Fighting cellulitis (acha ere).

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of your skin and the tissues beneath your skin. It most commonly affects the lower part of your body, including your legs, feet and toes. However, it can occur in any part of your body. It also commonly appears on your face, arms, hands and fingers.

Who does cellulitis affect? Anyone can get cellulitis. However, you may be more likely to get cellulitis if: You’re a child. You have a wound such as a cut, ulcer, bug bite, animal bite, surgical incision, tattoo or piercing. You have a long-lasting (chronic) skin condition such as athlete’s foot, eczema or psoriasis. You have chickenpox or shingles. You have a weakened immune system. You have obesity.

How common is cellulitis? Cellulitis is very common. There are more than 14 million cases of cellulitis in the United States per year.

How does cellulitis affect my body? Cellulitis causes swelling and pain. If you have cellulitis on your hands or feet, it may be challenging to close your hands or walk. A cellulitis infection may cause flu-like symptoms, including a fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), chills, sweats, body aches and fatigue.

Symptoms and Causes: What are the symptoms of cellulitis? Symptoms of cellulitis may include: Pain. Tenderness. Edema (swelling). Warmth. Discoloration (red, purple or slightly darker than your usual skin color) that may look like a rash. Fluid-filled blisters. Skin surface looks lumpy or pitted, like an orange skin.

What is the main cause of cellulitis? Many different bacteria can cause cellulitis. However, Streptococcus (strep) and Staphylococcus (staph) cause most cases of cellulitis.

Is cellulitis caused by poor hygiene? Cellulitis usually appears around damaged skin, but it also occurs in areas of your skin with poor hygiene. You can maintain good skin hygiene by: Washing your hands regularly with soap and warm water. Cleaning and trimming your fingernails and toenails. Regularly showering and thoroughly drying your skin after.

Wearing clean clothes. Keeping small wounds clean. What does the beginning of cellulitis look like? When you first get cellulitis, your skin looks slightly discolored. It may feel slightly warm to the touch. As the infection spreads, the discoloration gets darker as your skin swells and becomes tender. Is cellulitis contagious? Cellulitis isn’t usually contagious. Though rare, you may be able to contract cellulitis if you have an open wound and have skin-to-skin contact with an infected person’s open wound.

Diagnosis and Tests. How is cellulitis diagnosed? To diagnose cellulitis, your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and perform a physical examination of the affected area. What tests will be done to diagnose cellulitis? In most cases, your healthcare provider won’t conduct any tests. However, if you’ve got a severe case of cellulitis, your healthcare provider may recommend tests to make sure the infection hasn’t spread to other parts of your body.

These tests may include: Blood test. A blood test will confirm whether the cellulitis infection has spread to your blood. Skin test: A skin test will identify the type of bacteria responsible for your cellulitis, which helps your healthcare provider prescribe the most appropriate antibiotic.

Bacterial culture. A bacterial culture will identify the type of bacteria responsible for your cellulitis.

Management and Treatment: How is cellulitis treated? Your healthcare provider will typically prescribe antibiotics taken by mouth (oral antibiotics) to treat your cellulitis. Oral antibiotics may include dicloxacillin or cephalexin.

Severe cases of cellulitis may not respond to oral antibiotics. You may require hospitalization and intravenous (IV) antibiotics — your healthcare provider will use a small needle and tube to deliver the antibiotics directly into a vein. What is the fastest way to get rid of cellulitis? The fastest way to get rid of cellulitis is to take your full course of antibiotics. Some home treatments may help speed up the healing process.

Home treatments include: Warm compress. Apply a warm compress to your affected area to help reduce swelling and other symptoms.

Elevation. Elevating your affected area helps lower the blood pressure in the area’s blood vessels and improve blood flow. Compression wraps or stockings help reduce swelling and improve blood flow. Don’t wrap your affected area too tightly. This can cut off circulation. Remove the compression wrap or stocking at least twice every day for 10 to 15 minutes. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, reduce pain and inflammation. Not everyone can take NSAIDs, so it’s a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before use.

How soon after treatment will I feel better? In most cases, you should feel better within seven to 10 days after you start taking antibiotics. You’ll notice signs that your cellulitis infection is healing a few days after starting antibiotics. Your pain will decrease, swelling will go down and any discoloration will begin to fade. It’s very important to take cellulitis seriously and get treatment right away. Cellulitis can quickly progress and lead to more severe conditions. The bacteria could spread to your bloodstream (bacteremia) or heart (endocarditis), which may be fatal.

Prevention: How can I reduce my risk? You can reduce your risk of developing cellulitis by: Cleaning your wounds or sores with antibacterial soap and water. Applying an antibiotic ointment on your wounds or sores. Covering your wounds or sores with a bandage to prevent dirt or bacteria from entering the area. Refraining from touching or rubbing your affected areas. Getting medical attention right away for any deep cuts or puncture wounds.

Source: my.clevelandclinic.org