In medicine, the term lesion usually refers to all types of skin changes and skin damage. The same or similar lesions can have different causes and sometimes require a thorough diagnosis in order to address the causes or at least the symptoms with a targeted treatment. The treatments required range from simple measures to aid the healing process to surgical procedures to remove canker sores.
What is a lesion?
Skin lesions – also known as skin lesions – have a wide variety of appearances, ranging from small red spots or blisters to areal skin lesions, etc. The word lesion is derived from the Latin “laesio,” which translates simply as “injury.” In principle, in medicine any type of injury, damage or change to tissue can be referred to as a lesion. In most cases, the term is restricted to damage or injury to the skin. Skin lesions – also referred to as skin changes – have very different manifestations, ranging from small red spots or blisters to extensive skin changes and discolorations to deep-reaching ulcers or tumors (skin cancer). Frostbite, or burns caused by direct exposure to cold or heat, also count as skin lesions. The main visible symptoms of a skin lesion are:
- Skin redness (erythema), skin discoloration, annular skin lesions.
- Vesicles or blisters (with and without pus formation).
- Pustules, pimples, crusts, elevations, scabbing, etc.
- Severely itchy wheals (eg, in the form of urticaria).
- Acne, plaques (e.g. psoriasis, psoriasis).
- Ulcers, boils, carbuncles, oriental bumps (cutaneous leishmaniasis, cutaneous leishmaniasis).
It remains to be noted that seemingly the same skin lesions can have different causes with different courses.
Causes
The causes of a skin lesion or skin change can be due to injury or disease. Apart from cuts and bruises, which will not be discussed further here, frostbite, burns, scalds, sunburn, and radioactive irradiation (actinic lesion) are also among the lesions caused by mechanical-physical effects. In the case of psoriasis, genetic predisposition, allergies and possibly psychological stressors may also play a role as triggering factors. A weighty and relatively frequent cause of skin lesions or skin changes lies in our own immune system. The immune system can overreact to chemical-physical stimuli such as heat, cold or light exposure (e.g. sunlight) or to certain food components. The overreaction of the immune system can trigger more or less severe hives (urticaria). While the symptoms of acne are hormonally triggered by sebaceous gland inflammation, a boil is caused by hair follicle inflammation. Confined skin lesions caused by stinging or biting insects may itch uncomfortably intensely, but are usually harmless unless the insect is carrying pathogens that can lead to sometimes dangerous diseases such as malaria, Lyme disease or early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE).
Diseases with this symptom
- Hives
- Psoriasis
- Allergy
- Sunburn
- Laceration
- Leukemia
- Hair follicle inflammation
- Malaria
- Lyme disease
- TBE
- Burn
- Skin cancer
- Duodenal ulcer
- AIDS
- Autoimmune disease
- Gastric ulcer
- Frostbite
- Bruises
Diagnosis and course
The symptoms of frostbite, burns, scalds, in sunburn and also radioactive radiation (actinic lesion) range from simple skin redness to blistering (burn blisters). The typical burn blisters occur when the upper skin layers detach from the underlying dermis due to exposure to heat or cold and the interstitial space fills with sterile tissue fluid. Blisters due to frostbite or burns can be recognized by their slightly yellowish color. Depending on their severity, burn blisters can heal without scarring if no infection occurs.Hives or urticaria initially manifests itself with small red spots on the skin that quickly develop into itchy elevations – similar to mosquito bites. Soon the elevations expand into small to large wheals. They are formed by edema-like deposits of tissue fluid just above the dermis and are caused by an increased release of the neurotransmitter histamine. In some cases, hives may resolve virtually on their own once the triggering factor has been identified and removed.
Complications
Because lesion is a collective term for all kinds of abnormal anatomic structural changes, there are also many complications in this regard. Structural changes refer to injuries, inflammations, ulcers as well as other pathological processes in the body. Simple lesions usually heal quickly. However, if there are underlying physical processes that lead to chronic inflammation, massive tissue death may occur. Autoimmune diseases, for example, cause lesions on certain organs until they are completely destroyed. In this process, the immune system targets the body’s own tissue. Lesions also include ulcers of the stomach or duodenum. In severe cases, gastric rupture may occur. Furthermore, superficial wounds or lesions are ports of entry for various pathogens. In extreme cases, sepsis (blood poisoning) can occur. Even small wounds or insect bites may be the starting point for serious infectious diseases or allergic diseases. A tick bite can transmit Lyme disease and a bee sting could possibly cause anaphylactic shock. If the lesion is degenerated cancer cells, it is the starting point for the further spread of tumor cells in the body with the formation of metastases. Internal injuries are also counted among lesions. This can lead to bleeding, which in some cases can result in death. A particular complication of a lesion is, among others, cerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic stroke. Furthermore, all infarcts belong to lesions.
When should you see a doctor?
Because a lesion is a very general term, it is difficult to say when an appropriate physician should be consulted. For injuries that cause prolonged pain, a doctor should definitely be consulted. Also, if the discomfort persists for a long period of time, it is important to seek the help of a doctor. The most common type of lesion is a hematoma. A so-called bruise is caused by strong external pressure. Usually, this condition does not need to be treated by a doctor, as a bruise disappears completely on its own. In some cases, however, the help of a doctor must be sought. This is because an abscess may also form. In this case, pus fluid accumulates in a cavity. Internal pressure is also created so that the bacteria and viruses can enter the bloodstream. To avoid blood poisoning, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. Of course, this is only one clinical picture among many others. Persons affected by a lesion should be able to judge for themselves when a visit to the doctor is appropriate. If there is an injury to the body that can only be cured by medical treatment, then an appropriate doctor should be consulted at an early stage.
Treatment and therapy
Burn blisters should not be opened under any circumstances because of the acute risk of infection. As a first measure, cooling with cold water or with cold compresses to relieve pain is recommended. Under no circumstances should cold compresses from the freezer be applied, because this can further damage the skin tissue through frostbite! In addition to the application of cooling aloe vera creams, the use of acetylsalicylic acid (e.g. aspirin) is recommended because it inhibits inflammation-promoting messenger substances. Physicians usually prescribe anti-inflammatory ointments containing cortisone if necessary. Also, in the case of persistent hives, physicians usually prescribe treatment with antihistamines to inhibit increased histamine release and cortisone-containing preparations to curb inflammation. Skin lesions caused by acne, boils or ulcers can usually be treated well with vasodilating ointments and with antibiotics.After therapy, which may include minor surgery (cutting open the focus of inflammation), there are usually no visible scars left behind. To treat persistent psoriasis that is difficult to treat, consideration should also be given to systemic measures such as dietary changes and learning psychological relaxation techniques.
Outlook and prognosis
As a rule, the further course of a lesion depends greatly on its causes, which is why no general prediction is possible. In most cases, complications also vary widely, although severe symptoms do not necessarily occur in every case. However, a lesion often causes pain or hematomas. These can restrict the daily life of the affected person and reduce the quality of life. In some cases, mobility is also restricted, so that the patient is dependent on the help of other people. In some cases, complete organs or extremities are affected, so that death may result. If the lesion occurs in the brain, it can lead to the reduction of mental abilities, so that there is, for example, a word-finding disorder or a speech disorder. In many cases, lesions in the brain are not reversible, so the symptoms can only be treated to a limited extent. If the pain is unbearable, surgery or treatment by a physician is usually necessary. In many cases, anti-inflammatory drugs must also be used to prevent secondary damage.
Prevention
As a preventive protective measure to avoid skin damage from dangerous sunburns, professional sun protection is of particular importance. In addition to the use of effective sunscreens, the best protection is to avoid direct sunlight during midday hours, or to carefully accustom the skin to direct sunlight at short and then longer intervals. In the case of other categories of skin lesions, such as autoimmune reactions, infections, and hormone-related reactions (acne), it is difficult to take simple preventive measures to avoid such symptoms. In cases of known allergies, the best protection against hives is naturally to avoid contact with the allergenic substances.
Here’s what you can do yourself
In the case of a lesion, the first thing to do is to stay calm and take it easy on the body. This will make everyday life easier and improve the chances of medical success. Consequently, overloading of any kind should be avoided. In general, it is helpful to develop an increased body awareness. To this end, patients should pay attention to the signals of their own bodies and act accordingly in their daily lives. For example, pain is usually intensified when a movement that contradicts the injury has been performed. It is therefore important to avoid these and similar pain-producing processes. In addition, it can be helpful to improve the wound healing capabilities of one’s own body. Some herbal preparations are available for this purpose. It is also useful to stop or reduce unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, lack of sleep, or high alcohol intake. This can reduce the stress level of the body, which accelerates wound healing. However, taking preparations that promote wound healing cannot replace medical treatment, but merely support it. If there is no improvement after some time of rest and protection, a visit to the doctor is indispensable.
