Medical history
Taking a thorough comprehensive medical
history is key to diagnosing cellulitis and
determining risk factors and comorbidities.
Onset of symptoms should be defined
together with the original starting point of
inflammation. History of any trauma to the
area, even minor, should be ascertained andcircumstances identified as this may help
decide on antibiotic management. Injury, if
any, may have occurred several days before
symptoms, but patients may not relate the
injury to the onset of cellulitis. Cuts and
wounds obtained via water environments
such as lakes, streams, sea and ponds
(brackish water) may be contaminated with
bacteria. Water-borne bacteria should be
considered if patients fail to respond to
conventional antibiotic treatments.
Fever, malaise, nausea, shivering and
rigors may accompany or precede skin
changes. Lymphangitis (infection of
lymph vessels) can also present in more
severe cases, appearing as a red line originating
from the cellulitis and leading to
tender swollen lymph glands draining the
affected area (for example, in the groin
with leg cellulitis).
Progression of symptoms, especially if
this is rapid, can be a sign of a more acute
and deeper infection such as necrotising
fasciitis, and should be fast-tracked to
acute care. Other systemic symptoms such
as tachycardia and increased respirations
may indicate sepsis and should be carefully
monitored. Cellulitis that has spread
to an adjacent structure (such as osteomyelitis)
or through the blood (bacteraemia)
is a serious cause for concern and requires
immediate hospital admission. Patients
with mild or moderate cellulitis without
systemic symptoms should be managed in
primary care. Wingfield (2009) contains auseful step-by-step guide on diagnosing,
assessing and managing cellulitis (see
tinyurl.com/Wingfield-cellulitis).
Medical historyTaking a thorough comprehensive medicalhistory is key to diagnosing cellulitis anddetermining risk factors and comorbidities.Onset of symptoms should be definedtogether with the original starting point ofinflammation. History of any trauma to thearea, even minor, should be ascertained andcircumstances identified as this may helpdecide on antibiotic management. Injury, ifany, may have occurred several days beforesymptoms, but patients may not relate theinjury to the onset of cellulitis. Cuts andwounds obtained via water environmentssuch as lakes, streams, sea and ponds(brackish water) may be contaminated withbacteria. Water-borne bacteria should beconsidered if patients fail to respond toconventional antibiotic treatments.Fever, malaise, nausea, shivering andrigors may accompany or precede skinchanges. Lymphangitis (infection oflymph vessels) can also present in moresevere cases, appearing as a red line originatingfrom the cellulitis and leading totender swollen lymph glands draining theaffected area (for example, in the groinwith leg cellulitis).Progression of symptoms, especially ifthis is rapid, can be a sign of a more acuteand deeper infection such as necrotisingfasciitis, and should be fast-tracked toacute care. Other systemic symptoms suchas tachycardia and increased respirationsmay indicate sepsis and should be carefullymonitored. Cellulitis that has spreadto an adjacent structure (such as osteomyelitis)or through the blood (bacteraemia)is a serious cause for concern and requiresimmediate hospital admission. Patientswith mild or moderate cellulitis withoutsystemic symptoms should be managed inprimary care. Wingfield (2009) contains auseful step-by-step guide on diagnosing,assessing and managing cellulitis (seetinyurl.com/Wingfield-cellulitis).
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