Infections around a joint
Sometimes a joint (elbow, knee, hip, wrist etc) can be painful because there is an infection nearby. This is important to determine, as often it will require antibiotics to get better.
Symptoms may include
- Fevers
- Rash over the joint - or skin redness
- Skin might be hot to touch
These infections can sometimes arise at the same time as a cough or cold or flu.
Children not putting weight through a limb might be the only way we can determine if a joint is sore - especially for children who are not speaking yet.
Pain relief
For patient who have a known diagnosis with a chronic issue with their joint, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or gout, we may be able to assist with medication for pain management. It may be that they are just having a ‘flare’ up of their pain. Our pharmacy team will be able to discuss their pain and recommend some alternative pain treatments to try.
If a patient does not have a diagnosis yet - i.e., we don’t know what is causing their pain - then they will need to see either our PA or GP team to get a diagnosis first.