All you need to know about the treatment for cellulitis

 What is Cellulitis?

Treatment for Cellulitis is done with the primary intention of reducing the infection from spreading and also to preventing the infection from returning back to the person. Cellulitis is a skin disease that is characterized by the inflammation of the connective tissue of the skin. The commonly affected areas of the skin are the lower legs and face. Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are the bacteria that commonly cause cellulitis though it may be also caused by Pneumococcus, Hemophilus influenza, and clostridium. It is not a contagious disease and does not spread from skin to skin contact. It is an infection that affects the deeper layers of the skin and so does not spread by normal contact.

Causes and symptoms of Cellulitis

Cellulitis can be caused due to various reasons and some of the most common reasons are as follows:

• Breaks in the skin due to common rash, cuts, burns, insect bites, blisters, etc

• The cracks that develop between the toes are a common site for cellulitis

• Ulcers that develop from vascular diseases or diabetes are also responsible for cellulitis

• Use of certain medications that lead to suppression of the immune system

• Wounds that may have been acquired from some recent surgery

• History of previous vascular diseases can be a common cause for cellulitis

The typical symptoms are fever, redness of the skin, glossy or tight screen, skin sore, inflammation of the skin. The typical signs of infection with the disease are muscle ache, fatigue, chills, sweating, swollen lymph glands, nausea, vomiting, hair loss at the site where cellulitis is suspected to have occurred, etc.

Detailed information on how cellulitis is treated

Treatment for cellulitis is not easy and you have to be under the observation of a physician and take prescribed antibiotics. If cellulitis is not treated in a proper way then the bacteria may spread to the bloodstream and this can pose serious problems to your health by infecting your whole body. Sometimes due to severe pain associated with the infected area, you may also be given painkillers. Complete rest is prescribed in the treatment for cellulitis till the infection does not reduce and you may be asked to keep the infected area at a level higher than your heart to reduce the swelling. Mild cellulitis usually is not very dangerous and dicloxacillin or flucloxacillin is prescribed in such cases.

Generally, if you have normal levels of infection, you will be given antibiotics for 7-10 days for treatment for cellulitis. However, if the infection is severe you may be taken to a hospital. Symptoms of severe infection are the persistence of cellulitis in spite of antibiotics, infection around the eyes, high temperature, persistent vomiting, nausea, etc. Then you have to give antibiotics intravenously. In severe infections, you may be given benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin intravenously along phenoxymethylpenicillin which is usually given orally. Hyperbaric oxygen is a valuable alternative treatment for cellulitis but it is not very prevalent and hence not available widely.

Conclusion

If you are suffering from cellulitis in the foot then chances are that it will keep on returning through the cracks in the foot. So you have to be extra careful that the bacteria do not re-infect your skin. The affected area is also cut away sometimes to stop the bacteria from spreading to other parts of your skin. So the basic treatment for cellulitis is rest, proper medicine, and regularly consulting with your physician.

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