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Septic arthritis

Arthritis purulenta (septica) · Septická (hnisavá) artritida

What it is

Bacteria — usually staphylococcus — inside a joint; they destroy cartilage within days, so a hot swollen joint with fever is an emergency.

Symptoms & signs

  • One hot, red, swollen joint
  • severe pain on any movement
  • fever and chills
  • a limp, or a child who will not use the limb

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Hot, red, swollen joint with fever or shivers
  • call 112 / 911 now Cannot move or bear weight on a joint
  • call 112 / 911 now Painful joint with an artificial joint or after an injection
  • call 112 / 911 now Child who will not walk or move a limb with fever

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Joint aspiration and culture before antibiotics
  • intravenous antibiotics for 2–6 weeks
  • washout — by needle, arthroscope or open surgery
  • splint, then early physiotherapy

Natural & lifestyle

  • Rest the joint in the acute phase
  • keep diabetes controlled
  • care with joint injections and skin wounds

Emerging & experimental

  • Shorter antibiotic courses in children
  • rapid PCR identification of the bacteria

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Garlic, honey and oregano oil — antimicrobial in the lab; no substitute here, a joint is lost in days anecdotal / traditional
  • Colloidal silver — sold as a natural antibiotic; untested, and it can turn skin grey anecdotal / traditional
  • Vitamin D sufficiency — linked to fewer infections; untested as treatment early / small studies

ICD codes