Living With Septic Arthritis

Septic arthritis is a type of arthritis that is infectious or bacterial in nature which causes inflammation of a joint after the infection.

Septic arthritis usually infects a single large joint somewhere on the body, typically the knee or hip, though septic arthritis can quickly spread through multiple joints if the infection is allowed to grow. Typical bacteria that have been known to cause septic arthritis include streptococcus, staphyloccus, and Haemophilus influenza. These are common post operative infections, open wounds, or even a contaminated needle.

Infections such as hepatitis A, B, and C, HIV, AIDS, mumps, Ebola, and coxsackie viruses have also been known to cause septic arthritis. Septic arthritis displays itself in the following symptoms: swelling and increased fluid accumulation in the joint, severe pain when moved, inability to move the limb, low-grade fever, chills and fatigue.