Cellulitis
More than skin deep - Sharon Hochhauser FNP
image by: Counties Manukau Health
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My harrowing experience with cellulitis
When I started working for Essity, a health and medical device company as an Account Manager specialising in wound care and compression therapy, I never thought I would personally experience the benefits of the products that I passionately promote to my customers within the NHS.
I have always been and still am, a very active person, and enjoy spending my spare time outdoors in the mountains either climbing, cycling, skiing or trekking.
In 2015 a skiing accident left me with a spiral tibial and fibular fracture, which required extensive reconstruction including the use of metal rods. As a result of the trauma and damage to my left leg, my lymphatic system was also damaged leaving…
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Diagnosis and management of cellulitis
Cellulitis is a frequently encountered condition, but remains a challenging clinical entity. Under and overtreatment with antimicrobials frequently occurs and mimics cloud the diagnosis.
More Than Skin Deep: Understanding the Dangers of Cellulitis
Left untreated, cellulitis bacteria can spread to our blood and lymph nodes – and progress into a life-threatening situation. "Obviously very bad news," notes Hochhauser, "often requiring hospitalization and intravenous antibiotic treatment. But the good news is, when treated early, these infections typically clear up with a visit to the doctor and a course of oral antibiotics."
How that dreadful cold could actually be a SKIN INFECTION
He took one look at my leg —which was scarlet — and said I had contracted cellulitis as well as tracking lymphangitis, which meant nothing to me, though I was aware of cellulite, that great enemy of women of a certain age.
Cellulitis in aged persons: a neglected infection in the literature
Cellulitis is a frequent soft tissue and skin infection. The lower limbs are affected in 70 to 80% of cases. Cellulitis in aged persons is not yet well described in literature
Cellulitis is easily treated - if it is caught in time
It often starts with a scratch or a bite. Maybe you’re out for a walk and have a run-in with an unseen cactus or an unexpectedly sharp bit of prairie grass. Or maybe you just ended up on the losing end of a battle with a particularly ill-tempered insect. Or maybe you had surgery, and your incision isn’t quite healed. Regardless of the point of origin, your skin breaks.
Choosing An Antibiotic For Skin Infections--What's Best?
As most cases of uncomplicated cellulitis are caused by Strep, they are still best treated with a penicillin or cephalosporin (e.g., Keflex) type of antibiotic, known as beta-lactams. These antibiotics are much better than TMP-SMX for strep infections.
Distinguishing cellulitis from its mimics
Distinguishing true cellulitis from its many imitators is challenging but critical if we are to avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics and delays in treatment. Common imitators of cellulitis are stasis dermatitis, lipodermatosclerosis, contact dermatitis, lymphedema, eosinophilic cellulitis, and papular urticaria.
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Preventing the misdiagnosis of cellulitis
Cellulitis -- a bacterial infection of the skin -- is a common medical condition, yet there is no diagnostic tool for it currently available. The only way to diagnose cellulitis is based on the appearance of the affected area and the patient's reported symptoms. Many other medical conditions cause skin inflammation that mimics the appearance of cellulitis (known as pseudocellulitis) and are commonly misdiagnosed.
The Dangers of Cellulitis
When NFL defensive end J.J. Watt asked for some skin cream to clear up the bumps on his leg, his trainer got him what he really needed: a trip to the hospital and intensive intravenous antibiotics. That lucky call kept the Pro Bowler in the game. That’s the scary part of these infections. What may seem like a minor skin problem can develop into an extremely serious medical situation if not treated promptly.
When to Suspect GBS Cellulitis and Necrotizing Fasciitis in Infants
In infants, cellulitis usually manifests on the face because the oral mucosa is thought to be a source of colonization. In addition to GBS, other infections leading to cellulitis in infants include group A streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus. The initial presentation of cellulitis includes irritability, edema, and erythema. Most cellulitis cases are treated with penicillin.
My harrowing experience with cellulitis
When I started working for Essity, a health and medical device company as an Account Manager specialising in wound care and compression therapy, I never thought I would personally experience the benefits of the products that I passionately promote to my customers within the NHS.
6 Ways Doctors Treat Cellulitis
The inflammation and swelling associated with cellulitis isn’t the result of the bacteria itself but of the immune system’s reaction to it. “It’s your body’s efforts to fight this infection, by dilating blood vessels and recruiting white blood cells to that area” says Dr. Mostaghimi. “This can make the skin tight and red and hot, and sometimes pus can form beneath the skin, as well.”
Live Science
The human body is covered by a wide array of different bacteria, and these microbes don't typically cause any issues while on the surface of the skin. However, bacteria can cause cellulitis if they get into the body through a break in the skin, such as from cuts, burns, surgical wounds, insect bites, cracked or peeling skin, ulcers and certain skin problems, including eczema, psoriasis and athlete's foot.
StatPearls
Cellulitis typically presents as a poorly demarcated, warm, erythematous area with associated edema and tenderness to palpation. It is an acute bacterial infection causing inflammation of the deep dermis and surrounding subcutaneous tissue.
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