Cellulitis

[davmil52]

I’m a 68 year old experienced and very regular cyclist, height 175cm, weight 90kg and my overall health and fitness are very good.

However I get cellulitis, probably once a year, in my lower leg, which luckily responds to a course of antibiotics but lays me low for about a week. According to my doctor the chances are that as I have mild eczema in this area the infection is picked up cycling in shorts probably when riding on shared use paths.
I shower after rides and use aqueous cream for the eczema.

Whilst my doctor is very good in treating it she was unable to suggest any permanent solution, so has anyone else experienced this and what precautions to you take in order to stop it recurring.

Thanks

[NUKe]

Yes I have had a couple of bouts its a bacterial infection which gets in through Cracked skin, not sure why she thinks you are picking it up on shared use paths or even sure that it is wearing shorts , it could be anywhere. I suffer from Psoriasis and it was getting in between my toes for m, I cured these particular liaisons and have not had a bout since.
Stopping it, don't over shower and use a better moisturiser e45 is cheap in Savers a big pump pot for a tenner. keep the skin supple and get the doctor to treat the eczema. check your feet for liaisons

[Vorpal]

If the bacteria are coming from riding on shared use paths, maybe just wearing long trousers or leg warmers is enough?

[davmil52]

Yes I have had a couple of bouts its a bacterial infection which gets in through Cracked skin, not sure why she thinks you are picking it up on shared use paths or even sure that it is wearing shorts , it could be anywhere. I suffer from Psoriasis and it was getting in between my toes for m, I cured these particular liaisons and have not had a bout since.
Stopping it, don't over shower and use a better moisturiser e45 is cheap in Savers a big pump pot for a tenner. keep the skin supple and get the doctor to treat the eczema. check your feet for liaisons

Thanks. Its interesting what you say about over showering, I'll look into this.

[davmil52]

If the bacteria are coming from riding on shared use paths, maybe just wearing long trousers or leg warmers is enough?

Thanks for this, I'm about to give these a try.

[horizon]

I presume you've read this:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cellulitis ... ction.aspx

but they also say:

Cellulitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

The bacteria that cause it often live harmlessly on the skin,

which rather contradicts what your docor said.

[The utility cyclist]

I had a very bad case of this when I was in the army, infected blister It's mainly caused by Staph and Strep

Suggest looking at the types of socks you wear and also the type of shoe and how well ventilated they are. heat/moisture in a shoe are breeding grounds for bacteria so any susceptibility over and above your average joe is likely to be an area that needs to be considered.
Give your cycling shoes a good wash for starters and spray them with a quality anti-bac spray or even powder
Using a tea-tree oil based foot spray before rides might be something to think about also, you could buy a small concentratws bottle of oil and make your own,
good luck.

[davmil52]

Thanks for the tips I will give them a go.

[Andy3460]

I've had it a few times. Mine usually comes from a small cut or nick. I finish every shower with an antibacterial wash of the legs, and use antibiotic cream on any cuts on the legs just in case.
I was also told by my doctor that it's due to bacteria that live on the skin.

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my XT1068 using hovercraft full of eels.

[661-Pete]

I had a bout of this in my arm about three years ago. I think it can strike without warning.

I've had patches of broken skin (probably psoriasis) on my elbows for years, but the first indication of something more serious was an intense pain in the arm - so much so that I couldn't use it - accompanied by considerable swelling. I at first wondered if I'd broken a bone somewhere without knowing it, so I went to A&E - but they shuffled me over to the out-of-hours GP who put me on antibiotics. In due course this cleared up the trouble.

A former colleague of mine had a much more severe attack, also in the arm - he didn't say if it was cellulitis or something different, but it sounds like it - needed hospitalisation, his arm was so badly swollen and infected that they at first threatened that he might need amputation. Luckily he didn't. This was brought about, apparently, by his cat scratching him. He's been ultra-cautious about handling his cat, ever since!

For my psoriasis, I've been recommended to apply a neutral moisturiser daily, so I've been doing that (diprobase or cetraben: free for me on prescription but you can get it over the counter). It helps to stop the skin cracking (and hence hopefully, the risk of cellulitis), but doesn't actually clear up the psoriasis. For that, I'm toying with asking the GP for another go at the topical steroids. I used them years ago (for eczema).

[Vorpal]

I presume you've read this:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cellulitis ... ction.aspx

but they also say:

Cellulitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

The bacteria that cause it often live harmlessly on the skin,

which rather contradicts what your docor said.

But they may have tested the bacteria before prescribing anti-biotics. They sometimes do this to determine which antibiotics will treat it best. In that case, they could know a possible source, as well, especially if it wasn't something that typically lives harmlessly ont he skin.

[Graham]

^
You have just reminded me that the human body is an extraordinarily complex organism and eco-system of "other" organisms.

Most of the time ( and especially when we are young ) the "other" organisms can co-exist without harm thanks to our immune systems and other barrier mechanisms.

But when the "other" organisms find their way to the wrong place there may be disease, sickness & death. ( Happy New Year )

Certain bacteria living ON the skin may get through the skin and cause non-trivial problems.

[horizon]

http://www.edenproject.com/visit/whats- ... exhibition

[531colin]

I presume you've read this:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cellulitis ... ction.aspx

but they also say:

Cellulitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

The bacteria that cause it often live harmlessly on the skin,

which rather contradicts what your docor said.

But they may have tested the bacteria before prescribing anti-biotics. They sometimes do this to determine which antibiotics will treat it best. In that case, they could know a possible source, as well, especially if it wasn't something that typically lives harmlessly ont he skin.

Its possible that the GP took a sample and sent it off to the local hospital bacteriology lab for culture and antibiotic sensitivity before prescribing antibiotics.....but lets just look at that again......."cellulitis"...is inflammation within the tissue itself.....so to get a competent sample, you need to swab the surface with disinfectant (to kill off the skin surface bugs) stick a sterile needle in the leg, pull off some fluid and put it in a specimen pot. Get it to the lab, culture for at least 24 hours to pick a colony to re-plate for identification and antibiotic sensitivity (another 48 hours?) before you can prescribe a targeted antibiotic. In the real world, what usually happens is a "first level" broad-spectrum antibiotic is prescribed, which fits in with the OPs timescale of a week.
So on balance i think its more likely that the GP was just saying the first thing that came into their head.
Skin surface bacteria are an interesting lot. Staphylococcus is one of the usual suspects, theres Staph. Albus which is mostly harmless, Staph Aureus which isn't necessarily harmful......except some Aureus have developed the trick of starting our blood coagulation cascade, so they surround themselves with a barrier to our immune response. (and thats another culture, another 24 hours in the lab) But the one that will kill you is the antibiotic resistant one....MRSA.....and you can carry that on your skin surface as well.

[Kellysambou76]

Yes I have had a couple of bouts its a bacterial infection which gets in through Cracked skin, not sure why she thinks you are picking it up on shared use paths or even sure that it is wearing shorts , it could be anywhere. I suffer from Psoriasis and it was getting in between my toes for m, I cured these particular liaisons and have not had a bout since.
Stopping it, don't over shower and use a better moisturiser e45 is cheap in Savers a big pump pot for a tenner. keep the skin supple and get the doctor to treat the eczema. check your feet for liaisons

Thanks. Its interesting what you say about over showering, I'll look into this.

Hello everyone. It seems I have it in between two toes I do suffer severe foot psoriasis which is a problem. I love cycling though and it seems the one sport I can do. walking and running out of the question for dry, cracked, sometimes bleeding feet. I am currently on second week of antibiotics.
Is it ok to put steroid creams/ moisturisers in-between your toes or does that cause more moisture. Really trying to prevent further infections.