About this topic
Erysipelas is a skin infection that is caused by a bacteria. The bacteria enters your body from a cut, scrape, or open sore. This causes a painful, red, swollen patch on the skin. The infection may spread through your body and into your blood. This skin problem often starts on the face, arms, or legs. The skin should return to normal in a few weeks. Your skin may peel but that is normal as you heal. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- If the infection is in your arm or leg, prop it on pillows to help with swelling.
- If you have skin blisters, ask your doctor what kind of dressings are best to use to keep the blisters clean and protected.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Fight an infection
What problems could happen?
- Abscess
- Blood clot in the leg
- Blood infection
- Gangrene where there is no blood flow to tissue and it dies
- Infection
- Damage to lymph node(s) that may cause swelling
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Use mild lotions or ointments to keep your skin moist.
- Keep from getting cuts and scrapes.
- If you see cuts or scrapes, make sure you clean them well with mild soap and water.
- Cover your skin when you are working or playing sports.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of a very bad reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. Go to the ER right away.
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, very bad sore throat, ear or sinus pain, cough, more sputum or change in color of sputum, pain with passing urine, mouth sores, or wound that will not heal.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Pain gets worse
- You see a skin sore that was not there before
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how to care for my skin.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have swelling, redness, or warmth around my wound.
Where can I learn more?
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology ‚
http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/erysipelas.html ‚
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ‚
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/cellulitiserysipelas/Pages/default.aspx ‚
National Organization for Rare Disorders ‚
http://www.rarediseases.org/rare-disease-information/rare-diseases/byID/757/viewAbstract ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚