Blister-like infection

**Ragnarok37** · Posted On: 9/17/2011 11:38am

Dear Dr. Bullshido:

Please help me diagnose my skin infection. So far my google-based self-diagnosis has failed.

I'm going to go to a doctor as soon as possible, but I would like to go armed with a little knowledge. In my prior experience, family doctors are completely clueless about grappling-related skin infections.

I have a blister on the back of my finger that is growing. There is no apparent reason to have a blister there. And it's GROWING.

I've had this once before. I came home from judo nationals a few months ago with a tiny blister on the back of my thumb. It continued growing for about a week until it was about the size of a nickel. Even after the blister tore open it continued to grow.

Last time I let the infection run it's course because I didn't get truly worried until near the end when it was starting to get pretty big. This time it seems to be growing faster. I only noticed it last night, and this morning the blister has grown almost to the size of a dime already.

In both cases, the blister formed under a tiny scratch. The liquid discharge is clear as in a normal blister.

My thought is that there must be bacteria growing in one of the middle layers of my skin, making my skin separate. That sounds like impetigo, but my blister doesn't look like any of the photos of impetigo I can find.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 9/17/2011 11:43am

MRSA presents in many different ways, not worth the risk to ignore that one.
Anything that changes that fast warrants immediate medical attention.
Get thee to a real doc asap.

**budochic** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 6:17am

^^As above

Looks and sounds like Staph to me. Doctor ASAP. And for your training partners sake it would be best to avoid training until the Doctor gives you the all clear.

**jdempsey** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 6:24am

Lepracy? Where you been puttin' that thing anyway?

**Ragnarok37** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 11:26am

Update: Day 2.

The blister has continued to grow. The discharge is now yellow.

**LarsCG** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 12:29pm

Staph. Doctor. Now.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 1:13pm

You just like showing us the finger, **** off to a doctor already...
Asshole...

(edit: weeping, discharge etc is not a good sign and can spread that ****, get to a doctor)

**Prince Vlad** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 1:25pm

FYI staph is insanely contagious - don't go poking that finger in warm moist places until you have it checked out!!

Also, do NOT train until you get the all clear. If it's a staph infection and you picked it up in your club you need to tell your instructors ASAP so they can disinfect every surface and piece of equipment (especially inside gloves and headgear etc.).

**Ragnarok37** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 3:37pm

Update: Day 2.

I went to the ER and had a doctor look at it. He tells me that it is NOT a bacterial infection because there is no redness around it. He called it eczema.

The doctor gave me a prescription for a steroid cream. I can't find an open pharmacy because it's Sunday, so I'll buy it tomorrow.

What do you think? Could the doctor be wrong? I'm going to continue to assume that it's contagious just in case it is.

**Ignorami** · Posted On: 9/18/2011 3:49pm

I'm not a doctor.... But it sure as he'll doesn't look like eczema to me.

Apart from speed of growth, is everything else the same as you had on your thumb?
If so
Is it same hand as when it was on your thumb.
If so
Was the weather/environmental conditions the same when you had it on the thumb?

What do you do for a job? Are you handling solvents? Are you having to wash your hands a lot?