After swimming, the boy's legs were red, swollen and pus-filled! These types of people should pay special attention to →

After the beginning of the dog days, the weather is getting hotter and hotter, and swimming to cool down has become the first choice for many people. Some people also choose to swim in ponds, reservoirs, and wild lakes because they think there are too many people in the pools of gyms and swimming pools.

But in fact, this behavior is highly not recommended.

In the wild, the water seems very clean, and you have no idea what bacteria and microorganisms are in it. If you happen to have a wound on your body, once you are not careful and get infected with "erysipelas", you will be in endless torture, with your whole leg swollen and painful, and "rotten" to the point of pus...

Swimming in a wild lake can lead to infection with erysipelas

High fever 41℃

Mr. Li from Xuzhou tells his story:

There is a wild lake near his home, and he would go swimming in the lake every summer in the past two years. Every time he finished swimming, he would go home to take a shower. But there were a few times when he didn't have time to go home to wash. At this time, white marks would appear on his legs, and if he left it alone, small red bumps would appear. These small red bumps were very itchy, similar to the feeling of ants crawling on the legs.

He initially thought that these small red bumps were mosquito bites, so he didn't take it seriously. He scratched wherever he felt itchy. However, it would be fine if he didn't scratch it, but once he scratched it, the red bumps would turn red. These small red bumps seemed to be contagious and were particularly prone to bleeding. It was even more painful when he took a hot bath, as the temperature stimulated the wounds and made him gasp involuntarily.

Image source: provided by the author

One afternoon, he was swimming in the lake as usual, but he felt uncomfortable and dizzy. His first reaction was that he had heat stroke. After returning home, the symptoms did not ease but worsened. Not only was his head buzzing, but he was also shaking all over. Then he lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, it was already 10 o'clock the next morning. His calves were swollen like carrots. When he walked, it felt like thousands of needles were pierced into his legs at the same time. He felt numb and sore, and his body temperature was as high as 41℃. The doctor diagnosed him with "erysipelas".

Image source: provided by the author

Image source: provided by the author

After treatment, although the disease was under control, the calf still had a considerable change compared to before the disease - when wearing shoes, the ankles obviously felt "fatter", and the slightly thinner shoes could not fit in at all. It will take a long time to fully recover.

"erysipelas"

what is going on

Although the word "poison" is in the name, "erysipelas" is not poisoning, but an acute inflammatory lesion of the skin and subcutaneous lymphatic vessels caused by bacterial infection. The most common sites of occurrence are the face or lower legs.

Erysipelas has an acute onset, and symptoms during the incubation period include general discomfort, chills, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, etc. Once the disease occurs, patches of red spots will appear on the skin and spread rapidly, with a clear boundary from the surrounding normal skin tissue. It will feel very hot to the touch and be very painful when pressed lightly. Sometimes blisters and pustules will also appear.

When small wounds appear on human skin or mucous membranes, pathogens may enter the body through these places, even if you may not notice them at all. Especially for patients with tinea pedis, because they are often accompanied by symptoms of itchy feet, it is easy to scratch themselves inadvertently during unconscious scratching, so they need to pay more attention.

These situations

Be alert to the high incidence of erysipelas

1

season

Summer and autumn are the peak seasons for erysipelas. The high temperature and humidity make it easy for bacteria to grow and multiply. In addition, the increase in mosquito bites increases the probability of skin injuries and damage, making it more likely to induce erysipelas.

2

crowd

1) Patients with local skin and mucosal lesions. Some of the lower limb infections come from skin ulcers, tinea pedis, varicose veins, and other skin diseases. Some of the facial infections come from rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis and other diseases. 2) People with underlying diseases such as diabetes or people with low immunity due to overwork and long-term alcohol abuse. 3) Pregnant women. Due to changes in hormones in the body, women's immune function is weakened during pregnancy. In addition, lymphedema is prone to occur during pregnancy, which also increases the risk of erysipelas. 4) People who have suffered from erysipelas may have repeated attacks of erysipelas at the original site, which is called recurrent erysipelas. When the disease lasts for a long time, it may also cause chronic lymphedema.

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How to prevent erysipelas

1

Avoid skin damage

If the skin is damaged, it should be treated immediately to prevent infection. People with athlete's foot, corns and other diseases should actively seek treatment to avoid improper care and induce erysipelas.

2

Pay attention to personal hygiene

The temperature and humidity in summer are very suitable for fungal growth, especially in the rainy season in the south. You should pay more attention to changing shoes and socks frequently, drying your feet after washing them, and keeping your feet clean and dry. Do not use public slippers or foot basins to reduce the chance of cross infection.

3

Enhance immunity

The occurrence of erysipelas is also closely related to the decline of resistance. Therefore, we should strengthen exercise, strengthen physical fitness, avoid staying up late and overwork.

4

Avoid wading

Be sure to note that it is best not to wade in muddy water on rainy days, especially for people with wounds, eczema, athlete's foot and other diseases. After wading, rinse your legs and feet with clean water in time to prevent infection.

5

Maintain a healthy diet

A balanced diet helps improve the body's immunity. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits to supplement vitamins and minerals, and avoid excessive intake of greasy, spicy and high-sugar foods.

6

Avoid tight clothing

Wear loose, breathable clothing and avoid tight clothing that causes skin friction and pressure to reduce the chance of skin damage and infection.

Planning and production

Author: Science Popularization China New Media

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital