Air Pockets Under the Skin: Essential Information
Subcutaneous emphysema is a medical term that refers to the presence of air in the tissues beneath the skin. This condition is often visible if it leads to bulging beneath the skin, particularly on the neck or chest, but it can occur elsewhere on the body.
Subcutaneous emphysema itself is usually not serious, but the underlying cause may be. Common causes include physical injury, barometric trauma, surgical procedures, infections, and spontaneous air leaks. For instance, it can result from injuries that introduce air into the subcutaneous tissues, surgical complications such as liposuction or septorhinoplasty, dental procedures using compressed air, or pneumothorax and alveolar air leakage. It may also arise from air tracking along fascial planes after chest or abdominal surgery, or due to infections producing gas within tissues.
While subcutaneous emphysema is often benign, it can occasionally lead to complications. The extent and location of the air accumulation determine the potential complications. Restricted chest expansion and respiratory compromise can occur if the chest wall or mediastinum is involved. Genital skin necrosis might occur if cutaneous vasculature is disrupted. Infection is another possible complication, and in rare cases, cardiovascular collapse can occur in cases of tension pneumomediastinum resulting in cardiac tamponade.
The treatment for subcutaneous emphysema involves identifying and treating the underlying cause. In some cases, a watch-and-wait approach may be recommended if the person is not experiencing significant discomfort.
Paraseptal emphysema, also known as distal acinar emphysema, typically occurs in the upper lobes of the lungs and can develop into bullous emphysema. It is associated with damage due to smoking. Unlike subcutaneous emphysema, paraseptal emphysema primarily affects the tiny air sacs within the lungs (alveoli), which are responsible for exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. This can cause breathing difficulties and other respiratory problems.
Bullous emphysema is a condition where large pockets of air called bullae develop within the lungs due to damage to the alveoli. Bullae in bullous emphysema are larger than 1 centimeter in diameter, and especially large bullae (giant bullae) are more likely to cause symptoms and require surgical treatment.
Quitting smoking may be an important part of the treatment for paraseptal emphysema. There is no cure for emphysema, but treatments are available to help manage the symptoms.
In summary, while subcutaneous emphysema is not a life-threatening condition in most cases, it is essential to seek medical attention if you suspect you have this condition, as the underlying cause may be serious. Understanding the causes, complications, and treatments of subcutaneous emphysema can help you make informed decisions about your health.
- Ankylosing spondylitis, a type of inflammatory arthritis, can lead to spinal fusion and chronic pain, similar to how subcutaneous emphysema can have underlying serious causes.
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a common, preventable, and treatable health-and-wellness condition that consists of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both, like paraseptal emphysema which can develop into bullous emphysema due to smoking.
- Dry eyes and dry mouth are symptoms that can be associated with certain medical-conditions, such as Sjogren's syndrome, which is an autoimmune disease similar to depression in that it can affect multiple systems in the body.
- Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, is one of the skin-conditions that can be symptomatic, causing a yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
- Ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss, similar to Crohn's disease but usually affecting the large intestine, rectum, and colon.
- Multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, can lead to various symptoms like muscle weakness, mobility issues, and vision problems, such as macular degeneration, which is a disease affecting central vision.
- Spondylitis and psoriasis are both inflammatory conditions that affect different parts of the body – spondylitis primarily affects the spine while psoriasis causes skin cells to build up faster than normal, leading to red, scaly patches on the skin.
- The predictive science of medicine is studying to understand the underlying causes of various health-and-wellness conditions, like emphysema, and to develop more effective treatments and prevention methods for these diseases.
- Science is working hard to create new treatments and establish prevention methods for chronic medical-conditions like HIV and hepatitis, which can have devastating effects on a person's health and well-being.
- Health-and-wellness is not just about the absence of disease; it also involves maintaining overall well-being, caring for numerous skin-conditions such as psoriasis, and preventing the onset of other chronic diseases like COPD and ankylosing spondylitis.
- Tension pneumomediasitinum, a complication of subcutaneous emphysema, can lead to cardiovascular collapse if not treated promptly, just like a burst ulcer or untreated macular degeneration can have severe consequences for a person's health and quality of life.
