Cellulitis and acute lymphangitis
Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that can spread into your lymph vessels, causing painful redness and swelling in your tissues.
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Cellulitis is a common infection of the deeper layers of your skin and the fat tissue just beneath it. It usually starts when bacteria enter through a small break in your skin, like a cut, scrape, or insect bite.
Acute lymphangitis happens when the infection travels from the skin into your lymph vessels, which are the tiny tubes that act as the drainage system for your immune system. You will often see this as red streaks running from the infected area toward your heart, signaling that the infection is moving through your body's plumbing.
Common Symptoms
- A patch of skin that looks red, swollen, and feels warm to the touch.
- Pain or tenderness in the infected area.
- Visible red streaks spreading away from the site of infection toward the rest of the body.
- Swollen lymph nodes, which are small pea-sized glands found in your neck, armpits, or groin.
- Fever or chills that come on as the infection grows.