A doctor will diagnose cellulitis simply by talking to you, then looking at and touching the affected area.

Sometimes blood samples will be taken to look for the type of bacteria involved, and sometimes swabs of the skin or wound to rule out other conditions. They might order an ultrasound.

The most important thing is to treat the cellulitis early so that the condition does not get worse quickly. This can rapidly become an emergency if left too long and is serious.

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