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What are the Meningitis Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments?

Meningitis Symptoms – Inflammation might look like a very general term to you as it is the reason for several other diseases, but It can trigger several other severe conditions as well.

Meningitis is one of those Severe conditions. It is the inflammation of Spain and spinal cord membranes. It is usually triggered by an infection, And it is among the rare conditions. The United States records around 200,000 cases of meningitis each year, and it requires a medical professional for treatment.

Today we will discuss everything regarding meningitis, including its symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention. We will also take a look at the experts’ advice on the condition. 

What are the Causes of Meningitis?

Before we discuss anything else regarding meningitis, let’s take a look at the major causes of the condition. Whenever you consult with any expert, they will always say that it is usually caused by a viral infection, but it can also be caused by several other things.

There are some different types of meningitis, and they all are caused by different elements. To find the right course for your meningitis condition, you will have to understand the type of meningitis.

Viral Meningitis

One of the most common types of meningitis is viral meningitis. You might not get surprised to know that most cases of meningitis in Nevada, United States, are caused by a specific group of viruses known as enteroviruses.

They usually get active during late summer and early fall. At the same time, several other viruses, including HIV, mumps virus, simplex virus, and west Nile virus, are also known to cause viral meningitis.

Fungal Meningitis

Fungal meningitis is not as common as viral meningitis in the United States. We barely record any cases of fungal meningitis in the country. It is associated with the breathing in fungal spores that may be found in soil, decaying wood, and bird droppings.

Unlike other meningitis, fungal meningitis is not spread from person to person. The major problem with fungal meningitis is that it can even result in death if it is not treated as early as possible with antifungal medicine. 

Chronic Meningitis

Chronic meningitis is one of the long-lasting types of meningitis in the United States. It can be caused by slow-growing organisms such as fungi. They usually invade the membranes and fluids surrounding the brain. Chronic meningitis can also become a little bit hard to detect as the symptoms associated with the condition are very general. Most people experience headaches, vomiting, and fever after getting infected with chronic meningitis.

Meningitis Symptoms
Meningitis Symptoms

Symptoms of Meningitis

Now let’s take a look at the main query of the day, which are the symptoms of meningitis. One of the worst parts about having meningitis is that their initial symptoms or signs might be associated with the symptoms of the flu.

Similar to flu infection, symptoms of meningitis can also develop within a few hours or over days. 

If you are struggling with meningitis, then you can experience the below-given list of symptoms. All these symptoms have been acknowledged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States.

  • Seizures
  • Sensitivity to the light
  • Sleepiness
  • Trouble waking
  • Severe headache
  • Stiff neck
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • New confusion
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Sudden high fever
  • Loss of appetite
  • Rashes on skin

These are among the most common symptoms of different types of meningitis. Everyone above the age of 2 can experience one or all of the above-given symptoms. For more information on the symptoms of meningitis, we highly recommend you consult with your healthcare provider.

These are just the most common symptoms, and experiencing any of the above-given symptoms doesn’t mean that you are also struggling with meningitis.

Apart from the above-given list of symptoms, you can also experience several other symptoms, and you should consult about it with your healthcare provider.

At the same time, the symptoms of different meningitis can be a little bit different from each other. For example, bacterial meningitis might not cause seizures which are one of the most common symptoms of viral meningitis.

Diagnosis of Meningitis

Once you start experiencing symptoms associated with the condition, we highly recommend you visit your healthcare provider right away. You cannot diagnose yourself at home with meningitis, as it requires specific laboratory tests.

Your healthcare provider will also take a look at your overall cognition and try to find all the signs associated with the infection. Usually, people start developing a rash as soon as they begin experiencing symptoms of meningitis.

  • Your healthcare provider might suggest you go for a blood test which will help them find any microorganisms, such as bacteria, in your blood. Usually, this type of test is known as blood culture.
  • Apart from blood culture, your healthcare provider might also suggest you go through computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, as they both are among the most popular types of tests for meningitis.
  • Lastly, your healthcare provider might also suggest you go for Spinal Tap, as it is also among the most effective ways to diagnose meningitis. A healthcare professional will take a sample and try to find out the sugar levels. Usually, people who are struggling with meningitis will have low blood sugar and an increased white blood cell count.

We do not suggest anyone self-diagnose themselves at home with meningitis. As you can see in the above-given tests, all of these tests cannot be performed at home without any professional equipment.

Healthcare providers are also suggesting everyone not to self-diagnose themselves by just taking a look at the symptoms. All of these symptoms are also associated with several other common conditions, and every time you have a rash or vomit, it doesn’t mean that you are struggling with meningitis.

Treatment of Meningitis

Similar to every other disease, the treatment of meningitis depends on the type of meningitis you have. For example, bacterial meningitis will have a different treatment than viral meningitis.

  • People struggling with viral meningitis cannot take antibodies like bacterial ones. Antibodies are not going to work on viral meningitis, and it is not going to do anything other than Worsening the condition. 
  • People who are struggling with viral meningitis can get better without even any medication or treatment. You should follow a good rest schedule, along with plenty of fluids, to get better from viral meningitis. you’re
  • Your healthcare provider might also suggest you go through the same as it is one of the most effective types of treatment.
  • When it comes to the treatment of bacterial meningitis, your healthcare provider might suggest you take some antibiotics as they are very helpful in the condition.
  • We will recommend everyone not consume any antibiotics on their own without consulting their healthcare provider first.
  • You require a combination of antibiotics which can further help you in the treatment of bacterial meningitis. Any over-the-counter antibiotics are not going to work on bacterial meningitis.

How to prevent Meningitis?

Before we completely wrap our session up, let’s take a quick look at all the preventive measures for meningitis. Yes, there are some ways you can use to prevent infection and meningitis.

First of all, you should make sure that you are following a healthy lifestyle, as it is among the most significant things that can prevent meningitis in the first place.

You should make sure that you are getting adequate rest, a good diet, and a good exercise routine. At the same time, you should also make sure that you are avoiding any contact with people who are already sick with any symptoms associated with meningitis.

You can also quit smoking and keep washing your hands regularly to prevent any type of meningitis.

If you were recently exposed to someone who is struggling with meningitis, then you should consult with your healthcare provider as early as possible. There are different types of meningitis, and some of those can spread through the air and respiratory droplets.

If you are pregnant, then we highly recommend you consult the probability of bacterial meningitis with your healthcare provider. This type of meningitis is also known to create dangerous conditions for the baby.

Are there any vaccines for meningitis?

Yes, there are some vaccines for meningitis, and you can consult with your healthcare provider. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States also recommends everyone get vaccinated with the vaccine for meningitis. It is a very safe and effective vaccine that can help you prevent the infection in the first place.