Symptoms of meningitis. Treatment and prevention of disease

Meningitis is an inflammatory disease of the membranes of the spinal cord or brain. It can appear as an independent ailment, and as a consequence after a simple ARVI. The disease is caused by bacteria and viruses.

Types of disease

Today many types of ailment are known, but the most common are serous and purulent meningitis. The latter kind of disease is carried by the person himself, the nasopharynx of which becomes a natural reservoir of meningococcus. And to infect others, you just sneeze or cough. Serous meningitis is transmitted not only by contact with the patient, but also through unwashed fruits and vegetables, and you can also get infected in the swimming pool during bathing. Another carrier of this type of disease is a tick. After all, encephalitis is one of the varieties of meningitis.

Causes of the disease

The main cause of the disease is infection with meningococcal infection. Its carriers can be people who have intestinal infections or nasopharyngitis. In this case, the carrier itself may not be sick. But this is not the only causative agent of the disease. The cause of inflammation can become and tubercle bacillus, and spirochaeta, and pneumococcus, and many other viruses and bacteria. And also provoke the disease may be wrong or not completely cured otitis, sinusitis, frontal and any purulent inflammation of the respiratory system and nasopharynx.

The main symptoms of meningitis

Normally, meningitis begins acutely. Only the tubercular form of the disease can proceed very slowly. Sometimes even up to several months. The disease is so insidious that signs and symptoms of meningitis can be completely similar to ARVI: temperature, malaise, weakness, pain in the muscles. Symptomatic of acute meningitis is fairly pronounced. It manifests itself in a severe headache, which over time only intensifies, especially with movement, bright light and noise. Nausea and vomiting do not bring relief. The body is covered with spots, which can last from several days to several weeks. The most reliable symptom of meningitis is the tension of the occipital muscles. It manifests itself when you try to press your head against your chest and stretch your legs. If there are even the slightest symptoms of meningitis, treatment should begin immediately.

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

The doctor determines meningitis almost at the first glance at the patient. And no wonder, very specific signs of ailment. But for a more accurate diagnosis, a puncture from the spinal cord can be taken. If the symptoms of meningitis are confirmed , treatment should only take place in a hospital setting. In no case should one resort to popular methods. It is fraught with a lethal outcome. Of the drugs will be prescribed antibiotics of a wide range of action. They are used intravenously, but in severe cases they can be injected into the spinal canal. Duration of medication is determined only by a doctor. But just one more week after the temperature returned to normal, the antibiotic should enter the body. In order not to develop cerebral edema, diuretics are prescribed. Simultaneously with them, calcium intake is necessary, because the last drugs wash it out of the body. Recovery sometimes takes up to a year. So you should be patient.

Prevention of disease

If you find symptoms of meningitis, treatment should begin without delay. And in order not to get infected, you need to get vaccinated against the diseases that can cause this illness. And in addition, avoid contact with patients, wear masks during an epidemic, monitor hygiene and wash vegetables and fruits. Will you say that these are children's advice? Far from discovering the symptoms of meningitis, you must start treatment immediately, otherwise you will face death. So it's better to follow the child's advice than to get sick.