Cellulitis is a fairly common but potentially serious bacterial skin infection.
Your skin begins to appear red and swollen and is accompanied by pain. Your skin also tends to feel warm to the touch.
It can occur on any part of the body. When a crack or break in your skin occurs the bacteria responsible for cellulitis has the potential to enter. It can spread to your lymph nodes and enter your bloodstream, thus becoming life-threatening if left untreated.
Signs and symptoms
- Redness of the skin that may begin to expand
- Swelling and boils
- Tenderness and Pain
- A warm feeling on your skin
- Fever
- And red spots, blisters, or skin dimpling
- Swollen tender lymph nodes in close proximity to the area of infected skin
Emergency Treatment
In most situations, your doctor can diagnose and treat this for you, but there are instances when cellulitis can become an emergency. If you notice any of the following please take a trip an emergency medical facility.
- If the infected area begins to go numb
- If the area is getting larger and hard
- If you notice a blackened area that can be a sign of overwhelming infection and skin death, a surgical emergency
Also, visit the emergency room if the pain gets worse, is accompanied by vomiting or nausea, as well as fever or chills.
Higher Risk Conditions
Some people at a higher risk include those with any of the following pre-existing conditions:
- Diabetes
- Liver conditions such as hepatitis
- Kidney disorders
- Circulatory system problems
- Prior removal of lymphatic vessels or lymph nodes
- Eczema or psoriasis
- An impaired immune system
- Or any other medical conditions that an infection like cellulitis may make worse.
As with any medical condition, there are times when your primary care physician is the best call, but when emergencies strike do not hesitate to seek out the care that is only available at an emergency medical facility.
Here at Elitecare 24 Hour Emergency Room, we are staffed with real board-certified physicians and able to offer the same medical expertise as a traditional hospital emergency room without the annoyingly long wait times and with a level of VIP service, you will not experience anywhere else. While we always hope we never have to see you, rest assured knowing that if you do, we will be here 24/7.
