as in pharyngitis, otitis, cellulitis, arthritis, gastroenteritis