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How Long Does An Infection In The Knee Take To Clear?
Hi iv been given flucloxacillin for a inf in my knee which is very red and painfull i had a temp of 39.1 the gp at the hospital said to take paracetamol and gave me some domperidone for feeling sick and said if things get worse to go back to a and e if not than go and see my gp after the week end why would i need a follow up how long befor my knee dose not hurt thank you Dr
Fri, 30 Sep 2022
Hello,
Infection in the knee is a very painful condition. The risk factors are joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, immune-suppressing medication, surgery involving repair of torn cartilage or tendon, artificial joints, diabetes and a deep cut which may expose tissue or bone to bacteria.
An untreated knee infection can damage knee cartilage and bone and may result in permanent knee damage. Treatment involves the use of antibiotics which are either prescribed orally or intravenously. Joint drainage may be necessary to drain infected fluid surrounding your knee joint. A large needle may be used to drain the fluid.
Very serious infections may be treated by arthroscopy or open surgery. This involves removal of infected fluid and tissue and changing out the prosthesis if needed. Recovery time depends upon the severity of infection. It varies between 2- 6 weeks. Regular administration of antibiotics along with joint examination by an orthopedist is important. Follow up visit is very important to check if the infection has subsided.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Pallavi M., Anesthesiologist
Infection in the knee is a very painful condition. The risk factors are joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, immune-suppressing medication, surgery involving repair of torn cartilage or tendon, artificial joints, diabetes and a deep cut which may expose tissue or bone to bacteria.
An untreated knee infection can damage knee cartilage and bone and may result in permanent knee damage. Treatment involves the use of antibiotics which are either prescribed orally or intravenously. Joint drainage may be necessary to drain infected fluid surrounding your knee joint. A large needle may be used to drain the fluid.
Very serious infections may be treated by arthroscopy or open surgery. This involves removal of infected fluid and tissue and changing out the prosthesis if needed. Recovery time depends upon the severity of infection. It varies between 2- 6 weeks. Regular administration of antibiotics along with joint examination by an orthopedist is important. Follow up visit is very important to check if the infection has subsided.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Pallavi M., Anesthesiologist
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