Meningococcal disease and Kernig symptom

Pathogen microorganism meningococcus got its name because it affects mainly the meninges (meningeal tissues). Nevertheless, he can get into other organs and tissues of a person, however, the brain remains his number one goal for him. The first manifestations of meningitis (inflammation of the soft meninges) consist in raising the body temperature to 28 or 40 degrees. In general, all symptoms at the beginning of the disease indicate a normal respiratory infection.

However, meningitis differs from respiratory diseases in that, together with a fever, there are many other symptoms that are characteristic only of this disease. They are connected first of all with a violation of the normal functioning of the brain tissue. The so-called meningeal symptoms referring to the defeat of the soft meninges also belong here. This is a symptom of Kernig (sometimes referred to as Kernig syndrome), symptoms of Brudzinsky and other symptoms.

About these manifestations should be said separately, but for now let us dwell on the general symptoms of meningitis. Many of these patients have weakness and severe headaches, which are caused by increased intracranial pressure and intoxication. This is also due to vomiting, which is caused by irritation of the vomiting centers in the brain, so it is not accompanied by nausea and after it there is no relief.

Meningeal symptoms do not appear immediately, usually after one day. The Kernig symptom, although it is one of the most indicative for meningitis, is also observed in a number of other manifestations: the headache increases when the patient turns his head several times in the horizontal plane. The muscles of the nape are usually strained (stiffness), which is noticeable when the patient tries to passively tilt his head forward, sometimes it is even impossible to simply bring his chin to his chest.

The Kernig Symptom may be characteristic not only of people with meningitis, but also of those with some knee joint diseases. However, in conjunction with other manifestations of the disease, this symptom makes it possible to establish an accurate diagnosis. Kernig's symptom is that with passive flexion and extension of the leg in the knee and hip joint (with the help of a doctor), there is no complete extension, which is due both to the stiffness of certain muscles of the lower limb and to pain.

This Kering syndrome is investigated in two stages. First, the doctor bends the leg of the patient lying on his back, at a right angle in the hip and knee joints. Then the doctor weakens his pressure on the foot of the patient, because of what it passively unbends. In a healthy person, this symptom does not appear, and the leg returns to its original position without difficulty.

With the help of the Kernig symptom, it is possible to establish not only the presence of meningitis, but also the degree of infection with the brain infection. It is also possible to determine the dynamics of the development of the disease and to predict further pathological changes in the nervous tissue.