When a bone infection is treated early, outcomes tend to be better. Factors that impact recovery include the location and extent of the infection and your overall health. If left untreated, bone infections can cause complications like amputation, septic arthritis — infections that spread to nearby joints — and impaired growth. “The overwhelming majority of cases are completely treatable,” Dr. Shah says. “The more it progresses, the harder it is to cure things without more drastic measures being undertaken, things like amputation and long courses of antibiotics. The earlier it’s diagnosed and discovered, the easier it is to treat.”