Cellulitis history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Govindvarjhulla, M.B.B.S.
Overview
Cellulitis is most often a clinical diagnosis, and local cultures do not always identify the causative organism. Blood cultures usually are positive only if the patient develops generalised sepsis. Conditions that may resemble cellulitis include deep vein thrombosis, which can be diagnosed with a compression leg ultrasound, and stasis dermatitis, which is inflammation of the skin from poor blood flow.
History & Symptoms
Person presenting with cellulitis most of the times come up with a history of injury in that particular area. It may be a neglected minor injury which might have got infected. Even it is possible it can be related to any particular event. It can be days from the injury to presentation or it can be rapidly progressing, which is an alarming sign. Co-morbid conditions are the important ones to be looked at when its rapidly progressing or with a minor injury
Symptoms are localised in the start of the infection. If it goes untreated in the begining it will be progressing and causing systemic symptoms.
- Fever
- Pain or tenderness in the affected area
- Skin redness or inflammation that gets bigger as the infection spreads
- Skin sore or rash that starts suddenly, and grows quickly in the first 24 hours
- Tight, glossy, "stretched" appearance of the skin
- Warm skin in the the area of redness
- Signs of infection:
- Chills or shaking
- Fatigue
- General ill feeling
- Muscle aches and pains
- Warm skin
- Sweating
- Other symptoms that can occur with this disease: