What should you know about gas cellulitis?

Bacteria infect the skin and deeper soft tissue, and some types release gas as they grow. This can cause rapidly worsening redness, swelling, warmth and severe pain. The skin may look tense, blistered or darker than expected, and the affected area can feel unusually firm or crackly beneath the surface. A small wound, ulcer, surgical site or fungal infection such as Athlete's Foot can provide an entry point. Risk is higher when circulation or immune defence is impaired, including with Type 2 Diabetes.

Gas in tissue is not the same as ordinary trapped air and cannot be safely assessed at home. Clinicians may examine the area, check vital signs and use imaging or laboratory tests while arranging treatment.

Treat suspected gas cellulitis as an emergency. Go to an emergency department or call local emergency services, especially when pain or swelling is escalating over hours, fever is present, or you feel weak, confused or faint. Do not squeeze the area, apply irritant products, delay care to monitor it, or rely on leftover antibiotics. Keep the area protected, avoid eating or drinking if urgent surgery may be needed, and tell the clinician about diabetes, recent procedures, wounds and medicines.

Seek emergency care immediately for rapidly spreading redness, severe pain, blisters, skin colour change, numbness, a crackling sensation, fever, fast breathing, dizziness or confusion. These signs can accompany a deep infection or Sepsis and require prompt assessment. Even without fever, rapidly changing skin pain or swelling warrants urgent review because serious infection can develop before every symptom appears.

Ask which tests are needed to assess the depth of infection, whether surgery is required to remove infected tissue, which antibiotics are appropriate, and how an underlying wound or Athlete's Foot should be treated. Ask how Type 2 Diabetes or circulation problems may affect healing and which warning signs should prompt an immediate return.