Can the leg be wrapped? If so with what and how often should the wrapping be changed? Should I be washing the leg with soap and water? Should I be using topical creams on the leg to soothe it and keep the skin healthy? If so what is appropriate?
When I had cellulitis on the front and back of my leg (from just below knee to the ankle) nearly a decade ago, I had young children in the household and elderly parents across the street who were in my home every couple of days so I was terrified of contaminating the house and passing the infection on, particularly while it was still weeping. Medical professionals would tell me I couldn't infect anyone else even if they came into contact with the weeping, but then also told me to take showers and not baths so I wouldn't spread the infection to other parts of my body... Yet they had no idea how I had gotten infected!
I only wrapped my leg about once a day when I was going to be up for a while using large gauze pads and a stretch bandage to hold the pads in place. Then I pulled a leg warmer tube over the wrappings. Most of the time I remained in bed or sitting on the bed with the leg elevated. I placed a washable bed pad 36"x36" on the bed, then a disposable pad, and a layer of large gauze pads before placing my leg on the pads, adding a layer of pads on top of the leg, and folding the disposable and washable pads over the leg so it was "encased". Then I would pull the sheet and a quilt up for cover. I used a hand held shower to rinse/wash the leg, latex gloves when dealing with soiled bandages or disposable pads, putting everything into a trash bag that went outside to the garbage can ASAP. Hot water and bleach washings for towels, washable pads, leg warmers, etc. The weeping never got past the disposal pad and it's waterproof backing or the stretch wrapping. A couple of times during the heavy weeping phase, I wrapped a disposable pad around the leg before putting the leg warmer over it.
Dad has had that a few times and we had a wound care specialist come to the house to wrap his leg several times a week. Since he moved to the AL, we are having home health come (for some reason he didn't qualify for home health when he lived in his house but now he does). And during these times, he goes to his PCP and they look at it and re-wrap as necessary. He is going through another bout of cellulitis right now but without the weeping. Antibiotics for the infection. During the times when it is under control, his legs are checked at least every other day by caregivers to keep on top of things.
Basic treatment to improve LE cellulitis care is compression, elevation & diuretics for the patient. Limit salt (no added salt). Table salt is highest in sodium this cut salt out of his diet.
Don’t forget to wash your hands prior to woundcare & use gloves when you change the dressing.
Cellulitis in the lower extremities is hard to care for b/o the constant oozing.
I recommend going to a woundcare center for evaluation and treatment. The WC center will teach you how to dress the wounds & order the supplies.
Cellulitis Care can be frustrating for the CG & the patient as healing can take a long time (months).
Gently washing of the site with simple warn water is beneficial. If you have a handheld shower wand it will be easier to clean them; simply use a shower seat/bench, have him sit there and wash using the handheld shower head.
My dad's legs ooze water. The nurse washes them with a solution called Vashe. But water is okay too. Then she wraps them with an abdominal pad and rolled gauze. What helps stop it is, eat less salt and keep the legs elevated. How often to wrap depends on how wet the legs are. Maybe see if ever other day helps If it looks infected, get anti biotics pills
People die of cellulitis. BIL recently had to have 5 IVs per day in a NH to treat his. Neuropathy is his primary problem. He wears braces that aggravate. Its not an unusual problem but it is a serious one and requires medical care. Ask for home health wound care from her doctor if she can’t go to the urgent care or ER.
A question very similar to this was asked in the last few weeks. If I could find the URL, I'd post it, since others wisely wrote not to use anything topical other than something prescribed or recommended by a wound care specialist.
You wrote that the person is getting treatment; the wound care doctor or whoever is providing treatment should be giving you answers.
With open weeping, there's too much of a chance of infection to use anything not recommended by a medical pro.
If the skin is oozing (weeping) drops of fluid, special wet compresses are used until the weeping stops. Sores are treated with layered compression bandages. Your healthcare provider can teach you how to put on the 3 or 4 layers of different types of bandages. Do not use any antibiotic ointments or creams - they should be on antibiotic treatment
I only wrapped my leg about once a day when I was going to be up for a while using large gauze pads and a stretch bandage to hold the pads in place. Then I pulled a leg warmer tube over the wrappings. Most of the time I remained in bed or sitting on the bed with the leg elevated. I placed a washable bed pad 36"x36" on the bed, then a disposable pad, and a layer of large gauze pads before placing my leg on the pads, adding a layer of pads on top of the leg, and folding the disposable and washable pads over the leg so it was "encased". Then I would pull the sheet and a quilt up for cover. I used a hand held shower to rinse/wash the leg, latex gloves when dealing with soiled bandages or disposable pads, putting everything into a trash bag that went outside to the garbage can ASAP. Hot water and bleach washings for towels, washable pads, leg warmers, etc. The weeping never got past the disposal pad and it's waterproof backing or the stretch wrapping. A couple of times during the heavy weeping phase, I wrapped a disposable pad around the leg before putting the leg warmer over it.
Don’t forget to wash your hands prior to woundcare & use gloves when you change the dressing.
Cellulitis in the lower extremities is hard to care for b/o the constant oozing.
I recommend going to a woundcare center for evaluation and treatment. The WC center will teach you how to dress the wounds & order the supplies.
Cellulitis Care can be frustrating for the CG & the patient as healing can take a long time (months).
Gently washing of the site with simple warn water is beneficial. If you have a handheld shower wand it will be easier to clean them; simply use a shower seat/bench, have him sit there and wash using the handheld shower head.
What helps stop it is, eat less salt and keep the legs elevated.
How often to wrap depends on how wet the legs are. Maybe see if ever other day helps
If it looks infected, get anti biotics pills
Its not an unusual problem but it is a serious one and requires medical care. Ask for home health wound care from her doctor if she can’t go to the urgent care or ER.
You wrote that the person is getting treatment; the wound care doctor or whoever is providing treatment should be giving you answers.
With open weeping, there's too much of a chance of infection to use anything not recommended by a medical pro.
Do not use any antibiotic ointments or creams - they should be on antibiotic treatment