When discussing infections of the skin, infections of the soft tissue underneath is often in the same conversation. These infections of the skin and the underlying tissue often occur when the skin breaks, and bacteria find a way into these tissues. The result is an infection that can cause redness, swelling, pain and skin that is warm to the touch. Cellulitis is one such infection, and although it affects the legs and arms, it can also affect the areas around the eyes and mouth. This article will discuss cellulitis and tell you what you need to know to spot it, handle it and prevent it from recurring.
Causes of Cellulitis
There are three main bacteria responsible for cellulitis: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and haemolytic streptococcus. These bacteria can enter the skin through a wound, a break in the skin or anywhere there is no skin present. It can also happen after surgery or minor and major skin trauma such as animal bites. The three bacteria mentioned above are found in the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people and they do not cause an issue until they enter the skin and underlying tissue.
What are the Top Signs of Cellulitis?
It is important to understand that even though cellulitis appears more frequently in some parts of the body, it can appear anywhere. The common symptoms include swelling, redness and red streaks, warmth, bruising, pain, fever, chills, headache, tenderness, and blisters. In infections that are more than a few days old, there may also be pus, yellow or clear fluid leaking from the site of infection.
Cellulitis Emergencies
Many of the symptoms of cellulitis can be treated as symptoms. However, some cases may require emergency medical intervention. The symptoms that necessitate this include hardening or enlarging of the areas of infection (usually red), vomiting and nausea, chills and high fever, increased pain, and numbness. If you have any other issues that can be affected by minor infections, you also need to see a doctor if you suspect cellulitis.
Cellulitis and Erysipelas
Both of these are infections of the skin and the underlying tissues, although erysipelas is a lot less serious than cellulitis. Erysipelas is an infection of tissues that are closer to the skin. There are minor differences between the two, and Patient.info has a detailed write-up on that. Patient provides detailed medical information on various conditions, illnesses and health topics to better inform patients and medical professionals. You can trust the information they provide as it is vetted and checked to ensure it is based on evidence and the most accurate, relevant, and current medical information available.
Diagnosing Cellulitis
If you have any of the symptoms and signs described above, a doctor will do a physical exam and take your medical history. If they think you have an infection, they will take blood and skin samples to confirm. These samples are also used to confirm the infecting bacteria which will guide them on the medications they will offer.
How to Handle Cellulitis
The two main courses of treatment and care include the use of medications and physical care. The doctor will first give you oral, intravenous, and intramuscular antibiotics if the bacteria has spread to the blood. They will then ensure the wound or site of infection is cleaned and dressed properly. If the infection cannot be treated like this or has spread too far, they may recommend surgery to remove the infected tissue to prevent the spread of the infection.
The dressing should be kept dry and cool at all times. Elevation of the affected limb is also recommended. Elevation reduces excessive swelling, which eases pain around the site. When elevating, it is important to ensure that the ankle is higher than the hip. Many people confuse this with keeping their foot off the floor, which is why they place their leg on a stool. Rest is also advocated to relieve strain on the leg. However, you will need to take walks once in a while to ensure circulation. All of this also applies to the arm where the wrist has to be above the shoulder. You can move the arm around from time to time to aid circulation. Once the healing starts, you may experience pain so your doctor will prescribe pain medication as needed.
Preventing Cellulitis
The best way to prevent cellulitis is to clean the area around where the skin has broken. Applying a topical antibiotic will also help. If you have diabetes, you should keep a close eye on any skin infections or breaks. Warts and calluses should only be treated by a qualified medical professional. Also, ensure you do not cut the toenails too short as doing so increases the chances of cutting the skin and area under the nail.
Cellulitis is easy to spot and treat, although things can get serious very fast if you do not take care of skin breaks and infections quickly. Treatment is also straightforward unless the infection has spread and needs more than antibiotics and pain medication.