Often, it is not possible to find a cause for cellulitis. Diagnosis of cellulitis Tests may include: a swab — taken from the affected skin and sent to the laboratory for testing. It can take a few days to get a result and your doctor will be advised of the results other tests — such as blood tests and x-rays. Treatment for cellulitis Antibiotics are used to treat the infection. Oral antibiotics may be adequate, but in the severely ill person, intravenous antibiotics will be needed to control and prevent further spread of the infection.
This treatment is given in hospital or, sometimes, at home by a local doctor or nurse. As the infection improves, you may be able to change from intravenous to oral antibiotics, which can be taken at home for a further week to 10 days. Most people respond to antibiotics in two to three days and begin to show improvement. In rare cases, the cellulitis may progress to a serious illness by spreading to deeper tissues. In addition to broad spectrum antibiotics, surgery is sometimes required.
Self-care at home Suggestions include: Get plenty of rest. This gives your body a chance to fight the infection. Raise the area of the body involved as high as possible. This will ease the pain, help drainage and reduce swelling. Take pain-relieving medication such as paracetamol.
Check the label for how much to take and how often. The pain eases once the infection starts getting better. If you are not admitted to hospital, you will require a follow-up appointment with your doctor within a day or two to make sure the cellulitis is improving. This appointment is important to attend. Reduce the risk of transmission Cellulitis may arise when skin injury or inflammation is not adequately treated. When dealing with cuts and abrasions: Wash your hands.
Cellulitis occurs when bacteria, most commonly streptococcus and staphylococcus, enter through a crack or break in your skin. The incidence of a more serious staphylococcus infection called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA is increasing. Although cellulitis can occur anywhere on your body, the most common location is the lower leg. Bacteria are most likely to enter disrupted areas of skin, such as where you've had recent surgery, cuts, puncture wounds, an ulcer, athlete's foot or dermatitis.
Animal bites can cause cellulitis. Bacteria can also enter through areas of dry, flaky skin or swollen skin. Recurrent episodes of cellulitis may damage the lymphatic drainage system and cause chronic swelling of the affected limb. Rarely, the infection can spread to the deep layer of tissue called the fascial lining. Necrotizing fasciitis is an example of a deep-layer infection. It's an extreme emergency. If your cellulitis recurs, your doctor may recommend preventive antibiotics.
To help prevent cellulitis and other infections, take these precautions when you have a skin wound:. People with diabetes and those with poor circulation need to take extra precautions to prevent skin injury. Good skin care measures include the following:. People with diabetes, people with alcoholism, people taking corticosteroids, and others with compromised immune systems are at greatly increased risk of cellulitis and tend to get worse infections.
Necrotizing cellulitis or necrotizing fasciitis , a rare but severe form of cellulitis, is the dreaded "flesh-eating disease" that occasionally grabs media headlines.
There are two types. The first is due to a very aggressive strain of Group A streptococcus and can start anywhere on the skin.
The second is due to a polymicrobial infection of different bacteria that often starts just forward of the anus following surgery or rectal abscesses. Necrotizing cellulitis starts as an extremely painful, red swelling that soon turns purple and then black as the skin and flesh die. However, the risk of getting necrotizing cellulitis is extremely small. The risk is a bit higher for people who are already sick or have a compromised immune system.
Uncomplicated cellulitis begins with a small area of skin that's red, glossy, painful, and warm to the touch, typically around a cut. It most often strikes the lower leg, but the arms, hands, feet, and groin are other likely sites.
Some types of bacteria can get into the lymphatic system, a network of tubes and nodes that carry disease-fighting cells and waste matter around the body. If this happens, the infection can travel under the skin and spread to other parts of the body.
Another type of cellulitis is erysipelas. The inflamed skin in erysipelas is not smooth but raised, often completely separated from the layer beneath by a pocket of gas created by the bacteria. There's often a fever a day or two before the rash. The most severe complications of cellulitis are meningitis and blood poisoning if the bacteria get into the bloodstream, called bacteremia.
Meningitis can occur if the bacteria get inside the central nervous system e. The most likely route is through the eye socket. Cellulitis around an eyelid is called preseptal cellulitis. It causes a rash that might be painful or itchy. If the bacteria get behind the seal where the eye meets its socket, the condition is called orbital cellulitis.
This is a medical emergency that causes symptoms of fever and impaired vision. It requires immediate treatment to prevent meningitis or eye damage. If the infection gets into the lymphatic system or the bloodstream, red lines may be seen under the skin before the main rash appears. This may cause symptoms like fever, sweats, and nausea.
A doctor can usually recognize cellulitis from the skin's appearance.
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