The infection can appear anywhere on your body – even in the eyes
A doctor has taken to BBC Morning Live to tell people to watch out for an unusual sign that can appear on their legs. And if you do not treat it quickly, it can turn into something ‘life threatening’.
Cellulitis, which is nothing to do with cellulite, is a skin infection that’s treated with antibiotics. It can be serious if it’s not treated quickly says the NHS.
Dr Ranj, a regular on the show, said “it makes a skin painful, hot, and inflame. It can look completely different on different types of skin. It can look red but on darker, black and brown skin, it may look slightly discolored. You can also get blisters as well.
What are the symptoms of cellulitis?
The doctor notes that it “can give you associated symptoms so you might feel flu-like, you can have a swollen and painful glands, and occasionally it can become life-threatening if it’s spreading and getting worse, but fortunately most people will recover.”
Where does cellulitis grow?
Although it’s often found on legs, it can affect anywhere on your body. “For instance you might get cellulitis on your hands that can cause your fingers or your hand to swell up. You can also get on your feet sometimes near your toes – it can even happen in and around the eye.”
Doctor Ranj warns that whilst “cellulitis can affect your legs, it tends to be one leg at a time. It tends not to be both. If it is both then you sometimes need to check if anything else is going on.”
Can you get cellulitis in your eye?
Yes – and if it occurs in the eye, this is a medical emergency and you need to seek help fast as it can be “dangerous for your vision. One of the things we look out for is that you may get redness on the whites of your eyes”.
Another sign is the “eyeball sticks out”. If it occurs around the eye, it’s a “bit more common and less serious”, the doctor says. You may be able to manage it at home, but in any case, you need a professional to check it out to ensure it’s not spread.
What is the cause of cellulitis?
Ranj notes that ‘most commonly it’s caused by a bacterial infection’ with the bacteria finding it is way into the ‘deep layers of the skin’ usually through a cut, insect bite or if your skin is cracked from an infection or if it’s dry from a conditionally eczema.
Because of this, the ‘barrier breaks down and it can get in’, thus giving you cellulitis. If you’re prone to these issues, you are at a higher risk with the doctor stressing that you may not even be aware of a cut in your skin. Thankfully, it’s not passed on from person to person.
Who is at risk of cellulitis?
You’re more at risk of cellulitis if you:
- have poor circulation in your arms, legs, hands or feet, for example, because you’re overweight
- find it difficult to move around
- have a weakened immune system, for example, because of chemotherapy treatment or diabetes
- have lymphoedema, which causes fluid build-up under the skin
- inject drugs
- have a wound from surgery
- have had cellulitis before
Call 999
If you think you have it, you need to get treated straight away the GP warns. “If cellulitis is not treated properly then it can get worse and sometimes get serious.”
If you cannot get a GP appointment, the doctor warns “these the reasons that I want you to call 999” if you have these with cellulitis:
- A very high temperature
- you feel hot and shivery
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- A fast heartbeat or fast breathing
- Cold climate or pale skin
- Unresponsiveness or loss of consciousness
- confusing or disorientation
- Purple patches on your skin
This are signs of sepsis with the doctor warning that you need to be really careful.
What is the treatment for cellulitis?
He says that the treatment is antibiotics. He says he can take a couple of days to start to take effect and then you’ll recover within 7 to 10 days.
This is for mild cases however, as if you have a severe case – and potentially underlying health problems – then you may need intravenous antibiotics and therefore you may need hospital treatment.
