Wandering swelling in the face | Swelling of the face

Wandering swelling in the face

In case of a wandering swelling in the face, which spreads over the face, a doctor should be consulted to confirm the diagnosis. Besides erysipelas, a herpes zoster or a tick bite should also be considered. Erysipelas is an infection of the skin with streptococci.

The infection usually starts at a small injury and spreads from there. In addition to swelling, there is a very limited redness. Pain, blistering and fever can also occur.

In this case, immediate antibiotic administration is indicated. If the swelling persists, a lymph drainage may be considered. An important differential diagnosis of facial erysipelas is a herpes zoster infection.

In addition to a painful, burning swelling in the face, a blister formation occurs. The vesicles typically spread along a nerve segment. An important distinction is that no fever occurs in zoster.

In zoster, antivirals are given at an early stage, and moist compresses can also help. Furthermore, a tick bite can also lead to a migrating swelling in the face. Ticks can transmit Borrelia bacteria via their saliva, which as a typical initial symptom leads to redness and swelling at the bite site.

This is also known as erythema migrans. Characteristic is a red ring that spreads from the bite site and shows a central fading. The erythema migrans may increase in size and appears as if it is migrating. If a tick bite in the face or head area is recalled, a doctor should clarify whether it is an erythema migrans. Antibiotics are given to prevent the progression of the Borrelia infection.

Duration

Depending on the cause of the swelling in the face, it can also last for different lengths of time. In the case of swelling in the context of an allergy, this should subside after avoiding the allergen and also not return. If the allergen is dealt with again, however, swelling can occur again.