Why does cellulitis cause red streaks

A physical exam might reveal:. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your doctor may want to monitor the affected area for a few days to see if the discoloration and swelling spread.

In some cases, your doctor may take blood or a sample of the wound to test for bacteria. You should always see your doctor first if you have symptoms of cellulitis. Without treatment, it can spread and cause a life threatening infection.

However, there are things you can do at home to relieve pain and other symptoms. For a start, you can clean your skin in the area where you have cellulitis.

Ask your doctor how to properly clean and cover your wound. If your leg is affected, raise it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling and relieve pain. Several factors increase your risk of cellulitis. This is because bacteria can enter your skin through cracks that these conditions cause.

In most cases, a course of antibiotics will clear up the infection. However, if you have an abscess, a medical professional may need to drain it.

For surgery to drain the abscess, you first get medicine to numb the area. Then the surgeon makes a small cut in the abscess and allows the pus to drain out.

The surgeon then covers the wound with a dressing so it can heal. You may have a small scar afterward. Your symptoms may worsen in the first few days after you first notice them. However, they should begin to improve 2 to 3 days after you start to take antibiotics. During your recovery, keep the wound clean. If you have a break in your skin, clean it right away and apply antibiotic ointment.

Cover your wound with ointment and a bandage until fully healed. Change the bandage daily. Take these precautions if you have poor circulation or a condition that increases your risk of cellulitis:. This condition causes swelling, discoloration, and can develop into skin ulcers.

It is the result of poor circulation in the lower limbs and typically affects the lower legs and ankles. Unlike cellulitis, this condition can affect both sides of the body and is not the result of bacterial infection. However, should you develop sores or ulcers as a result of venous stasis, your risk of a skin infection will increase. Erysipelas is another skin infection. Am Fam Physician. Figure 1. Figure 2. Superficial thrombophlebitis. Allergic reaction to insect bite.

Discussion The answer is E: lymphangitis. Summary Table Condition Characteristics Superficial thrombophlebitis Erythema and induration of the involved vein Cellulitis Lesions are rarely streaky; affects deeper layers of the skin; skin infection affects superficial and subcutaneous layers Erysipelas Affects superficial skin layers; well-demarcated margin between inflamed and noninflamed skin Allergic reaction to insect bite Highest intensity of inflammation is at the point of the insect bite Lymphangitis Linear, streaky, erythematous lesions; often an initiating lesion e.

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Purchase Access: See My Options close. Best Value! To see the full article, log in or purchase access. More in Pubmed Citation Related Articles. Email Alerts Don't miss a single issue. Sign up for the free AFP email table of contents. Navigate this Article. Erythema and induration of the involved vein. Some cases of cellulitis are an emergency. Always talk with your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms:.

The symptoms of cellulitis may look like other skin conditions. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Your healthcare provider will consider your age, overall health and severity of the condition when determining the appropriate treatment for you. Based on the physical exam, your healthcare provider may treat you in the hospital, depending on the severity of the cellulitis. In the hospital, you may get antibiotics and fluids through an intravenous IV catheter.

If skin breaks happen, keep the area clean and use an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment. Watch for signs of infection. If you have diabetes, visually check your feet for signs of skin breaks or infection.

Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Cellulitis is a deep infection of the skin caused by bacteria. It usually affects the arms and legs. It can also develop around the eyes, mouth, and anus, or on the belly. Normal skin can be affected by cellulitis, but it usually happens after some type of injury causes a skin break, including trauma or surgery.

Doctors typically diagnose cellulitis by doing a physical examination and looking at the affected skin. Blood or other lab tests are usually not needed. Cellulitis is treated with antibiotics. Most cellulitis infections can be treated with antibiotics that are taken by mouth oral antibiotics. More serious infections may need to be treated in the hospital with intravenous IV antibiotics, which are given directly into a vein.

If the infection is in the arm or leg, then keeping that limb elevated can help decrease swelling and speed up recovery. Complications from cellulitis are uncommon but can include serious infections in the following locations:. Although rare, cellulitis may lead to a very serious infection called necrotizing fasciitis that needs immediate medical care.

Learn about necrotizing fasciitis. People can get cellulitis more than once. Having cellulitis does not protect someone from getting it again in the future. While there is no vaccine to prevent cellulitis or group A strep infections in general, there are things you can do to protect yourself and others.