Unknown skin/ possibly systemic infection- no diagnosis- medical professionals could give me ideas?

My husband, son (8), and I all have skin problems- abcesses cellulitis and severe acne. Son has just had one abcess, but hubby and I have had many recurrent abcesses and cellulitis. I think it is related to some kind of dental infection. All of us keep getting cavities. I have had to have many teeth extracted. It gets better with antibiotics like clindamycin, and after extractions, but always comes back. It starts near the neck and jawline for me, spreads from there, and I feel pockets of fluid under the tissues in my neck that seem to shift to another location where I have sores when I apply any pressure to the pockets, and my skin starts to feel mushy like a rotten tomato. When it gets bad I also have fast heart palps- and twice they heard a murmur during a 'bad' time that was not present later. Is it possible for this to all be connected to a pathogen?


This has been going on for a couple years first husb. and I, and now my son too. Low income clinic- never see same doc twice.

Unknown skin/ possibly systemic infection- no diagnosis- medical professionals could give me ideas?
Hi there. I have a pretty rudimentary knowledge of these things, but there's what I think:





- It sounds like you've seen the Wiki article on tooth abcesses already. I'd ignore the paragraph about cashews that's there now since that seems to be thrown in as some unproven advertising.


- I would connect the abcesses and cellulitis together....that would usually be caused by a bacterial agent. If clindamycin/another broad sprectrum antibiotic has helped you and your family members at least temporarily, I'd suggest trying to take it over a course of months/a year or so if you can get a prescription. Sometimes these drugs need to be taken over that long of a time span to improve the situation/clear it up for good (I was on tetracycline/doxycycline for about a year for severe acne before it cleared up, along w/ other skin treatments).


- The heart palps might be caused by a bacterial/viral agent if it's gotten into your blood, which would be indicative of a systemic infection. It may or may not be the same bacterial agent that's causing your famiy's dental problems. You might see about getting samples taken from you and your family members to see if a common agent can be isolated from both the dental tissue and bloodwork.


- Just in general, since your family has been having the same dental problems (how long has this been going on?), it might be related to your family's diet. Obviously some diets promote the buildup of biofilms on your teeth more than others, and doing stuff like not brushing your teeth/not flossing regularly/not getting your teeth cleaned will aid in calculus formation and all that gross stuff. The bacteria that's causing your abcesses might be a normal oral bacteria like a Streptococcus or a Staphylococcus that's become an opportunistic pathogen, though it could also be a pathogen that you've all acquired through preparing certain foods in a certain setting, possibly through water...it could be a lot of things.





So I would say you should write down your and your family's history of these problems to show it's been recurring over a certain timespan, and present this to a doctor who'll listen and try to develop a long-term treatment plan for your family until the problems clear up. You should all probably continue to take broad-spectrum antibiotics, as long as your doctor agrees, to see if that will clear the infection (and possibly the acne too). I would see if you can get bloodwork done to see if there's anything unusual there that might be behind the heart palpitations, if you haven't already done so. I hope this has helped.
Reply:Because you are all suffering from what seems to be the same ailment or ailments, it's likely (but not guaranteed) to be a pathogen related to your surroundings.





You all need full-spectrum blood tests to rule this in or out.





It could be that you are all unlucky enough to need root-canal work at the same time, but this is not likely.





If the blood tests don't find the cause for your chronic-conditions, ask your doctor to refer you to a diagnostician, who will be more likely to identify what you're suffering from than an over-worked clinic-doctor.


A test on your hair could also reveal an underlying cause.





You could also ask your local provider to test your water supply;


It could be caused by something you are all regularly exposed to, in your enviroment; your home or workplace, or something you all consume; water, food etc.





Good luck.





--------------------------------------...





based on your update:





It might be worthwhile asking your doctor to test you for high uric-acid levels (hyperuricemia).
Reply:You have seen a MD on several different occasions at the same clinic. And even though they are different doctors each time they should still all consult your chart, and so would know what the other doctors have done concerning your treatment and whatever conclusions they may have come to. I am assuming that blood tests have been taken but no pathogens were found.





The fact that you are all experiencing this "long term" makes me wonder if the cause might be environmental. My first steps would be to have a sample of your tap water tested for contamination. If you are hooked to a city water system they will do it for free. If you have a well or spring you can contact a local university or college and they may also test it for free. Also Look for any discolorations in your walls and ceiling tiles that might signify a mold infestation inside the walls or in the attic. Other things to look at are allergic reactions to household cleaners, detergents and other products.





If that fails, just to rule out an environmental cause you should move out of your home for a few weeks to see if the condition gets better.
Reply:My daughter had a skin infection not as severe as yours and not with anywhere near the number of symtoms. We took her to the Doctor who did not prescribe anything as it was to vague for him to do much at all. Very frustrating. What I did was take her home, run a nice hot bath ,filled it with a kg of salt and we soaked her in it every night for an hour. Nothing much will live with salt,not even bugs on/under the skin. After a month it all cleared up and the Doctor was very surprised. Simple but very effective. Just needs to be done over a long period.

Last year my 3yr old cat got a skin infection,scabby,bloody areas same time off yr bck again whys this ?

Hi there, I have a four year old cat with just the same problem. I have read some of your answers already, and they seem to say what I was. However, I have found that a good household flea spray to use on your carpets and cat bedding, and it's favourite chair does help. I always spray just after my cat has gone out, so hopefully it does not smell anything when it returns. As awful as it sounds, fleas do get into carpets, and unless these are dealt with, no amount of treatment for your cat will work. Fleas can remain dormant for up to six months, or so I have been told, so carpets should be one of your lines of defence.

Last year my 3yr old cat got a skin infection,scabby,bloody areas same time off yr bck again whys this ?
has it been de-flead?


could be a common flea allergy


one of mine gets really bad if he has one flea on him





if you think its a pain gettin frontline i have found a website on the net who sells em real cheap
Reply:my cat has same thing allergys take her to vet
Reply:could be a reaction to fleas....they are bad again this year, and some cats/dogs loose their fur, have skin infections, scratch themselves raw. you may want to take your cat to the vet to get a shot to calm down the itching and maybe some frontline, if you don't already have him/her on it. thankfully flea season is almost over.
Reply:It could have something to do with the weather or some kind of allergy to something that comes out in this certain w\time of year. You should take it to the vet, anyway.
Reply:It's dermatitis caused by fleas. My cat has suffered the same. You have to keep on top of the fleas to prevent it.
Reply:flea allergy
Reply:It might be fleas, but since you said its back around the same time it may be an allergy. Take the cat to the vet so that they can diagnose it and prescribe the proper medication.
Reply:Do you have very grassy areas near you. Every summer my cats get Harvest Mite infestations, these go where the fur is thinest so around the mouth, ears, nipples, between the toes and in the ears. They irritate the cat, so the cat scratches and they turn into bloody scabs, they can get infected as well.





You can usually tell if it is harvest mites, especially in the ears, because it will look like a clump of little orange dots.





It is easy to treat with flea treatments that contain fipronil, so Frontline or something. But if you use the frontline spot on, you have to make sure that some of the liquid actually touches the harvest mites so instead of putting it all on the back of the neck drip some on the infested areas and then put the rest on the back of the neck.





Hope this helps!
Reply:you might want to ask your vet
Reply:It is flea season. Check your cat for fleas by combing him with a flea comb. Then dunk the comb in soapy water to kill the fleas. If you come up with a ton of fleas and bloody-looking water, you need Frontline. It's very cheap online, and totally worth it.





Fleas can often make it look like your cat has a skin condition, when really they are just eaten up with parasites.
Reply:what does your vet say ?
Reply:sounds to me like a flea infection, my black cat has the same on his back, get your cat Frontline from the vet, its a bit pricy at £14. they will probably give you some cream. Best of luck
Reply:I assume you took your cat to the vet the last time this happened??Well, take him to the vet this time---vets know how to help animals who are suffering, and yours certainly is. He needs professional help, and needs it like NOW.
Reply:My first guess is its a flea allergy. Get some Advantage from your vet and deflea your kitty, he will thank you for it.

What's the best way to get a skin infection that will not heal without antibiotics?

HIV.....I'm serious. But of course, that will lead to other complications. May I ask what your timeframe is for contracting this skin infection? HIV takes a while to show any skin symptoms.

What's the best way to get a skin infection that will not heal without antibiotics?
Why do you want one?

inch plant

Is it possible for a toddler to get skin infection due to the use of certain baby products.?

my toddler seems to be allergic to baby products made by SPARSH company.[sparsh baby oil,baby soap].she is getting red rashes all over her body.also a lot of itching.is anyone else experiencing the same with her child.if yes pls tell me some remedies.

Is it possible for a toddler to get skin infection due to the use of certain baby products.?
I think you are confusing infection and allergy. An infection is caused by bacteria, fungus, or virus. An allergy can turn into an infection. if your child has an allergy simply stop using those products and switch to an anti-allergenic type products. Eucerin and Cetaphil worked best on my allergic baby (lots of years ago). We also used those products in the NICU on fragile premies.
Reply:Buy Skin Care General Health Products for Men's %26amp; Women's from top rated Health %26amp; Beauty Supplies stores. Compare prices %26amp; shop online. http://surl.se/ctoj
Reply:Yes. Also be careful of dirty carpets.
Reply:ofcorz, if u have read few articles abiout the same, few companies selling chem free baby products were fooling people arround, the infants had allergies-reactions, etc, buying a reputed 1 can partiallly solve the prob
Reply:it depends on your skin and the quality of the product
Reply:It does sound like your baby is allergic to these products. Read the labels, and try to find things that are as free of preservatives, perfumes, and dyes as possible.





Good luck!
Reply:i have not heard of this company.go for international products from Hindustan lever or Johnson %26amp; johnson or any famous one

What pills or food to take if have skin infection/boil?

only small not major

What pills or food to take if have skin infection/boil?
Ginger is excellent for cleansing the blood. Have it in hot water with some honey.
Reply:I cant help, but I would be interested in any answers you get.
Reply:an infection (boil) is a puss filled pocket on your skin. You need to put a hot ( as hot as you can stand) wet wash cloth on it. It will come to a head and pop. The infection should then come out and you can use neosporin or something like that and camphor(liquid or gel) will dry it out and it is also an anesthetic so it i will numb it!
Reply:SEE A DOCTOR FOR ANTIBIOTICS! It could be MRSA!!!!
Reply:I believe that you may have a condition called Hidradenitis Supprativa. It is a condition of re-occurring boils/ cysts/abscesses , that are often misdiagnosed as ingrown hairs, herpes, being unclean and folliculitis. This is a newly diagnosed skin condition , but there is a lot of info out there.


Here is a link :


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidradeniti...


If this sounds like it might be you, READ it, PRINT it out, and TAKE it to your DOC.


Its better to try to start treatment soon, it can spread over the body if left untreated. These boils can become quite large and painful. Sometimes even lasting for weeks or months , do not attempt to POP them they can then tunnel under your skin and spread all over the body. Most common areas are armpits, groin, binkni line, inner legs, and intimate places and basically anywhere that sweats and rub against clothing. Stress is a big inducer.





There is some support groups at MSN





(http://groups.msn.com/HidradenitisSuppor...





and yahoo, and I am open for questions!


I have had this for 8 years, I was misdiagnosed for a LONG time, It was very embarrassing, painful and scary. I am just trying to help out so you don’t have to wait as long as I did.
Reply:It'll take a long time to go away on its own, if at all. There isn't really anything you can eat or self-prescribe that will significantly improve it. The best thing is to see your GP and they'll probably give you some antibiotics.





In the meantime, DON'T squeeze it.

What's the best way to get a skin infection that will not heal without antibiotics?

Since antibiotics are often specific to the type of bacteria that they kill, the best thing to do is get treated for the REAL problem that you're having. The antibiotic you are prescribed for an infection of your skin will be different than the one you would get for the infection that you are trying to avoid seeking help for. In fact, you may even make things dramatically worse by taking the wrong drug, which is why physicians often change your medication when they receive the results of a C%26amp;S (culture and sensitivity) test, which tells them exactly what you have.


The bottom line- hack yourself up and roll around in the dirt if you like, but at the end of the day you will still need to be examined for that STI or UTI I'm afraid.

What's the best way to get a skin infection that will not heal without antibiotics?
Why would you want to get a skin infection in the first place ?
Reply:Expose yourself to a staph infection. Once you get it in your skin it is nearly impossible to clear up.

Is there any herbal or DIY remedy for skin infection???

depends on what it is, but tea tree oil is a nautral antiseptic that also helps with fungus problems (some skin infections are actually a fungus like atheletes foot or thrush in the mouth) and there is another product but I will have to check back later when I have the name.


Of course this should be diagnosed properly by a professional before self medicating with any alternative treatments-just to make sure you know what you're really dealing with.

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