However, cellulitis affects deeper tissue, while erysipelas is often the result of strep bacteria and its effects are more superficial. An abscess is a swollen pocket of pus underneath the skin. It forms when bacteria — often Staphylococcus — get into your body through a cut or other open wound. When this happens, your immune system sends in white blood cells to fight off the bacteria.
The attack can form a hole under your skin, which fills with pus. The pus contains dead tissue, bacteria, and white blood cells. Unlike cellulitis, an abscess looks like a lump under the skin. You may also have symptoms like a fever and chills. Some abscesses shrink on their own without treatment.
In other instances, you may require antibiotics, or a doctor may need to drain the abscess. Dermatitis is a general term for a swollen skin rash that covers many conditions. These include atopic dermatitis , or eczema, and contact dermatitis , an allergic reaction to an irritating substance.
Unlike cellulitis, most forms of dermatitis are the result of allergic reactions, not bacterial infections. Learn more about the types of dermatitis here. Doctors treat dermatitis with cortisone creams and antihistamines to relieve the swelling and itching. You will also need to avoid the substance that caused the reaction. Deep vein thrombosis DVT is a blood clot in one of the deep veins, usually in the legs. You can get a DVT after you sit or lie in bed for a long period of time, such as on a long plane trip or after surgery.
If the clot breaks free and travels to the lungs, it can cause a life threatening condition called pulmonary embolism PE. Doctors treat DVT with blood thinners.
These prevent the clot from getting bigger and stop you from getting new clots. Cellulitis is a common skin infection that causes inflammation, skin discoloration, and pain. Complications are uncommon but can be severe. You should always contact your doctor if you develop symptoms of cellulitis.
Most people fully recover from cellulitis after 7 to 10 days on antibiotics. If left untreated, cellulitis can lead to gangrene, septic shock, and may require surgery to treat in severe cases. It is possible to get cellulitis again in the future. You can prevent this infection by keeping your skin clean if you get a cut or other open wound.
Read this article in Spanish. You might think a cut or scrape is no big deal. But any time the skin gets broken, there's a risk of infection. So it helps to understand how to care for cuts and scrapes at home — and know when you need to see a doctor. A small cut or scrape will usually heal well without medical care. Here's what to do if the injury isn't serious:. If a cut bleeds a lot , get an adult or call your doctor right away.
Cover the wound with a clean bandage or cloth. If the blood soaks through, don't remove the first bandage — put a new covering on top of it. Hold the injured body part up above your head or as high as you can to help slow the bleeding. If a wound is very long or deep or if its edges are far apart , a doctor will need to bring the edges close together so they can heal.
The doctor might do this with stitches. If you get stitches, you'll probably need to go back to the doctor in 5 to 10 days to get them out. Wrong topic—not what I was looking for. It was hard to understand. It didn't answer any of my questions. I still don't know what to do next. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care.
Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions. Patient Education. Recognizing and Treating Wound Infection Wounds can become infected with harmful germs bacteria. What are the risk factors for infection? A wound is more likely to become infected if it: Results from a hole puncture , such as from a nail or piece of glass Results from a human or animal bite, especially a cat.
The affected skin appears swollen and red and is typically painful and warm to the touch. Cellulitis usually affects the skin on the lower legs, but it can occur in the face, arms and other areas. It occurs when a crack or break in your skin allows bacteria to enter. Left untreated, the infection can spread to your lymph nodes and bloodstream and rapidly become life-threatening.
It isn't usually spread from person to person. It's important to identify and treat cellulitis early because the condition can spread rapidly throughout your body. 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.
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