How to Screen Cellulitis

You will need to make an appointment with your doctor in order to screen for cellulitis if you think are experiencing symptoms of the condition. Medical treatment for cellulitis should be started as soon as possible in order to prevent further complications related to the infection of skin and tissue.

Things You'll Need

• Ultrasound, CT scan or x-ray (may be needed)
• Antibiotics

Instructions

1. Allow your doctor to the check the skin for redness and swelling in the areas where you may be infected. Your doctor will most likely test to see if you are feeling any pain or tenderness by touching the area. He will also take your temperature to see if you have a fever, which may suggest that the infection has already spread through your bloodstream.

2. Remember that in children, cellulitis is likely to appear in the face or anus, so the doctor may need to examine these areas. If you or your child is experiencing symptoms in your face, you should seek emergency medical treatment. Cellulitis infections in the face can lead to infections of the eyes and other severe medical complications.

3. Prepare for your doctor to perform diagnostic tests for cellulitis if a review of symptoms and medical history is not sufficient. In most cases, testing will not be necessary, but in rare cases, especially those involving cellulitis found in the legs, an ultrasound or CT scan may be done to look for blood clots underneath the skin. X-rays are also sometimes used to check the bones for the spread of cellulitis infection.

4. Talk to your doctor about all symptoms of cellulitis you are experiencing. Do your best to remember when the symptoms first occurred and make a note of any other skin conditions you have, as well as whether you have ever had cellulitis in the past. This information will most likely be enough to screen for and diagnose cellulitis and begin treatment.

5. Submit to further testing of the infected area of skin on your body if the antibiotics prescribed by your doctor to treat cellulitis do not help treat the condition. Though antibiotics are generally very effective in treating cellulitis, if the common forms of medication do not work, your doctor may need to determine the exact type of bacteria that has infected you by testing fluid that is drained from the infected area. By looking more closely at the type of bacteria, your doctor may be able to prescribe medication specifically recommended to treat your condition.

Tips & Warnings

• Prompt treatment of cellulitis will most likely help the symptoms disappear within a few days. The sooner your doctor can screen you for cellulitis, the sooner you will be able to begin treatment.