Anyone have experience with infections?

[Susanna888]

I am 7 years post op - both hips done beautifully by Dr. Gross - but I have a question about the likelihood of infection.  I take anti-biotics every trip to the dentist, but last year I had some jaw pain that felt a lot more like TMJ, but I later found was due to tooth abcess.  I was walking around with that for a few weeks before it was properly diagnosed and treated.  I was on antibiotics for quite a while after that.  But if some infection had spread to the hip joints, would it be noticeable right away?  Or is that the kind of thing that can wait a few months before you feel any pain or discomfort?  (Maybe I'm being paranoid - anti-biotics should kill any infection in the body, right?)  I have some leg pain now that I believe stems from low back misalignment, but after lots of chiropractic and massage, still isn't getting much better.  It's been a year since I had the tooth abcess, but I'm wondering if there could be a connection.  Anyone out there have any experience with this kind of thing?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[fedup]

Infections can present in many ways and may grumble along for a long time before becoming obvious. When a prosthesis becomes infected the is pain at rest as well as with activity and it may bother you at night in bed.  Some blood test could be done to sort it out. If the ESR and CRP are below a certain level (may be 30 depending on your local lab range) then an infection is very unlikely. A complete blood count would be done as well. If the blood tests  are elevated then furhter testing can be done to clarify the cause (ultrasound may show a fluid collection, MRI may show changes in the surrounding soft tissue, plain xray may be normal). More than likely your pain is not related to infection but to a muscular or nerve problem. Leg pain that comes from the back (nerves) may radiate down the leg past the knee. Hip pain doesn't usually radiate past the knee. Back pain is more likely to radiate from the low back around the butt and down the back of the leg. Hip pain usually comes from the groin and radiates down to the front or side of the knee. The causes of low back and leg pain are numerous and most have nothing to do with hip infections. Either way you should get it sorted out. Good luck and yes, likely the antibiotics you took for your dental infection prevented infection in the prosthesis.

[Gib]

Susanna,  I did have some experience with an infection.  See my postings and situation on "Need Advice".  My doctor has me on antibiotics daily.  I hope it continues to work. Gib