How to Recover from Cellulitis

Cellulitis is an inflammation of cells that specifically refers to an infection of the dermis characterized by acute spreading. It is caused by an invasion of bacteria, typically gram-positive, through a break in the skin. Cellulitis is common and affects 2 to 3 percent of the population each year. The following steps will show how to recover from cellulitis.

Instructions

• 1

  Take the prescribed antibiotics. Most patients with uncomplicated cases of cellulitis will simply be given a prescription and sent home. Patients with severe cases of cellulitis may need to be admitted to a hospital so antibiotics can be administered intravenously and any underlying causes identified.

• 2

  Continue receiving prophylactic antibiotics to prevent recurrences. The most likely treatments include penicillin or erythromycin twice per day or a monthly injection of benzathine penicillin.

• 3

  Expect a good prognosis if there are no complications. Antibiotic treatments in these cases are more than 90 percent effective. It is not uncommon for the bacteria that cause cellulitis to be resistant to penicillin, so alternative antibiotics may be needed.

• 4

  Look for common complications of cellulitis. These include abscesses, bacteremia, lymphangitis, super infection and thrombophlebitis. Facial cellulitis causes meningitis in children 8 percent of the time.

• 5

  Seek medical treatment immediately if the infection site develops a crackling or popping sound because this could indicate gas gangrene, which carries a 25 percent mortality rate. This type of infection can spread rapidly and will require a surgical consultation to determine the need for debridement and possible amputation.