You wake up, and your leg hurts. In fact, it’s downright painful. Upon examination, you notice your entire lower leg is swollen and tender. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
“What is this?” you think. “Am I allergic to something?”
Your skin looks tight and shiny. And upon touch, it’s blazing hot. You feel a little feverish -- as if you have the flu. You’re tired, too. Maybe you need to lie down. Thinking this bout of whatever it is will go away on its own, you opt not to go to the doctor. A simple nap will do. These things always clear up naturally, right?
In a couple of days, the mystery affliction has gotten worse. Your leg is more swollen and hurts more than ever. A spot that looks like a boil is in the center of the swelling. In addition, there is pus coming out. It’s what can only be described as gross. Scared, you schedule an appointment with your doctor, who, after a routine examination, diagnoses you with a condition you’ve never heard of. It sounds like cellulite, but that’s not it. “You have cellulitis,” she states. “And this is nothing to take lightly. You’ll need medications.”
“What the heck is that?” you wonder.
If you’ve never heard of cellulitis, you’re definitely not alone. Most people haven’t.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Cellulitis is a common, potentially serious bacterial skin infection.” Though it isn’t possible to spread cellulitis to others, it can spread quickly to other parts of the body.