Understanding Cellulitis & Abscess: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

Explore Over 11,000+ Conditions, Medications, and Symptoms.

Get a personalized feed by signing up for free.

All Conditions

Cellulitis & Abscess

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

General

Cellulitis and abscess are among the most common skin and soft tissue infections. Cellulitis manifests as an area of skin redness, edema, and warmth. Cellulitis develops as a result of bacterial entry via breaches in the skin barrier. A skin abscess is a collection of pus within the dermis or subcutaneous space.

118 people with Cellulitis & Abscess are on Alike.

"Alike is the place to get answers from people who firsthand share your health challenges"

Signs & symptoms

Cellulitis and manifests as areas of skin redness, edema, and warmth. Systemic manifestations, including fever, chills, severe malaise, and headache might suggest a more severe cellulitis. A skin abscess is a collection of pus within the dermis or subcutaneous space. It manifests as a painful, fluctuant, red nodule, with or without surrounding cellulitis

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of cellulitis and abscess is usually based upon the patient symptoms and medical history. Patients with diabetes, immune deficiency diseases, or taking steroids have are at risk of suffering from abscess. Radiographic examination can be useful to determine whether a skin abscess is present

Treatment

Treatments for cellulitis and abscess include antibiotics. The antibiotics can be taken whether as pills or through the vein, usually during hospitalization, depending on the severance. Abscess may be drained in a doctor's clinic with a local anesthesia or in operation room, under a general anesthesia.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

Latest Discussions

Beetle444

My understanding is that Crohn’s-related fistulas...

AnxietyRat

1mo

Concerns about Chest Lump and Skin Issues

Gordan999

6mo

Hi, I am 68 and I was diagnosed in december 2019. My...

dolphinblues

Stubborn Abscess: Need Help!

Purplezebra

The Need for a Diagnosis: Coping with Health Anxiety

therealhaleyj

Alternatives to Cephalexin for Antibiotic Treatment

Alike Wisdom

Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences

My understanding is that Crohn’s-related fistulas cannot fully heal until the inflammation in the area goes away, which can take a long time even when you’re on the right medication. I have a fistula that periodically heals over, then becomes an **abscess** and eventually ruptures (or gets so painful that it needs to be surgically drained), and the cycle continues. It sucks. It would be a good idea to talk to your gastroenterologist or anorectal surgeon about this, especially if you’re experiencing a lot of discharge from it on the regular.

Concerns about Chest Lump and Skin Issues

Hi, I am 68 and I was diagnosed in december 2019. My rituximab journey was ok till I started having chest infections during the maintenace program. The doctors had to stop it after 3months. After that the **chest infections** have gone down. I have been in remission for 3 years now and it feels ok just some fatigue here and ther but I am getting a hang of it. Sorry to hear about you challenges and I hope your medical team will come out with the best treatment plan for you. Praying for you.