2024-04-11 23:37:33
Til Schweiger is in the hospital because of blood poisoning. The disease can have serious consequences. How sepsis can occur.
Til Schweiger has had to be treated in a hospital for two weeks. A wound on the leg became infected and led to blood poisoning. This is not an easy illness. Because sepsis, as blood poisoning is called in medicine, can be fatal if treated too late. You can find out here how blood poisoning occurs and how you can recognize the symptoms.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a serious infection of the body. It is caused when microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi or viruses enter the body – for example through a wound or a bite. Unlike local inflammation of the wound, the infection in sepsis spreads throughout the body through the blood. The inflammatory reaction is so strong that the body’s own tissue is damaged and the function of several organs is impaired.
For Til Schweiger, a wound on his leg led to sepsis. In an interview with the “Bild” newspaper, he explained that he had hit his shin and that germs had gotten into it.
By the way: Blood poisoning is an outdated name for this disease. The term poisoning is misleading: the disease is not caused by poisons in the blood.
What are the symptoms of sepsis?
Sepsis is manifested by several clearly noticeable symptoms. The main signs are:
- a strong feeling of illness
- Fever and chills
- low blood pressure
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- heart racing
- accelerated breathing
- Disturbances of consciousness such as confusion and sleepiness
An additional sign: As the disease progresses, the extremities such as hands and feet usually become cold, so the skin can feel cool in sepsis. It is also often covered in cold sweat and is typically pale and has irregular blood flow. The appearance of the skin in sepsis is sometimes described as “marbled.” You can find more information about how to recognize symptoms of blood poisoning here.
Important to know
Anyone who notices one or more of the symptoms mentioned does not necessarily have sepsis. In most cases, symptoms such as fever, drowsiness or a general feeling of illness are caused by another illness, such as the flu. However, with sepsis, the symptoms are usually significantly more severe and follow an injury.
How is blood poisoning treated?
Blood poisoning can become life-threatening within a few hours. Therefore, the sooner treatment begins, the greater the chance of survival. That’s why those affected or people around them should call an emergency doctor immediately if they have signs of sepsis.
Sepsis is treated in hospital, sometimes in intensive care. Til Schweiger is also being treated in the hospital. In an interview with the “Bild” newspaper, he explained that he had been taking antibiotics for 14 days.
The administration of antibiotics or antifungal agents is very often part of the treatment of sepsis. The aim is to contain the infection as quickly as possible and to stabilize the sick person’s circulation. General therapy in the hospital also includes:
- the administration of fluids through infusions,
- surgical cleansing of the site of inflammation
- and in the worst case, amputation.
In the event of septic shock or organ failure, treatment in an intensive care unit is essential.