By: Russell Ragland
Cellulitis is a common bacterial infection of the skin and deep underlying tissues. Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are bacteria responsible for cellulitis, and this condition occurs when these bacteria invade broken or normal skin and start to spread underneath the skin, affecting the soft tissue. This bacterial infection affects people of all ages, races, and gender. The symptoms begin with pain, swelling, fever, warmth, skin soreness, redness of the skin, and swollen lymph nodes.
What causes cellulitis?
A person can develop cellulitis after any event that causes a break in the skin, such as a cut, piercing, a new tattoo, surgery, or any skin breakdown like eczema. Cellulitis can happen anywhere in the body, though the most common locations are the lower leg, arms, hands, and face.
If cellulitis is not treated in a timely manner, the infection might spread and become life-threatening, as the bacterial infection can spread quickly throughout the body, entering the lymph nodes and bloodstream. Possible complications include blood infection, bone infection, and tissue death.
Treatment
If the infection is not severe, cellulitis is treated with antibiotics or by resting the area involved and also elevating the area of the body involved to help reduce swelling and relieve discomfort. In serious cases, victims must be treated in the hospital with IV antibiotics administered directly into their bloodstream.
If you have broken skin, like a cut or scratch, wash the injured skin immediately with soap and water and apply antibiotic ointment regularly. Make sure you cover your wound with a bandage and change it daily. It is important to seek immediate medical attention if antibiotics don’t respond in two to three days.
Contact
At Hach & Rose, LLP, we are dedicated to helping cellulitis victims fight for justice. If you or a loved one has suffered from cellulitis due to someone else’s negligence, contact us at (212) 779-0057 today to learn more about what we can do to help you.