Understanding What Septic Arthritis Is

There are several different types of arthritis. Over 100 are actually known to doctors. One of these types of arthritis is known as septic arthritis. Septic arthritis, which is also known as infectious arthritis, is a form of arthritis that is caused by bacteria, fungi or some kind of viral infection. It is usually thought of as being an acute condition.

It most often can be found affecting knees, shoulders, hips, fingers and wrist joints. Any part of the body can be affected though. Whilst septic arthritis can affect anyone, reports suggest that it is most commonly found in people who have recently undergone surgery or have had an injury to a joint. Infections often take place in such conditions.

Signs and Symptoms of Septic Arthritis

It's more important in septic arthritis than in any other to keep an eye out for the different signs and symptoms. If you do develop the condition, you will most likely be experiencing a single swollen joint with pain when you move it or on it.

In a more advanced form of this disease, known as seeding arthritis, more than one joint can be affected simultaneously. You will probably experience this if the infection that caused your arthritis was related to staphylococcus or gonoccus bacteria.

However in seeding arthritis, which is basically a more advanced form of this, several joints can be affected simultaneously, and this is actually quite a common occurrence if the infection that caused the arthritis was caused by staphylococcus or gonoccus bacteria.

Treatment and Diagnosis

Only your doctor can diagnose you with septic arthritis, which will happen after a full examination has taken place. If you are diagnosed with septic arthritis then you'll most likely be started on a course of antibiotics whilst the doctor waits for the results from the culture test taken in your examination to come back in. Antibiotic treatment can be started empirically without waiting for final results and doctors take this step because when left untreated, septic arthritis can be very dangerous to a person's health. Therefore it is necessary to begin treatment as soon as it is even suspected.

How long you have to remain on treatment will depend on the severity of your case, not to mention how long you've suffered from arthritis prior to the diagnosis. You will need to speak regularly to your doctor so that he can keep you up to date with developments and you can keep him up to date of your progress. You should always take time out to make yourself aware of which antibiotics you have been prescribed with be especially aware of any side affects that may come from it.

After treatment has begun, it is extremely important you keep in contact with your doctor so that any changes can be treated quickly and you give yourself the best chance of battling the disease.