When is cellulitis an emergency

If you get cellulitis often or severely, your GP may refer you to a skin specialist called a dermatologist, or an infection specialist, to discuss the option of taking antibiotics on a long-term basis to protect against further infections. Symptoms of cellulitis develop suddenly and can get worse quickly. It affects the skin and can also cause additional symptoms. There may also be a break in the skin, although this isn't always obvious, and pus or blood-filled blisters.

Commonly affected areas include the lower legs, feet, arms or hands, and sometimes the face, particularly around the eyes. See your GP or visit your nearest minor injuries unit as soon as possible if an area of your skin suddenly turns red, painful and hot. Cellulitis can also cause additional symptoms that may develop before or alongside the changes to your skin.

Occasionally the infection can spread to other parts of the body, such as the deeper layers of tissue, blood, muscle and bone. This can be very serious and potentially life threatening.

Cellulitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection. It occurs when bacteria get into the tissues beneath the skin. The bacteria that cause cellulitis often live harmlessly on the skin. But if the surface of your skin is damaged, they can get into the layers underneath and cause an infection.

Cellulitis isn't normally spread from person to person as the infection occurs deep within the skin and is often caused by bacteria that live on the skin's surface without causing problems. Ensuring the underlying health conditions mentioned above are well controlled may help reduce your risk of getting cellulitis.

Cellulitis can often be treated at home with a course of antibiotics, although severe cases may need to be treated in hospital. If you're treated at home, you'll usually be prescribed antibiotic tablets to take two to four times a day for a week.

A longer course may be needed if your symptoms don't improve after a week or you have an underlying condition that makes cellulitis more difficult to treat, such as lymphoedema. Commonly prescribed antibiotics include flucloxacillin and clarithromycin.

Possible side effects can include an upset stomach or diarrhoea. Your symptoms may get worse in the first 48 hours after treatment starts, but should start to improve soon afterwards. While you're recovering at home, the following steps can help ease your symptoms and aid your recovery:. In some instances, fluid may be taken from the affected area then sent to the lab for testing.

Cellulitis Emergency is normally treated with antibiotics you can take orally for a week to ten days. If antibiotics are prescribed for you, make sure you take the entire course of treatment even if the infection seems to be getting better after a few days.

Occasionally stronger antibiotics may be needed and these are generally given in hospital intravenously although sometimes this can be administered at home. During your recovery at home, you should get plenty of rest so the body can concentrate on fighting the infection. If you can keep the area of infection raised, this will help ease swelling, improve drainage and reduce any pain.

Over-the-counter pain relievers may also help reduce inflammation or fevers. Sensible precautions against accidental injuries are the first guard against cellulitis. Complications include meningitis. Normal skin has many types of bacteria living on it. When there is a break in the skin, these bacteria can cause a skin infection. The provider may mark the edges of the redness with a pen, to see if the redness goes past the marked border over the next several days.

You will likely be prescribed antibiotics to be taken by mouth. You may be given pain medicine as well, if needed. At home, raise the infected area higher than your heart to reduce swelling and speed up healing. Rest until your symptoms improve. Cellulitis usually goes away after taking antibiotics for 7 to 10 days.

Longer treatment may be needed if cellulitis is more severe. This may occur if you have a chronic disease or your immune system is not working properly. People with fungal infections of the feet may have cellulitis that keeps coming back, especially if you have diabetes. 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:.