Patient/caregiver was educated on complications of cellulitis as follows:
- Infection of skin with bacteria or fungi can result in inflammation at the involved site. As a response to inflammation, chemicals will be released at the affected skin site.
- The inflammatory chemicals released sensitize the skin and cause local elevation of temperature, resulting in pain and tenderness with warmth & redness of the affected area of skin. Depending on the severity of infection, individuals can as well present with high fever.
- These inflammatory chemicals also result in escape of fluid from the blood vessels, out of circulation and collect in between the tissues, which contributes to swelling/edema of the involved site.
- Uncontrolled accumulation of fluid and swelling can reduce blood supply to the involved skin tissue. Compromised blood supply to damaged skin can contribute to poor infection control & healing of injured skin tissue, leading to worsening of cellulitis
- Protective white blood cells accumulate at the site of cellulitis to fight against the infection. The protective white blood cells with the damaged skin cell debris form a thick, yellowish, foul-smelling fluid called pus.
