If you have pain, redness, tenderness, or swelling in a localized area of your body, there is a possibility that you have a bacterial infection known as Cellulitis. It is caused by either streptococcus or staphylococcus bacteria entering the system. This type of bacterial infection is relatively common and can be effectively treated if it is caught in time. However, since this infection tends to spread if left untreated, it can become extremely hazardous to your health.
So, what exactly does Cellulitis look and feel like? Most often, Cellulitis develops in the hands, feet, and lower legs. It can, of course, manifest in other areas of the body, including on the face. Cellulitis might not be easy to visually detect, as it can also occur in the tissues that exist underneath your skin. When this happens, the infection will go into your bloodstream and lymph nodes (which are where T and B lymphocytes and other various types of white blood cells are housed).
1. Swelling
Swelling is one of the most common signs of Cellulitis, although it isn’t always the easiest to detect. It tends to accompany erythma, which are the patchy red spots you see on the surface of the skin. It is characteristic of an inflammatory response made by the body and is part of the reaction to either a streptococcus or staphylococcus infection.
As is the case with Cellulitis, swelling caused by inflammation can be either acute or chronic. In most Cellulitis cases, this symptom is mild and is marked by reddening of the skin and a mild to moderate amount of pain. This can affect the lymph nodes, causing them to feel swollen and painful, which might cause you to feel like you are sick. However, if Cellulitis is left untreated and the infection persists, inflammation can become chronic. Inflammation will spread to wherever the bacterial infection spreads in the body.
Inflammatory responses are often worse in those with compromised immune systems. If you are a senior citizen, have an immune deficiency, or have an autoimmune disorder, you are at a higher risk of developing and not being able to successfully fend off this infection on your own.
2. Redness
Redness and swelling tend to go hand-in-hand, so when you have one, the other also manifests. With Cellulitis, reddening on the outer layer of the skin (which can range from a dull, pale red to bright red) will give you a clear idea of where the infection is currently localized.
Reddening from Cellulitis can be somewhat patchy, although you will likely see smaller patches of redness clustered around a much larger area. You should be aware that, when you see reddening in your leg, it is often caused by a break in the skin that occurred before the infection. This, however, is not the case when it comes to your face.
A condition known as Ludwig’s angina manifests in and around the mouth and is an extremely severe type of Cellulitis. In this case, you might not see much reddening but will experience a significant amount of inflammation in the neck and an elevation of the tongue. Ludwig’s angina can lead to dysphagia and the inability to swallow your saliva, so it should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible. In very rare cases, an infection can cause necrotizing fasciitis in the face, which required emergency treatment.
3. Tenderness
Accompanying inflammation and redness is typically a sensation of tenderness. If you place your fingers on the infected area of the skin and gently press down, you will likely feel tender and achy. Layers of clothing worn over that area of the skin might seem a bit irritating, as they apply pressure to the tenderized area.
Although Cellulitis tends to be painful, it might be the tenderness that you first take notice of. For example, when Cellulitis settles into the facial area, you might notice some initial tenderness in the skin around the eyes, nose, and mouth. Inflammatory responses likely to soon follow. Since your face plays host to some especially sensitive organs and tissues, any tender sensations or inflammation is cause for concern and should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
4. Pain
Almost every case is marked by at least mild (if not severe) pain. The painful sensations that you feel will be localized to the area where the infection is occurring. Typically, the painful symptoms of this infection are not chronic and can be effectively treated at home with over-the-counter or prescription pain-relievers, such as NSAIDs.
However, if the area of the infection remains extremely painful, becomes more painful, or if the infection spreads to other areas of the body, it is imperative that you get medical attention. Simply treating a chronic symptom like this at home can lead to the infection becoming worse, especially if you are someone who already has a compromised immune system.
5. Warmth
In addition to the area of the infection feeling tender and painful, you will likely also experience a sensation of warmth. This could be a mild sensation or as severe as the sensation you experience when you get a bad sunburn. Although a small sensation of warmth is generally not a major cause for concern, you should see a doctor if the warm sensation intensifies. If your skin continues to feel warmer or if the warm sensations spread to new areas, this means that the bacterial infection is spreading throughout your body and that your immune system is struggling to fend it off.
6. Blisters
Although these are not typically the first signs of an infection to manifest, blisters tend to show up as the infection rages on. In fact, you will experience inflammation and reddening of the skin before blisters begin to show up. Blisters are little pockets of fluid that form below the top layers of the epidermis (or outer layers of skin). When you have an infection like streptococcus or staphylococcus, pus collects between the top layer and lower layers of the skin after a tear in the skin occurs. The pus buildup is a result of your body sending fluid to that area in order to promote healing. In other words, when you notice a blister starting to ooze a clear, whitish, or yellowish liquid substance, your body is attempting to heal itself from the infection.
7. Rash
As is the case with a staph- or strep-based infection in the skin tissue, a rash is likely to develop in the affected area. Rashes can be small, especially if they are on the hands or face. However, rashes that develop on the legs and feet tend to become bigger and more pronounced.
The development of a rash is often one of the first visual indicators that you have a bacterial infection. Simply applying a topical cream will not cause this type of a rash to go away. However, there are different types of topical creams prescribed specifically for treating this infection that your doctor can recommend.
8. Chills
If you start experiencing chills running throughout the course of your body, this is a good sign that the infection is spreading and will be difficult to get rid of on your own. This serious symptom, coupled with all of the physical manifestations, might even make you think that you have something similar to chicken pox.
Normally, this type of infection will go away after about three days, but if you develop chills after this period of time is up, the infection is too widespread to be cured with just at-home remedies. A round or two of antibiotics from your doctor might be prescribed if you have developed chills and other flu-like symptoms.
9. Fever
In addition to developing chills, you might also notice yourself feeling rather feverish. If you have a thermometer handy, you should check your temperature. A normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 Celsius). If your temperature reads at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C), you are running a fever.
A fever is considered to be a serious symptom of a bacterial infection and is one that is often difficult to fight off without medical intervention. Should you develop a fever, it is important that you see your doctor. However, you can rest assured that this infection is not contagious since your epidermis acts as a protective layer in containing the bacteria.
10. Pus
To go along with the appearance of blistering on the outer layers of the skin, you can expect to see them oozing pus as the infection continues. It usually emits from the area of the blister and has a white, yellow, or brown hue. Do not be alarmed if you see pus oozing from a blister. This is a good sign that your body is fighting off the infection.
This gooey substance is actually the collection of bacteria and dead white blood cells, which are the respondents that your body sends to kill off the invading bacteria. However, if a build-up of this liquid accumulates within a confined tissue area, it can cause an abscess, which will need to be medically treated by a doctor.
