We offer medications to target the various sources of infectious arthritis:

• Bacterial: You’ll receive high doses of antibiotics, usually through a vein in your arm. You may be able to switch to oral antibiotics later. This treatment typically lasts from two to six weeks.
• Fungal: Your doctor will prescribe anti-fungal medication, which you may need to take for several months. In some cases, you may need surgery to remove the infected tissue.
• Viral: The infection will most likely clear up on its own, without treatment. However, viral infections still require proper diagnosis to reduce the risk of complications from infectious arthritis.

In addition to treating the infection with medication, we may need to remove fluid build-up from your joint to prevent damage. We provide:

• Arthrocentesis: Your doctor inserts a fine needle into the joint and drains the excess fluid in this procedure, also called joint aspiration.
• Arthroscopic surgery: We may recommend arthroscopic surgery if the infected joint is difficult to aspirate with a needle. After making a small incision, your doctor inserts an arthroscope, a pencil-sized device with a camera lens. The arthroscope projects an image of your joint onto a screen, so we can see the joint and remove excess fluid.
• Debridement: If you have chronic or advanced infections in your bones or joints, we may perform debridement (surgery to remove infected tissue).

We also offer treatments to strengthen joints and muscles affected by infectious arthritis:

• Splints: Early in your treatment, we may use a splint to keep your joint stable and reduce your pain.
• Physical therapy: Our therapists can teach you exercises to strengthen your muscles, preventing stiffness and permanent loss of function.