Septic Arthritis

[Barsel]

At the beginning of June this year, a friend of mine suddenly became very ill and was taken to hospital. They diagnosed her as having septic arthritis and kept her in hospital for 3 weeks. They started her on antibiotics straight away and said she would have to take them for 6 months, and although she can now walk a little with the help of crutches, I'm worried that she may not get full use of her leg back. Should she not have been offered physiotherapy? Another friend of hers has been trying to encourage her to go out with her in her car, but my friend says she finds it painful and tiring. My questions are, will she ever go back to being able to go out shopping (with me) or socialising (with her other friend) and should she be getting more treatment than just antibiotics? Many thanks.

[Ringlet]

Goodness, I had never heard of septic arthritis. It sounds awful. I think your friend should be guided by her doctor. Once the infection and inflammation are under control (antibiotics for six months shows how difficult a task this will be) she may well be able to go out and about again and enjoy the things she used to enjoy. At the moment she is probably exhausted and maybe also a bit depressed. She sounds as if she has a lot of support from you and her other friend, and she is very lucky in that. So maybe just continue to give her that support, and let the doctors decide if and when she is ready fo physiotherapy or any other treatment. I hope your friend soon recovers. It sounds very upsetting for all of you.

[Sqad]

Unusual state of affairs as septic arthritis is an infection in a joint and is rather uncommon today.
Is it the hip joint or the knee joint?
The important factor is that the infection is totally eradicated and that anything else is purely secondary.
Woofy is an occupational therapist and may be a better opinion than mine but i would suggest that rest is the prime factor here with passive or minor exercise at best, particularly if movement is painful for her.
I cannot see what other treatment can be given at the moment and until the degree of damage to the joint is ascertained, then one should continue long term antibiotic therapy.
It may well lead to a joint replacement at the end of her management and this will only be determined by X-Rays well down the line.

[Barsel]

Thank you Ringlet and Sqad. My friend and I had never heard of it until she got it but we have heard of sepsis and she is always worrying that she might have that as of course, it sounds similar septic/sepsis, but I've tried my best to reassure her that she wouldn't be sitting at home watching the TV if it was sepsis. Sqad it's in the knee where she had a replacement joint some years ago. The surgeon who did the replacement has told her that if push comes to shove, he will have to do another replacement but to be honest, (I haven't said this to my friend) I would be really worried about her having it done again. I'm pleased you have suggested rest and I will pass that on to her.

[Sqad]

The fact that she has had infection in a knee that already has been replaced is not good news and may indicate that if the pain and infection doesn't settle down, then one may take the opinion that the prosthesis is the source of the infection and restricting resolution of the infection.
This may well indicate a long period of incapacity.

[Sqad]

This is going to be a long tough struggle for your friend.

[Barsel]

Thanks sqad. I don't think my friend or I have realised quite how serious this is. Apart from telling her to rest, I've decided not to tell her more than that as apart from the fact that it's not my place to tell her, I know how upset she would be. Thanks again for your input. x

[ummmm]

My uncle had it and never recovered fully. It was extremely painful.