Skin and Bone Infections

Skin and bone infections can quickly lead to serious complications, causing extensive tissue damage and spreading through your bloodstream to your heart and other organs. Double-board-certified podiatric surgeon and wound care specialist Thomas Rambacher, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA, at Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County in Mission Viejo, California, has years of experience preventing and treating skin and bone infections with advanced wound care and infection management. Use online booking or call Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County today to request an appointment.

How would I get a skin or bone infection?

Healthy skin creates a barrier that protects you from bacteria and other infection-causing microorganisms. But it takes only a tiny cut or bug bite to give bacteria the opening to invade.

Foot, ankle, and leg wounds make you especially vulnerable to skin and bone infections. These wounds keep enlarging and are slow to heal, giving bacteria plenty of time to take hold and spread.

What skin and bone infections might I develop?

Without treatment, the skin and bone infections listed below can cause extensive tissue damage and spread to other body areas:

Necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating bacteria)

Necrotizing fasciitis is a bacterial infection affecting the connective tissues (fascia) that cover all of your muscles, organs, blood vessels, nerves, and the inner walls of your chest and abdomen.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

MRSA causes two types of bacterial skin infections, health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) and community associated MRSA (CA-MRSA).

HA-MRSA affects people in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care settings, where the bacteria spread during invasive procedures or through person-to-person contact.

CA-MRSA develops in healthy people and spreads by direct skin-to-skin contact, often affecting child care workers, wrestlers, and people in crowded areas.

Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is a serious bone infection that often begins when bacteria grow in a non-healing wound like a diabetic foot ulcer. This infection also occurs when bacteria in your bloodstream spread to your bones.

Cellulitis

Cellulitis, another bacterial skin infection, arises from leg wound infections, especially ulcers caused by venous disease.

How will I know I have a skin or bone infection?

MRSA infections often begin with painful, red bumps that resemble pimples or spider bites. Other symptoms caused by skin and bone infections include:

• Redness and swelling
• Tenderness
• Warm skin
• Pain
• Blisters
• Fever
• Headaches
• Chills
• Weakness

Bone infections may also cause joint pain, a stiff back, and difficulty moving or walking.

How are skin and bone infections treated?

Dr. Rambacher treats skin and bone infections with infection management and intensive wound care. You may need oral or intravenous antibiotics, especially for necrotizing fasciitis and osteomyelitis.

Your wound care includes cleaning, debridement (removing dead and infected tissues), and specialized dressings. Dr. Rambacher may also recommend topical antibiotics and advanced wound care products, depending on the wound’s severity and underlying cause.

Call Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County today or request an appointment online to get expert care for skin and bone infections.