Infectious Arthritis
(Joint Infection)
What is infectious arthritis?
Arthritis is inflammation in a joint. There are many types of arthritis. Infectious arthritis is arthritis caused by a bacterial infection in a joint.
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Your joint can get infected if another infection in your body spreads to the joint, or if your joint gets infected during surgery or from an injury
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Usually only one large joint, such as your knee or shoulder, is affected
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Your joint will be swollen, red, and sore, and you may have a fever
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If left untreated, infectious arthritis can damage your joint
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Doctors treat the infection with antibiotics and sometimes surgery to drain pus out of your joint
What causes infectious arthritis?
A joint can get infected from:
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A cut, bite, or puncture wound over a joint
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A skin infection close to a joint
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Surgery on a joint
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Gonorrhea that spreads to your joints
You're more likely to get infectious arthritis if you:
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Have an artificial joint
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Use needles to inject street drugs
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Have alcoholism
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Have rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or other joint problems
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Have a weak immune system
What are the symptoms of infectious arthritis?
How can doctors tell if I have infectious arthritis?
Doctors will:
To tell what caused your joint infection, doctors may do:
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Blood tests
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Spinal fluid and urine tests
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X-rays, MRI, or ultrasound of the joint
How do doctors treat infectious arthritis?
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Generic Name | Select Brand Names |
|---|---|
ibuprofen |
ADVIL, MOTRIN IB |
aspirin |
No US brand name |
