Contents:
- Medical Video: Important Facts You Need to Know About Phlegmon, Inflammation Under the Skin
- Phlegmon, inflammation under the skin due to bacterial infection
- Phlegmon is different from abscess
- What is the cause of phlegmon?
- What are the signs and symptoms of phlegmon
- How can phlegmon be recognized?
- What is the treatment like?
Medical Video: Important Facts You Need to Know About Phlegmon, Inflammation Under the Skin
When talking about inflammation, what first crossed your mind? Sore throat? Or inflammation of the intestine? In fact, inflammation can occur anywhere in the body at any time. Inflammation itself is the body's defense against certain damage or infection. Well, the effects of inflammation in one part of the body can spread to other parts of the body under the skin. Inflammation under the skin is called phlegmon.
Phlegmon, inflammation under the skin due to bacterial infection
Phlegmon is a medical term that refers to inflammation that spreads to fine tissue, such as the skin, fat tissue, muscle tissue and tendons or other internal organs. The word phlegmon comes from Greek phlegmone, which means to swell.
Phlegmon occurs when the bacterial infection is not properly treated so that it has spread from damaged and infected tissue. Inflammation that causes phlegmon is usually not a serious condition, but spreads very quickly to any part of the body. In some cases phlegmon can be fatal.
Phlegmon is different from abscess
Phlegmon and abscess are both complications of localized inflammation in one area. Both also cause pus formation.
Even so, there are still differences between phlegmon and abscess. Pus lumps due to abscesses can be easily absorbed or sucked through simple medical procedures, but not with pus formed due to phlegmon.
Phlegmon pus is not easy to absorb and is very risky to cause infections that spread to surrounding tissues.
What is the cause of phlegmon?
Most cases of phlegmon are caused by bacterial infections Streptococcus group A and Staphylococcus aureus. The type of bacteria that causes phlegmon usually enters the body through various routes such as through touch between infected humans, animal scratches, insect bites, or open wounds that can form inflammation under the skin.
Phlegmon-causing bacteria can also originate in the oral cavity and are very risky to trigger phlegmon in someone who has undergone surgery in the mouth area. The same bacteria can enter the body deeper, to the abdominal cavity and appendix to form phlegmon.
What are the signs and symptoms of phlegmon
Phlegmon symptoms can vary depending on where the tissue is inflamed.
Phlegmon can trigger general systemic symptoms of bacterial infections such as:
- Swelling of the lymph glands.
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Fatigue
- The body feels painful.
Whereas based on specific body parts that experience phlegmon, symptoms can include:
- On the skin - redness, skin appears swollen, feels hot and painful.
- In the gastrointestinal tract - fever accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and pain.
- In the appendix intestine (appendix)- indigestion, diarrhea, vomiting, pain around the abdomen.
- In the eye - vision problems, flu-like symptoms, watery eyes accompanied by pain.
- In the oral cavity - pain around the gums to spread around the ear, swelling around the mouth, and difficulty breathing.
- On the tonsils - sore throat, throat feels dry, and has difficulty speaking
- In the pancreas - increase in amylase enzymes and white blood cell levels, and fever accompanied by abdominal pain and nausea.
The appearance of phlegmon symptoms can be affected by endurance. So, someone with a weak immune system will be very at risk for this condition.
How can phlegmon be recognized?
Phlegmon can be identified by signs of general inflammation, such as redness and swelling. But usually these signs can only be seen if they occur around the skin.
If inflammation occurs under the skin, your doctor may ask you about a condition that causes phlegmon symptoms such as medical history and treatment.
If there are pain and signs of inflammation in certain areas of the body, then further examinations such as blood tests, urine tests, ultrasound, X-rays, and MRI and CT scans may also be needed. This examination is needed to detect and distinguish phlegmon abscess or cellulitis.
What is the treatment like?
Because phlegmon is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotic treatment and surgical procedures are needed to prevent the spread of phlegmon from infected tissue.
Most phlegmon that occurs in the skin tissue can be treated with antibiotics as long as the area with phlegmon does not spread. But surgery is also possible to clean damaged tissue and prevent the infection from spreading.
Phlegmon can be a serious health problem if the spread occurs very quickly, as happens in the oral cavity. In the case of oral phlegmon, administration of antibiotics is carried out in a higher type or dose. Surgery must also be done as soon as possible.
