foot infection and painful throat and joints

[Celi_OS]

I apologize for the long text! I do not recall any injury to my left foot but seem to have developed a foot infection on my foot near my ankle on inner side. I started to feel pain on Saturday Apr 26. My only other symptom at the time was a sore throat (stings everytime I swallow or drink).
The pain increased to the point that I started limping as I could not put my foot on the floor without intense pain. I went to the ER on Monday and was given cephalexin 500 gr to take 4 times a day for 7 days.
My foot started to swell, joints (right knee) started to hurt and no improvement in my throat, so I went back on Wednesday. I was given a shot of more antibiotics(?) And had an ultrasound on my leg to check for blood clots. Nothing found.
Keeping my foot up helped, the swelling has decreased except in the infected area which is purple and hard (limiting certain movements). Putting the foot on the ground results in a feeling of blood rush (simliar to when grasp so hard you cut off circulation). I now use the left infected foot more as my right knee has become too sensitive to bend. I wake up during the night in agonizing pain because I probably moved my knee slightly.
Other joints that have started to hurt but not as agonizing are my left wrist and right elbow.
My throat continues to hurt despite being nearly finished with the antibiotics.
Why would my throat continue to be swollen after a week of antibiotics, and why is my ankle still purple?
Could the joints be related or just a result of overpressure? Pain is worst during night and morning.
I‘d appreciate any help! Thank you!

[jemma116]

The reason why the antibiotic has not helped your swollen and painful through could be that the antibiotic was not the right one to treat the bacteria that you have.  A swab test of the throat would indicate which bacteria is present and which antibiotic would be the one to kill it.

If your throat problem is as a result of a viral infection, then no antibiotic will help.  To help ease your throat, mix up some salt in a glass of water and gargle with this.  Biting on a parecetomol tablet and swallowing that, will also help relieve any pain.  You can get antiseptic throat sweets (like Strepsils) to help ease the discomfort.

A blood test like Pantx suggests would indicate whether you have any inflammatory problems or have gout where too much uric acid builds up around the joints causing pain.  

For your foot problem, I suggest that you elevate the leg as much as possible.  Apply lots of natural set yogurt to your foot and lightly cover it with a thin towel.  This acts like a compress (so you could also use covered ice block).  The yogurt is good in that it draws out any inflammation.  Do this as much as is required.  

Make an appointment to see your doctor, so that he can arrange to take any blood tests or refer you to a rheumatologist, take a throat swab if he feels this is required.

Do bear in mind that taking antibiotics can encourage fungal growth, because antibiotics not only kill off the bad bacteria, but also the good bacteria.  Fugal presence is indicate by white patches in the mouth or dryness, itchiness in the genital area.  Natural live yogurt is a good natural way of helping relieve symptoms, but sometimes you may require an antifungal whilst taking an antibiotic.

Hope you get sorted and start to feel better soon.
let me know how you get on.
Best wishes.

[caregiver222]

Foot and ankle infections can be very dangerous. A culture should have been taken of the infection. Oral antibiotics are not very helpful because the doses in the lower extremities are too low to prevent replication of the infections organism. A better choice of antibiotic would have been Cipro, a fluoroquinalone,  and broad-spectrum antibiotic that has shown to have excellent penetration in infections of the lower extremities (Journal of Infectious diseases January 2011), and for a longer period than 7 days. An alternative would have been intravenous Vancomycin.

[Celi_OS]

Thank you for the quick response!
The only test/analysis run was the ultrasound (my second visit). No fever.
I will try to see my GP tomorrow and ask for blood test.
Thank you!

[Pantx]

Your symptoms are suspect for reactive arthritis. Did the ER xray your foot and determine what the cause of the injury/symptom was there? There is something called Septic Arthritis but I think it normally manifests in the hip. I would follow up with your GP tomorrow
What is your temperature?

Did the ER do a rapid strep test or bloodwork? What was said about your bloodwork?