Meningitis is a condition in which there is inflammation of the membrane that encloses the spinal cord and brain. It is caused because of an infection by viruses and bacteria. It is a severe disease that can even lead to death in few cases. Though in the US, meningitis occurs due to viral infection, bacterial and fungal infections can also be the cause of meningitis. Fever, neck stiffness and severe headache are the most common symptoms of meningitis and the person detected with these symptoms should be immediately put under medical surveillance.
What is meningitis?
Before you understand the symptoms of meningitis, it is essential that you know what meningitis exactly is. It is a very critical disease for an individual’s health as it involves the inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord. If any of the two gets damaged, then it becomes complicated to cure this disease. In certain situations, even after taking proper medication, it may lead to the death of the affected person. Sometimes, after timely treatment, it may leave after-effects, which many times last a lifetime.
Causes of meningitis
Meningitis is mainly caused by bacteria, viral and other fungal infections.
- Bacterial infection is the most common cause of meningitis, as found in most of the cases and is also life-threatening.
- Viral infection is another cause of meningitis, but it is considered less severe than meningitis, which is caused by bacterial infection. However, it can leave long–lasting effects.
Meningitis is a disease that can be caused to people belonging to any age group and can kill an individual within hours, if not treated in time. According to a report, bacterial meningitis in the US has killed a huge number of children’s under the age of 5.
Symptoms of meningitis
As meningitis requires immediate medical attention, identification of symptoms of meningitis is of immense importance as one can only be provided with medical attention when he is suspicious of meningitis in the first place. Symptoms of meningitis may vary in its manifestation in the case of newborns and adults. Symptoms of meningitis in newborns may include any of the following:
- Poor feeding
- Constant crying
- Irritated feeling
- Neck and body stiffness
- High fever
Symptoms of meningitis in others may include:
- Visible rashes
- Loss of appetite
- Constant state of confusion
- Excessive sleeping hours
- A headache along with vomiting
- High fever
If you experience any of the symptoms of meningitis mentioned above, then it is highly advisable that you take that person to a doctor so that immediate treatment can be undertaken. If the symptoms of meningitis are overlooked, and the treatment is delayed, it may result in permanent brain damage or even death. It is often seen that bacterial meningitis targets people within 20 years of age, whereas viral meningitis targets children below five years of age.
Complications involved
Lack of proper treatment of meningitis on time may lead to severe after results. It may result in death in certain cases or even if the patient survives, after effects may be left which may last for a long time. Few of the complications involved are:
- Deafness
- Epilepsy
- Hydrocephalus
- Cognitive deficits
If you want, you can always be cautious beforehand and go for regular checkups to ensure healthy living. In this way not only meningitis but also other diseases, if any, can be diagnosed at an early stage and appropriate steps can be taken from the very beginning.
Diagnosing meningitis
If someone is suspicious of having meningitis, as is apparent from the visible symptoms of the disease, then immediate medication is provided to that individual after diagnosing it. Meningitis is diagnosed using methods such as blood tests and imaging, lumbar puncture, and X-ray.
Prevention of meningitis
Most countries have included vaccination for meningitis as a part of routine childhood vaccination schemes. Regular checkups can also be done. It is always advisable to take precautions in advance when one’s health is concerned. In addition, a quadrivalent vaccine has been discovered, which can be used by people having meningitis.
Meningitis is a life-threatening disease which needs to be diagnosed at an early stage, and precautionary measures should be adopted from the very beginning to eradicate meningitis. Symptoms of meningitis, when apparent, should be dealt with appropriately. Immediate medical consultation is strictly guided as in few cases people have also lost their lives within hours of having meningitis. Delayed treatment, may often lead to damaging of the brain or spinal cord or even both, in few cases. Even if doctors are successful in saving the life of an individual, there might be some after effects, which cannot be treated and become a source of pain for a lifetime. All this has the probability of being stopped by detecting the symptoms of meningitis at an early phase and provide for medical treatment.
