Can you help with a remedy for my swollen, stinging leg?

QI have a swollen leg that stings continuously. My doctor told me it was cellulitis. What is this exactly, and is there a cure?

AThis distressing condition is a type of skin infection caused by bacteria getting into the deeper layers of the skin and underlying fat. The most common site is the foot or leg, though any part of the body can be affected.

Typically the area is hot, red and swollen and may also ooze pus. These bugs may get into the skin through a wound or graze, but they also gain passage via insect bites, eczema and the cracking of the skin caused by athlete’s foot, the fungal infection often prevalent between the toes.

Not surprisingly, this type of infection is more common in those with diabetes, who are at greater risk of foot wounds due to poor circulation. The diagnosis is based upon the appearance of the skin and a swab of the affected area to identify the bacteria.

The condition is caused by one of two bugs, either streptococci or staphylococci. Treatment is with antibiotics, but some staphylococci bugs are resistant to many regular antibiotics and are called methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. This, as we all know, can spell trouble on occasions, as complex antibiotics are needed to beat it, and they must be given by injection or intravenous infusions.

As well as antibiotics, treatment involves resting and elevating the affected area to help reduce swelling. It is also worth noting that patients taking oral antibiotics should seek help if they develop a temperature, sweats or nausea, as this suggests that stronger drugs are needed.

Recurrences are not uncommon, particularly when the patient’s immunity is compromised – for example, by diabetes, obesity, and medicines like steroids being given for other reasons.

However, the condition usually clears within 10 to 14 days.