Infectious Arthritis

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

Usually only one large joint, such as your knee or shoulder, is affected

Your joint will be swollen, red, and sore, and you may have a fever

If left untreated, infectious arthritis can damage your joint

Doctors treat the infection with antibiotics and sometimes surgery to drain pus out of your joint

A cut, bite, or puncture wound over a joint

A skin infection close to a joint

Surgery on a joint

Gonorrhea Gonorrhea Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). An STI is an infection that is spread from person to person by sexual contact. Gonorrhea infects your genitals and, in women, your fallopian... read more that spreads to your joints

Have an artificial joint Artificial Joint Infectious Arthritis Artificial joints can become infected by bacteria. Bacteria may infect the artificial joint during or after surgery, causing infection. Symptoms may include pain, swelling, and limited range... read more

Use needles to inject street drugs

Have alcohol use disorder

Have rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Arthritis is a group of diseases that makes your joints hurt, swell up, and turn red. There are many different types of arthritis. RA is a type of arthritis in which your body's immune system... read more , osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) Arthritis is a group of diseases that makes your joints hurt, swell up, and turn red. There are many different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. In osteoarthritis... read more , or other joint problems

Have a weak immune system Overview of the Immune System The immune system is your body's defense system. It helps protect you from illness and infection. The immune system's job is to attack things that don’t belong in your body, including: Germs... read more

Very painful

Red and warm

Swollen and stiff

Not moving the infected joint

Being irritable

Refusing to eat

Fever

Refusing to walk if the infected joint is in a leg

Take a sample of fluid out of your joint with a needle to do tests

Blood tests

Spinal fluid and urine tests

X-rays Plain X-Rays A plain x-ray is an imaging test that takes a picture of the inside of your body. It uses a low dose of x-ray radiation. X-rays show body parts according to how dense (solid) they are. Doctors... read more , MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MRI is a test that uses a machine with a powerful magnet to make pictures of the inside of your body. A computer records changes in the magnetic field around your body. The computer then uses... read more (magnetic resonance imaging), or ultrasound Ultrasonography Ultrasonography is a safe imaging test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the insides of your body. Ultrasonography doesn't use radiation (x-rays). Ultrasonography is also called... read more of the joint

Antibiotics or antifungal medicine

Taking the pus out of your joint with a needle or, sometimes, surgery

A splint on the joint, followed by physical therapy

Over-the-counter pain medicine, such as aspirin or ibuprofen