10 Symptoms of Cellulitis
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.
