Meningitis. causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Risk factors

Chronic, especially purulent processes in the nose and sinuses, mouth, pharynx, viral diseases, colds, flu (from mild to severe forms) can contribute to the occurrence of meningitis.
Lifestyle and work also have an impact. Increase your chance of getting sick:

• smoking;
• drinking large amounts of alcohol;
• long-term insolation;
• constant stress loads;
• hypothermia;
• violation of the immune system.

Immune defense mechanisms are affected by autoimmune diseases, tumor processes, and the use of certain medications used in the treatment of these diseases.

Treatment

In case of meningitis, treatment must be timely to avoid complications. In addition to the speed of delivery, medical services must also be relevant.

From the moment the disease is detected, the patient must be isolated. General measures are taken, specific therapy and treatment of symptoms are prescribed. Care for patients with meningitis is not much different from that provided to patients with other viral infections.

If the patient is restless, as well as insomnia, he is prescribed tranquilizers or Phenobarbital. The use of morphine and similar drugs is prohibited. Analgesics are prescribed for severe headaches.

Unlike adults, children with meningitis have frequent seizures. In this case, Phenobarbital and Sibazon are prescribed. A procedure such as blood transfusion is also practiced in treatment, but this occurs only in cases of severe anemia. In the acute form of the disease, the patient is prescribed corticosteroid drugs.

Doctors must carefully monitor the patient's fluid balance. Particular attention should be paid to the functioning of the intestines, as well as the bladder. Bedsores need to be prevented.

Hyponatremia can reduce the quality of treatment and is also a cause of seizures. If secondary meningitis is caused by the presence of a purulent focus in the body, then this is a direct indication of the need for surgical intervention.

On this topic

• Meningitis

What symptoms can you use to recognize meningitis?

• Ekaterina Nikolaevna Kislitsyna
• March 26, 2020

Prevention of the consequences of secondary meningitis is carried out by:

• eliminating seizures;
• physical methods;
• activities aimed at restoration;
• surgical intervention.

In almost all cases of the disease, increased intracranial pressure is observed. It is by this early symptom that the disease can be identified.

The pressure is eliminated with timely treatment. Hypertonic solutions can play a key role (Mannitol is often used for such purposes). Increased intracranial pressure is also eliminated by taking corticosteroid drugs.

Another necessary measure aimed at normalizing pressure in the skull is the suction of mucus and sputum from the respiratory tract. It is worth paying attention to tracheostomy. It is sometimes delayed in the hope that antimicrobial therapy will clear the airways and eliminate the disorder.

Gas monitoring is necessary to determine the level of oxygen entering the blood. It will also allow you to prescribe relevant treatment. If the patient enters a coma, a nasogastric tube is inserted. Hypertension should not be tolerated. Especially when it comes to treating children.

For decades, treatment for meningitis did not give the desired effect, but the introduction of antibiotics and sulfonamides changed everything dramatically. If previously everything led to a fatal outcome, now patients have a high chance of recovery.

Treatment of cerebral edema with diuretics and corticosteroids should not be delayed. The earlier corticosteroid therapy is prescribed, the higher the effectiveness of treatment.

On this topic

• Meningitis

What are the dangers of bacterial meningitis?

• Ekaterina Nikolaevna Kislitsyna
• March 26, 2020

If, after careful treatment, it was possible to bypass the acute phase, this does not mean that the disease has ceased to pose a danger. General restorative drugs are prescribed:

• multivitamins;
• glutamic acid;
• metabolic drugs.

This method of treatment is used for asthenic syndrome.

Statistics show that mortality from meningitis has decreased over the past 20 years. However, this does not exclude the possibility of death. It is not always possible to make a diagnosis on time, nor to prescribe relevant therapy.

At the first signs of meningitis, it is necessary to resort to timely diagnosis and intensive therapy. If fever occurs, as well as other symptoms of secondary meningitis, then lumbar puncture should not be postponed.

It happens that when a puncture is performed in a timely manner, the data on the cerebrospinal fluid turn out to be inaccurate. This does not allow one to correctly determine the form of the disease.

What causes meningitis of the spinal cord, what is the danger of infection

1. Content:
2. How does meningitis become infected?
3. Signs of spinal meningitis
4. What happens to the spinal cord during meningitis
5. Methods of treating the spinal cord with meningitis
6. Consequences of meningitis infection

The inflammatory process of the membranes of the spinal cord or brain is described by the general term “meningitis”. Regardless of the location, the disease has the same symptoms and clinical picture. Spinal cord meningitis develops through bacterial infection in humans.

How does meningitis become infected?

The inflammatory process of the spinal cord membranes can be an independent disease, or a consequence or symptom of an already developing infectious disease.

Diagnosing meningitis is a rather complex process. When conducting research, it is necessary to accurately identify the pathogen or cause of inflammation. During meningitis, cerebrospinal fluid changes its structure and contains the causative agent of the disease, therefore, sampling or puncture of the spinal cord is a common practice.

The patient becomes infected due to the following factors:

• Infectious infection with meningococcus. Basically, the human body is able to cope with the infection, so meningitis begins in approximately 8-10% of cases of infection. With acute manifestations of the disease, bacterial shock occurs.
• Secondary purulent inflammation. The cause of meningitis is an infection that gets on the mucous membranes after surgery or as a result of injury. If timely measures are not taken, the disease enters the chronic stage, the patient experiences attacks, convulsions, meningeal symptoms and tachycardia. Aseptic meningitis after spinal anesthesia is caused by bacteria that enter the membrane area through a syringe. It is especially necessary to perform the procedure in the presence of inflammatory or infectious processes in the upper skin.
• Serous inflammation or tick-borne meningitis. The source of infection is any carrier of the enterovirus: humans, animals or insects. In some cases, contamination through food or contaminated water has been observed. One of the most likely carriers is insects: ticks. Tuberculous meningitis also refers to serous inflammation of the membranes. The disease is characterized by: headache, sudden increase in temperature, vomiting, etc.
• Protozoal inflammation - the causative agent of the disease is cats. The parasite remains viable in almost any conditions, but dies when deep frozen at about -20°C.

Signs of spinal meningitis

The spinal form of meningitis, although it has a pronounced clinical picture, is often, especially in the initial stages, falsely attributed to other diseases.

Signs of the inflammatory process do not make it possible to make an unambiguous diagnosis. Therefore, after collecting anamnesis, mandatory collection of cerebrospinal fluid for examination is required.

Signs of the disease are:

1. Rigidity and weakness of muscle tissue.
2. Decreased spinal mobility.
3. Increased sensitivity of the vertebral processes, manifested by palpation.
4. Unevenness of the pupils, in some cases strabismus.
5. Rapid pulse, tachycardia.

As the disease progresses, neurological seizures are observed: headaches, convulsions, etc.

Methods of treating the spinal cord with meningitis

Antibacterial therapy is traditionally used for meningitis. Erythromycin, Levomycetin succinit and drugs of the cephalosporin group are prescribed.

Additionally, the following course of therapy is carried out:

• Detoxification – it is necessary to remove toxins from the blood that are the product of bacterial activity and poison the human body.
• A course of glucocorticoids.
• Prescribing medications to prevent seizures.
• Prescription of antihistamines and a restorative vitamin complex.

With timely prescribed therapy, the prognosis of the disease is favorable. Advanced stages of the inflammatory process end in death.

Pathogenesis of chronic meningitis

Neurological changes are observed in adults against the background of the inflammatory process and complications. Headache is accompanied not only by stiff neck muscles. Manifestations of chronic meningitis include hydrocephalus and neuropathy of the cranial nerves. Cognitive changes and personality problems occur.

Signs may appear separately or together at once, as happens when pathological processes spread to the cerebrospinal fluid pathways. Painful sensations in the back, head and neck occur against the background of irritation of pain receptors in the meninges by the inflammatory process. Blocking the pathways carrying cerebrospinal fluid helps lower blood pressure.

Indicative symptoms are not only migraine, but also vomiting, increased drowsiness, lethargy and instability. The optic discs swell, the patient sees poorly. Against the background of paresis, it is difficult for a person to look up. Signs of damage to the facial nerve appear.

Due to vascular disorders, cognitive changes are formed, and the patient’s behavioral disorder is observed. Chronic meningitis is characterized by epileptic seizures, stroke or myelopathy.

Pathological processes that occur in the spinal cord affect the motor and sensory roots. They are located between the subarachnoid space and the dura mater. Painful sensations, paresis occur, and the functions of the pelvic organs are disrupted.

Sometimes extensive damage occurs. The inflammatory process takes the form of a ring. Surrounds the spinal cord and affects the membrane. This phenomenon is called myelopathy. A characteristic sign of the development of chronic meningitis is damage to the cranial and spinal endings. The process is very slow.

Various tests and studies will help confirm the development of pathology. At the first suspicion, the doctor refers the patient for tests to establish an accurate diagnosis.

Clinical manifestations and types of meningitis

The nature of the course of the disease and clinical manifestations largely depend on the pathogen that caused the disease. Therefore, the following types of meningitis are distinguished separately:

• meningococcal species is the most rapidly developing and severe type;
• pneumococcal type of meningitis;
• Haemophilus species;
• staphylococcal species;
• mumps type;
• tubercular type;
• enteroviral types of meningitis;
• other types of meningitis.

Despite the different types of pathogens, all types of meningitis have common clinical signs. They are characterized by meningeal syndrome, inflammatory changes in the cerebrospinal fluid and general symptoms of infection.

The initial signs of meningitis in adults appear as follows:

• body temperature rises sharply
• patients complain of severe headaches all over the head
• there is stiffness in the muscles of the back of the head (pain when tilting the head, it is impossible to tilt the head forward);
• nausea, most often vomiting, which does not bring relief;
• loss of appetite;
• may have diarrhea;
• in some cases, a pink or reddish rash appears; when you press on the rash, they disappear, but after a few hours they appear in the form of small bruises;
• patients feel weak;
• sometimes hallucinations, an excited state, or, on the contrary, lethargy occur.

The infectious process develops very quickly, and the clinical picture worsens. Only chronic meningitis develops gradually and is characterized by a vague onset. The general main clinical symptoms of meningitis in adults are characterized as follows.

Headache with meningitis is the main clinical syndrome. It has an increasing character and is localized throughout the head. The headache is so severe that even an adult cannot stand it. Headache with meningitis has its own distinctive features from headaches of other etiologies.

The pain is constant, there is a feeling of fullness inside the skull. They intensify when the head is tilted to the sides. Bright lights and loud noises cause increased pain. This occurs due to irritation of the meninges, the action of toxic substances, and increased intracranial pressure.

Symptoms such as fever, increased body temperature up to 40C°, chills, muscle pain, photophobia, fear of sounds, fear of tactile touches appear. All this causes increased muscle pain and headaches, confusion, delirium, lethargy, and coma may occur.

Due to the strong inflammatory process, there is an enlargement of the lymph nodes; they are painful on palpation. Strabismus may occur when the optic nerves are involved in the inflammatory process. Palpation of the area between the eyebrows under the eyes gives painful sensations. This area is where the trigeminal nerve exits.

Positive Brudzinski symptoms. Bringing the head to the chest causes involuntary, reflex flexion of the lower limbs at the knees and hip joints. Pressure on the pubic symphysis (symphysis pubis) also causes reflex flexion of the lower extremities at the knees and hip joints.

Positive Kernig's sign. When one lower limb flexes, a reflex flexion of the second lower limb occurs due to strong tension in the muscles of the limbs.

Positive reaction when checking Pulatov's symptom. Tapping on the scalp causes pain.

Positive reaction when checking Mendelian symptom. Painful sensations when pressing on the area of ​​the external auditory canal.

In cases where the pathological process is located at the base of the brain, cranial nerves may be damaged. Let's consider how meningitis manifests itself in such cases. In addition to the main symptoms, the following complaints are added:

• patients notice that their vision has sharply deteriorated;
• along with this, hearing may also decrease;
• Nystagmus is observed - oscillatory movements of the eyeballs, oscillations occur involuntarily;
• there is drooping of the eyelids – ptosis;
• strabismus;
• patients may complain that they are seeing double.

Further, the inflammatory process can overtake the brain substance itself. Then patients develop paresis and paralysis of facial muscles, and their consciousness becomes confused. Patients are in a state of excitement and hallucinations appear.

Meningitis and the 40th hospital

It is difficult to answer all your questions without knowing the diagnosis. Meningitis is different from meningitis. Let's assume that a child has serous viral meningitis (usually seasonal). There will be a general improvement in the first days, because a lumbar puncture is performed and, as a result, intracranial pressure decreases. By 5-7 days the condition usually improves significantly, discharge will be within 10-14 days.

Visits should be discussed with the head of the department and the attending physician. I am quoting a comment from the RMS forum, I hope this comment will help you. “The right to be with a sick child. Perhaps the most basic and most important of all rights guaranteed by law. Since the treatment process may require decisions to be made regarding the implementation of certain interventions, and this requires your consent (more on this later), and also since children have a hard time being separated from their parents during illness, the Law gives parents the right to be with the child during diseases. This right is spelled out in Article 22 of the GDPR, which states:

One of the parents or another family member, at the discretion of the parents, is given the right, in the interests of the treatment of the child, to stay with him in the hospital for the entire duration of his stay, regardless of the age of the child.

It is worth noting that this right is unconditional, i.e. its implementation does not impose any additional obligations on you. No one can require you to pay any fee (either directly or through the health insurance fund), or to perform any actions (“we will put you with the child if you wash the floor in the hallway”) Moreover, The law guarantees that you will be issued a certificate of incapacity for work (“sick leave”) upon joint hospitalization. Further in Art. 22 we read:

A person staying with a child in a hospital institution of the state or municipal health care system is issued a certificate of incapacity for work.

The period for which a certificate of incapacity is issued depends on the age of the child:

The quarantine benefit for caring for a sick child under seven years of age is paid to one of the parents (other legal representative) or another family member for the entire period of quarantine, outpatient treatment or joint stay with the child in a hospital institution, and the benefit for caring for a sick child over the age of seven years, it is paid for a period of no more than 15 days, unless a medical report requires a longer period.

1. From the text of the OZZ it follows that not only the mother, but also the father and other adult family members have the right to hospitalization with a sick child. Thus, family members independently determine which of them will be in the hospital. Moreover, the Law does not prohibit parents from being on duty in shifts. True, the rules of good manners require that you inform the staff on duty about the changes in a polite manner.

2. Although the Law gives the right to the parent of a sick child to be in the ward with the patient, this does not impose an obligation on the hospital to provide the mother or father with a bed, linen and food. Although clinics have already appeared that have purchased cots for parents, in most cases parents have to solve these problems on their own. If the child is small, the parent can sit next to him on the bed. At an older age, the use of folding (inflatable) mats, mattresses, etc. is justified.

3. As stated above, the parent of a hospitalized child is not required to perform any work in the hospital. However, remember that doctors will gratefully accept your voluntary help. It is considered good manners to: monitor the cleanliness and order of the room in which your child is lying, help the staff in feeding the children in your room, play with the children in the evening (discuss possible games with the doctor), read to the children, tell something interesting. And, of course, it is the duty of every adult to invite a doctor if the condition of one of the children worsens.

And finally. There are situations where parents may be denied joint hospitalization. First of all, these are cases when:

1. The parents are intoxicated. 2. the child is hospitalized in a department that requires special sanitary standards, for example, in a burn department. Obviously, you will not be allowed in the operating room and, in most cases, in the intensive care unit. etc."

SEE ALSO: Symptoms and incubation period of meningitis What tests detect meningitis Meningitis and leave Meningitis rash on the palms After sinusitis, meningitis What is meningitis of the head and its consequences

What is cerebral meningitis

Meningitis is an inflammation accompanied by damage to the membranes of the brain. The following types are divided: leptomeningitis - inflammation of the soft and arachnoid membranes, pachymeningitis - inflammation of the hard membrane.

Meningitis occurs as a result of exposure to pathological bacteria. The disease is characterized by predominant damage to the meninges, but the brain is also involved in the process.

The basis of the disease is toxemia - the release of a large number of toxic metabolic products of pathological bacteria. This causes a syndrome of general intoxication, up to infectious-toxic shock. Meningitis is also accompanied by increased intracranial pressure and deficit neurological symptoms.

Symptoms

The clinical picture depends on the type of pathogen and the course of meningitis:

• Meningococcal meningitis. Begins suddenly with an increase in body temperature. Accompanied by nausea and vomiting, headache and hypertonicity of the neck muscles. Due to increased muscle tone and spasm of the neck muscles, the head is thrown back and the back is arched. A rash appears on the skin and turns red. Consciousness is upset: short-term loss of consciousness occurs. When the temperature rises to 400 C, hallucinations and delusions join the clinical picture, and convulsions develop. Severe pain appears in the limbs. In severe cases, the patient falls into a comatose state. The eyelids and facial muscles are paralyzed.
• Purulent secondary meningitis. Meningitis appears after brain surgery. Develops acutely. Meningitis begins with an intoxication syndrome: severe pain, dizziness, fatigue and irritability. In severe cases, the patient loses consciousness, develops delirium, vomiting and convulsions. The muscles of the back of the head contract: the head is thrown back. Heart rate increases.
• Serous meningitis. Starts off slowly. Before the disease, patients usually experience heaviness and deterioration in general health. They lose their appetite and have trouble sleeping. The temperature rises to 380C. When symptoms manifest, repeated vomiting, constipation and cephalgia appear. The temperature rises to 400C.
• Tuberculous meningitis. Onset is slow: symptoms develop over 2-3 weeks. The first signs: appetite decreases and general health worsens. Then apathy develops: the patient loses interest in any activity. A week later, the body temperature rises, the head hurts and meningeal symptoms develop: spasm of the neck muscles, which leads to throwing the head back.
• Protozoal meningitis. The clinical picture is dominated by muscle pain and weakness, pain in the joints. A rash appears externally, and the lymph nodes increase in size. Fever is intermittent: from time to time the temperature drops to normal levels during the week.
• Tick-borne encephalitis. The disease manifests itself with general cerebral signs and typical meningeal symptoms. Tick-borne encephalitis begins with severe headache, nausea and dizziness. The frequency of vomiting reaches 5-10 times per day. Patients complain of photophobia and pain in the eyes.

Causes

Meningitis develops after bacteria and viruses enter the meninges. The most common infections leading to the disease:

1. Klebsiella;
2. meningococci;
3. staphylococci;
4. streptococci;
5. pneumococci;
6. Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

These infections are transmitted by airborne droplets. The source is only a person who is a carrier of bacteria. Typically, the infection is transmitted by sneezing and coughing when a person suffers from upper respiratory tract ailments.

What kind of disease

Meningitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Treatment at home is never carried out, as this can be life-threatening for the patient. Even when the disease can be cured, serious consequences can develop over time or immediately after meningitis.

The main cause of the inflammatory process in the brain is considered to be the penetration of various microorganisms there. Although the pathology develops in both men and women, this diagnosis is more often found in children than in adults. Experts believe that this is due to the fact that the child has a high permeability of the blood-brain barrier or it has not yet fully formed.

Important! The risk of developing meningitis is greatest before the age of 4 years, especially in newborns between 3 and 8 months of age.

Even timely diagnosis and therapy with effective methods does not always prevent the death of the patient. After recovery, at least another 30% of patients suffer from complications of meningitis.

Diagnostics

If you suspect meningitis or any of the above symptoms appear, you should immediately contact a specialist. This disease cannot be delayed; the sooner it is detected, the greater the chance of recovery without serious consequences.

Despite the fact that the first signs of meningitis are pronounced and there are many symptoms typical only for it, diagnosing the disease is a rather labor-intensive task.

Diagnosis of meningitis includes the following set of measures:

• Anamnesis collection, a clear survey of the patient’s complaints, their analysis.
• Examination of the patient for the presence of cerebral symptoms, neurological symptoms (speech assessment, the presence of seizures, the presence of facial asymmetry, etc.), the presence of reflex symptoms characteristic of meningitis, assessment of the mental state (delusions, hallucinations, confusion).
• Analysis of laboratory tests. A blood test showed signs of inflammation.
• Examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To do this, a lumbar puncture is performed. This diagnostic method helps confirm meningitis; in this case, protein or even pus is detected in the cerebrospinal fluid.
• Magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography of the head.
• To identify the type of meningitis pathogen, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is performed and blood or cerebrospinal fluid is examined.

Therapy methods

Antibacterial drugs
Before prescribing treatment to their patients, doctors must determine the source of the pathological processes. Therapy is prescribed exclusively by a qualified doctor. Patients undergo it strictly in a hospital setting. In most cases, doctors use antibacterial drugs to combat chronic meningitis. The sooner a patient seeks help, the greater his chances of receiving effective treatment.

The therapeutic regimen includes:

• use of antibacterial drugs;
• taking anticonvulsants;
• dehydration;
• antihistamines;
• taking vascular and nootropic medications;
• use of antifungal agents.

Treatment therapy is formulated based on the results obtained. It is necessary to find out what caused chronic meningitis. For non-infectious pathological processes, patients are prescribed corticosteroids. For malignant tumors, patients are referred for radiation and chemotherapy. Mechanical ventilation may be needed.

The doctor determines the prescription; he takes into account the individual characteristics of the patient’s body and the course of pathological processes. Based on test results and established diagnosis.

Treatment of meningitis

Treatment of meningitis in adults is determined by its causes.

For a bacterial infection, intravenous antibacterial drugs are prescribed as quickly as possible. The choice of antibiotics and their combinations is determined by the sensitivity of microorganisms. Until the doctor receives the results of the bacteriological analysis from the laboratory, he prescribes broad-spectrum drugs.

Glucocorticoids are also used - drugs from the adrenal cortex that suppress inflammation. They help prevent brain swelling and seizures.

For viral infections, antibacterial drugs are ineffective. Usually, in mild cases, treatment is limited to bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids and painkillers, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic drugs. For more severe cases, the doctor prescribes glucocorticoids. For herpesvirus infection, special antiviral drugs are used.

Fungal infections are treated with antifungal medications. For non-infectious meningitis caused by other causes, glucocorticoids are usually used. If inflammation of the meninges is caused by cancer, you need to focus on effective antitumor treatment.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

After suffering from meningitis, the doctor individually selects a rehabilitation scheme for each patient, depending on many factors. The course of recovery and the duration of this period depend on the extent of inflammation, the age of the patient and impaired body functions.

Rehabilitation after meningitis in adults and children using physiotherapeutic procedures is a prerequisite for a complete recovery. This is due to the fact that the disease rarely occurs in a mild form, in which residual effects are not observed. Meningitis is difficult for children.

Physiotherapeutic methods are prescribed only by the attending physician, depending on the severity of the pathology, the nature of the course, and the age of the patient. The presence of contraindications is also taken into account. Often during the rehabilitation period the following are prescribed:

1. Electrosleep. The therapeutic effect is achieved through exposure to currents supplied by a special apparatus in pulse mode. At the same time, increased production of serotonin begins. This hormone has a beneficial effect on the body and also has a calming effect on the nervous system. The course of treatment ranges from 10 to 15 procedures, which are carried out every two days.
2. Electrophoresis using drugs. During the procedure, the patient's body is exposed to galvanic currents of a programmed frequency. At the same time, medications are added to the device, which, when sprayed, penetrate into the deep layers of the skin, reaching the source of the inflammatory process.
3. Pine baths. The concentrate is diluted in a proportion of 50 mg per 1 liter of water. Needles have been used in folk medicine for a long time, but even today doctors recommend using it because it has a calming effect. The procedure should be carried out every two days, no more than 15 times.

Each method of physiotherapy has a number of contraindications. That is why you should consult a doctor who will determine the need to use physical therapy methods after meningitis and determine the duration of therapy.

Causes

Meningitis is an inflammation resulting from the aggression of pathogenic factors. Main pathogens:

• bacteria (meningococci, pneumococci, staphylococci, mycobacterium tuberculosis);
• viruses (enteroviruses, paramyxoviruses of mumps);
• fungi (candida, cryptococcus);
• protozoa (toxoplasma, amoeba).

Normally, the nervous system is reliably protected by an anatomical barrier (skull, vascular wall, connective tissue). With direct injury or due to the spread of inflammation, pathogens gain the opportunity to directly contact the membranes and damage them.

Ways of spread of infection and infection:

• with open cranial and spinal trauma;
• contact;
• perineural;
• lymphogenous;
• hematogenous.

Damage to the base of the skull (fractures, cracks) with leakage of cerebrospinal fluid is mandatory.

The perineural and contact pathway is realized in the presence of a source of pathogenic microorganisms near the structures of the brain (sinuses, middle ear, eyeball). The infection can spread through the blood and lymphatic vessels from purulent foci of the nose, oropharynx, bronchi and lungs and digestive organs.

The type of pathogen and the characteristics of the course determine the development of mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe forms of the pathology.

Reasons for the development of the disease

It is important to understand why meningitis develops. To treat such a serious pathology, it is important to eliminate the negative impact of negative factors as soon as possible.

You can only get sick with this inflammatory pathology if you contract an infection. The main causative agent of the pathology is meningococcus. This infection is transmitted by airborne droplets, which means that with any contact, even distant contact, meningitis can be contagious.

Important! When the disease penetrates into a children's community, meningitis can acquire epidemic proportions.

Cerebral and spinal meningitis can develop due to the action of viruses, fungi and other microorganisms. Penetration of infection directly into the brain occurs through hematogenous and lymphogenous routes.

Severe meningitis

Pathoanatomically

two forms of otogenic meningitis should be distinguished: serous and purulent. Serous meningitis often accompanies other intracranial complications of ear origin. Typically, serous meningitis is a phase preceding the development of purulent inflammation of the meninges, but as an independent disease it is rarely encountered in the practice of an otolaryngologist. Therefore, describing its flow is not our task. We also do not touch upon the course of concomitant, sympathetic, collateral meningitis, since they do not represent an independent nosological unit, but are a response of the meninges to irritation by various purulent processes in the cranial cavity (brain abscesses, sinus thrombosis, etc.) or the ear.

For practical purposes

Obviously, the most suitable clinical classification is one that takes into account, whenever possible, pathomorphological changes. It comes from the clinical manifestations of the disease in all its diversity.

Based on numerous observations

, as well as the study of literary materials concerning otogenic meningitis, we propose a classification based on the characteristics of the course and manifestation of the inflammatory process. This gives us reason to distinguish between severe and moderate forms, as well as the typical, atypical, wave-like course of otogenic meningitis: a) the typical form of otogenic meningitis is characterized by a clearly outlined picture of the disease; b) atypical - proceeds sluggishly, with scanty symptoms, normal or subfebrile temperature; c) the wave-like course of otogenic meningitis is expressed either in the worsening or in the improvement of the process (this course of the disease is caused either by irrational therapy or by the presence of an abscess that has not been opened in the cranial cavity); d) forms of meningitis accompanied by clearly expressed cerebral phenomena. Focal cerebral signs are caused by encephalitis, cerebral edema, or localized accumulation of pus on the surface of the brain.

Here we will touch

only two clinical forms of otogenic meningitis.

Severe meningitis

Sick

complain of severe headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Clinically, this form of meningitis occurs at high temperatures, reaching 40° and above, sometimes accompanied by chills. The pulse is weak, rapid, breathing is rapid. Consciousness is often obscured or completely absent. There is general hyperesthesia, sometimes delirium. Meningeal signs: stiff neck, Kernig, Gillen and Brudzinsky symptoms are pronounced. The head is often thrown back (opisthotonus). Pathological reflexes of Oppenheim, Gordon, etc. are often noted in the disease picture.

Cerebrospinal fluid

cloudy, cellular elements are found in huge quantities, mainly neutrophils. Their number in 1 mm3 reaches many thousands. The protein content is increased, globulin reactions are sharply positive. The percentage of sugar and chlorides is reduced. On the white blood side, hyperleukocytosis and a shift of the neutrophil formula to the left are noted. The erythrocyte sedimentation reaction is accelerated.

Severe forms of meningitis

proceed this way from the very beginning or acquire such a course subsequently, sometimes as a result of late treatment. They are often combined with other intracranial complications of ear origin (brain abscesses, sinus thrombosis, etc.). From a pathological point of view, we are talking about diffuse purulent inflammation of the soft meninges.

Recurrent meningitis

Herpes simplex virus
A type of disease in which the pathological processes go away on their own. The composition of the cerebrospinal fluid is restored, the symptoms disappear.

Causes of pathology:

• herpes simplex virus;
• entry of the composition of the epidermoid cyst into the cerebrospinal fluid;
• inflammatory process of non-infectious origin;
• allergic reaction to certain medications. This happens if the medicine is re-prescribed to the patient.

Recurrent meningitis, lasting 1.5 months, requires treatment. Patients die without qualified help after 4-6 weeks.

Types of meningitis

Depending on the type of disease, various methods of treating meningitis may be prescribed.

The classification of meningitis includes the following types of this disease:

According to the rate of progression of the disease:

• lightning;
• spicy;
• subacute;
• chronic.

Useful to read: Chronic meningitis: symptoms, causes and treatment methods

Types of meningitis by etiology:

Viral meningitis. It occurs due to the entry of various viruses into the body - enteroviruses, echoviruses, and the Coxsackie virus. This type of meningitis is manifested by fever, severe headache, general weakness, but without disturbances of consciousness.

Bacterial meningitis. The disease manifests itself as a result of the ingestion of bacteria such as pneumococci, group B streptococci, meningococci, diplococci, Haemophilus influenzae, staphylococci and enterococci. Bacterial meningitis has a severe course with signs of intoxication, high fever and other clinical manifestations. Sometimes bacterial meningitis is fatal.

There are some types of meningitis included in the group “bacterial meningitis”: – Fungal meningitis. Diseases appear as a result of the ingress of fungi such as: cryptococci (Cryptococcus neoformans), Coccidioides immitis (Coccidioides immitis) and fungi of the genus Candida (Candida); – Protozoal meningitis. Capable of infecting the spinal cord and brain with simple organisms, for example, amoeba; – Mixed meningitis. The spinal cord and brain become inflamed while the body is simultaneously exposed to an infection, which can have a different etiology; – Nonspecific meningitis. The occurrence of this type of disease has not yet been precisely established.

Types of meningitis by origin:

Primary meningitis. This is an independent disease. Develops without the presence of any foci of infection in other human organs.

Secondary type of meningitis. Capable of developing with other infectious diseases. These include: syphilis, tuberculosis, HIV infections, measles, mumps.

Types of meningitis according to the nature of the inflammatory process:

Purulent meningitis. The disease is a severe course, with a purulent process in the meninges. The cause of purulent meningitis is a bacterial infection.

Serous meningitis. It is a less severe course without any purulent formations. The cause of this type of disease is a viral infection.

Group of serous meningitis: – Tuberculous; – Syphilitic; – Influenza; – Enteroviral; – Mumps and others.

Types of meningitis according to the course:

Fulminant (fulminant) meningitis. The development of this type of meningitis occurs very quickly. The patient can die literally on the first day after the virus enters.

Acute meningitis. After the lesion, several days may pass with an acute clinical picture. After this, the person may die.

Chronic meningitis. Development can occur, increasing in symptoms.

Types of meningitis according to the prevalence of the process:

Basal. Inflammation is concentrated at the base of the brain. Convexital. Inflammation is concentrated on the convex parts of the brain. Total. Inflammation affects all parts of the brain. Spinal. The inflammation is concentrated at the base of the spinal cord.

Types of meningitis by localization:

Meningitis. The inflammatory process covers the soft and arachnoid membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Pachymeningitis. The inflammatory process covers the hard membranes of the brain. Panmeningitis. Damage occurs simultaneously to all membranes of the brain. In medical practice, the term “meningitis” usually means damage to only the soft tissues of the brain.

Mild meningitis; Moderate-severe; Severe.

Meningitis: negative consequences and methods to minimize them

Meningitis: what is this disease?

We are talking about inflammation of the meninges. It can occur as an independent disease or become a complication of another disease. Types of meningitis are distinguished according to several characteristics: the nature and prevalence of inflammation, the speed of its development and severity.

By the nature of inflammation, meningitis can be serous, when lymphocytes predominate in the cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that washes the brain), or purulent, when the predominance of neutrophils in the cerebrospinal fluid creates a purulent exudate.

According to the prevalence of inflammation, meningitis is classified as generalized (widespread) or limited (for example, only in the hemispheres or base of the brain).

According to the speed of development of the disease, meningitis is divided into:

Chronic meningitis is most often secondary, that is, caused by an infection that already existed in the body and moved to the meninges. This is, for example, meningitis due to tuberculosis or neurosyphilis.

According to the severity, meningitis can be:

• light;
• moderate severity;
• heavy;
• extremely heavy.

Meningitis can be caused by bacteria (most often meningococci), viruses (enterovirus), protozoa (meningitis due to malaria, toxoplasmosis) and even fungi. However, fungal meningitis occurs only with reduced immunity.

The disease most often occurs acutely and begins with a high temperature - 38.6–39.6°C. A severe headache and vomiting appear, after which there is no relief, unlike banal food poisoning. So-called meningeal symptoms are added, the most obvious of which is neck rigidity: the patient cannot, tilting his head forward, reach his chin to his chest. Feeling dizzy, photophobia and drowsiness appear. Loss of consciousness and convulsions are possible.

Meningococcal meningitis is accompanied by a characteristic skin rash; with other forms of meningitis, there may be no rash if the disease is not accompanied by sepsis.

An increased level of neutrophils or leukocytes is determined in the blood, depending on the nature of the inflammation, and a high ESR.

Bacterial meningitis has long been considered a disease primarily of children—for example, as of 1986, the average age of patients with bacterial meningitis was 15 months [1]. The active introduction of vaccination has led to the fact that in world practice purulent meningitis has become a disease of adults - already in 1998, the average age of patients was 25 years. But in Russia, vaccination against meningococcal and pneumococcal infections is not included in the vaccination calendar and the situation remains the same: children get sick more often. Purulent meningitis accounts for 33% of all infectious diseases of the nervous system in children. 23% are serous meningitis [2].

Among meningitis of a viral nature, enteroviral ones predominate, all over the world predominantly affecting people under 18 years of age [3]. In Russia, enterovirus is the cause of 74% of all viral meningitis in children [4].

In adults, the causes of acute meningitis do not differ from those in children, except that Haemophilus influenzae becomes more noticeable - up to 10% [5].

Among chronic meningitis, one of the most common is tuberculosis, the frequency of which in countries with an unfavorable situation for this disease (which, unfortunately, includes the countries of the former USSR) ranges from 62 to 411 cases per 10 thousand people.

Complications after meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is lethal in approximately 10% of cases; the mortality rate for viral meningitis, if the process does not develop into encephalitis, does not exceed 1% [6].

The most common and relatively harmless consequence after meningitis is asthenic syndrome: causeless malaise, weakness, low mood. It can last from 3 to 12 months [7] .

But, according to American doctors, serious neurological consequences of meningitis remain in almost 30% of cases [8], these are:

• intellectual disabilities;
• paresis, paralysis;
• blindness;
• deafness (sensorineural hearing loss);
• hydrocephalus;
• convulsive syndrome;
• ischemic stroke (in adults it accounts for up to 25% of all complications).

It is impossible to predict in advance how severe the complications after meningitis will be and whether they can be eliminated.

Diagnosis of the disease

Despite the fact that the basis of diagnosis is a thorough interview and detailed examination of the patient, the list of necessary studies for suspected meningitis is quite long. It includes:

• collecting anamnesis and examining the patient, identifying cerebral and meningeal symptoms;
• general blood test - reveals inflammatory changes;
• general urinalysis - in severe cases and sepsis, kidney damage is possible;
• spinal puncture and examination of cerebrospinal fluid - the fluid that washes the brain and spinal cord;
• biochemical blood test - determines the degree of damage to other internal organs;
• bacteriological culture of mucus from the nasopharynx for meningococcus, pneumococcus;
• if purulent meningitis is suspected, bacteriological examination of cerebrospinal fluid and blood;
• if serous meningitis is suspected, stool testing for enteroviruses and polio viruses (PCR);
• if you suspect mumps (“mumps”), test IgM for mumps; if you suspect a herpes virus, test the level of IgM for herpes viruses type 1 and 2.
• in severe cases and the development of infectious-toxic shock, blood is taken for acid-base balance and analysis of the coagulation system.

It is also possible to add other studies - for example, in a serious condition and signs of heart damage - an ECG, if pneumonia is suspected, which may be the case with pneumococcal meningitis - a chest x-ray; it is possible to identify pathogens not listed above.

Treatment

If you suspect meningitis, you should immediately call an ambulance - hospitalization is necessary. Which department the patient will be hospitalized in depends on the cause of the disease. For viral and bacterial meningitis, the patient is sent for treatment to the infectious diseases department. If meningitis occurs as a complication of purulent otitis or sinusitis, go to the ENT department. If tuberculous meningitis is suspected, the patient is sent to a tuberculosis dispensary.

High fever is brought down with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen.

If there are signs of a bacterial infection, broad-spectrum antibiotics are used. Dosages and duration of the course will depend on the chosen agent and the intended pathogen. After receiving the results of a bacteriological study, the antibiotic can be replaced taking into account the sensitivity of the pathogen to it.

Viral meningitis is treated with antiviral agents; for tick-borne encephalitis, therapy is supplemented with anti-tick immunoglobulin.

If seizures occur, anticonvulsants and drugs to reduce intracranial pressure are prescribed.

To reduce general intoxication, detoxification therapy is carried out: in parallel with intravenous infusions, “droppers”, diuretics (diuretics) are prescribed. In this case, it is necessary to strictly monitor the general condition, the volume of urine excreted, and central venous pressure. Detoxification therapy is not carried out if cerebral edema is suspected.

Glucocorticosteroids (dexamethasone) are used as anti-inflammatory therapy. By reducing the activity of inflammation, they reduce the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome and the occurrence of long-term consequences of meningitis.

If necessary, perform artificial ventilation.

If meningitis is secondary, treatment of the underlying disease is mandatory: surgical treatment for purulent inflammation of the ENT organs, taking anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Rehabilitation after meningitis

After meningitis, the patient is observed by a neurologist for at least 2 years. In the first year, an inspection is required once every 3 months, then once every six months.

Recovery from meningitis is a complex, complex and multifaceted process. Here are its components:

• Diet . The goal of nutrition after meningitis is to restore strength without irritating the gastrointestinal tract. Of the cooking methods, it is better to prefer boiling, including steaming, baking, and stewing. Meat is recommended mainly of low-fat varieties: rabbit, veal, chicken. Lean fish. For children, it is better to cook meat and fish in chopped form: cutlets, souffles, pates; adults do not need to chop it. Well-cooked porridge is suitable as a side dish. Vegetables and fruits also need to be heat treated: coarse fiber can irritate the mucous membrane that has become temporarily sensitive. Fruit purees, soups, stewed and baked vegetables are essential in the diet. Dairy products can serve as an additional source of protein. From drinks, compotes and jelly, weak tea are appropriate.
• Physiotherapy . Includes both classic massage and various types of hardware techniques. Electrophoresis of vitamins and some medications allows you to either relax or, conversely, stimulate the desired muscle groups. For coordination and cognitive (related to memory and understanding) disorders, electrosleep, magnetic therapy, magnetic laser therapy, and restoration of the functions of the central nervous system are used. Other methods are also used, which should be selected by a competent physiotherapist to treat the consequences of meningitis based on the condition of a particular patient.
• Physiotherapy . This is also a separate and extensive area of ​​recovery after meningitis. An exercise therapy specialist helps the patient restore movement skills, gradually and consistently training first individual parts of the motor act, then the “connections” between them, moving on to more and more complex interactions. Modern rehabilitation centers use not only gymnastics, but also special suits with feedback, robotic simulators and other methods that until recently seemed fantastic.
• Occupational therapy . This is a set of methods that is aimed at everyday adaptation of the patient. Any disease forces you to change your lifestyle, especially if the disease takes away some of your physical capabilities. Ergotherapy, on the one hand, helps to at least partially restore range of motion, strength, and coordination. On the other hand, as part of the rehabilitation system after meningitis, it helps to adapt the existing limited capabilities to the patient’s habits and lifestyle, teaches him to feel like a full-fledged person and enjoy life, regardless of physical limitations.
• Cognitive therapy is exercises aimed at restoring attention, memory, and logical thinking.

Meningitis is a serious illness that leads to serious complications. Recovery from meningitis is a long and painstaking process that requires knowledge and experience from doctors, and persistence, consistency and patience from patients and their loved ones.

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Symptoms

Meningitis of bacterial etiology typically has an acute onset and rapid onset of characteristic symptoms. Viral meningitis usually does not have such a clear clinical picture; symptoms are variable.

• Severe headache with increasing intensity. The nature of the pain can be different - diffuse, local.
• Nausea, vomiting accompanied by increased headache.
• Fever, fever, chills, rapid heartbeat.
• The characteristic posture of the patient is: the head is thrown back, the legs are brought to the stomach.
• Meningeal symptoms result from irritation of the meninges. The most common symptoms are a stiff neck (inability to bring the chin to the chest) and Kernig's sign. The doctor checks for its presence as follows: with the patient lying on his back, the leg is bent at the hip and knee joints at an angle of 90 degrees. If the symptom is positive, resistance is observed in the knee joint when trying to straighten the leg.
• A hemorrhagic rash may appear on the skin (with meningococcal meningitis - “star rash”).
• Clinical manifestations in children (especially the first year of life) are nonspecific. At the onset of the disease, a general infectious syndrome predominates. The nature of behavior changes, crying, regurgitation and fever appear. When palpating (feeling) the head, a large fontanelle bulges. Often the full clinical picture begins with an episode of seizures. There is a meningeal symptom specific to children - “suspension” according to Lesage (in a child picked up by the armpits, a reflex flexion and adduction of the legs to the stomach occurs).

How long does it take to treat meningitis?

How long does it take to treat meningitis? How long does the treatment take?

Meningitis - how long to treat

Meningitis can be viral or bacterial, and it is treated differently in both cases. In addition, the duration of treatment may depend not only on the disease and the type of treatment chosen by the doctor, but also on other factors: the general condition of the patient, the advanced state of the disease, the body’s sensitivity to drugs, immunity and much more. Thus, even the doctor prescribing the treatment cannot say with certainty how long treatment for meningitis can last. And if you ask him this question, he will say: “until you recover” or will deceive you, suggesting the exact duration of treatment.

In fact, it is very difficult to say exactly how many days meningitis is treated , it all depends on the type of pathogen and on when treatment began. That is, you first need to establish a diagnosis of meningitis, and then answer the question of what kind of meningitis it is - viral or bacterial (purulent) . After which a treatment option is selected.

in the treatment of bacterial meningitis , but with viral meningitis the situation is different - there are almost no antiviral drugs, with the exception of acyclovir. There is only one good thing - viral meningitis has a favorable course compared to bacterial meningitis.

The most important thing is to start treatment of meningitis during the first days, which in turn should lead to a significant improvement in the condition, and then to a complete cure without any consequences.

Prevention for meningitis

It is always easier to prevent a disease than to fight it. To prevent chronic meningitis, vaccination is usually used.

Vaccination is carried out against meningococcal and hemophilic meningitis, preventing damage to the meninges. If infections in a child are not eliminated, this can lead to the development of bronchitis, acute respiratory infections, and pneumonia. Preventive measures should be carried out for children who are prone to frequent illnesses and those who have had contact with a carrier of hemophilus influenzae infection.

There are additional preventive measures:

– compliance with simple hygiene rules. Be sure to wash your hands, especially after contact with an infected patient;

– where a sick person is located, it is necessary to ventilate the room, eliminating the possibility of infection of a healthy body;

– whenever possible, always avoid contact with people who are infected;

To prevent meningitis, use regular hardening procedures as a preventive measure: sports, water treatments. It would be beneficial for the body to use modern therapy for acute and chronic infectious diseases. So, where there is a risk of meningococcal meningitis (schools, kindergartens), undergo a short course of treatment with drugs to strengthen and improve immunity (ginseng, eleutherococcus).

Which doctor treats chronic meningitis?

To make an accurate diagnosis, only qualified specialists are needed: a neurologist and an infectious disease specialist. You should contact them not only for help, but also to receive the right advice. Chronic meningitis is a serious disease and should be treated as responsibly as possible, because the consequences can be very serious. Untreated meningitis can lead to death. Remember this!

Restoring the body after undergoing treatment will take quite a long time, and for the patient this seems to be the most crucial moment: you need to be patient, both for him and for those close to you. Be sure to follow all medical recommendations.

Author of the material: Ivanova M.S.

Tags: chronic meningitis, symptoms of chronic meningitis, treatment of chronic meningitis

Clinical picture

Fever
Symptoms of chronic meningitis of infectious origin are as follows:

• fever;
• malaise;
• lack of appetite.

There are also signs of focal or disseminated infection. When making a diagnosis, it is necessary to exclude the development of infection against the background of immunodeficiency. This happens more often in people with AIDS.

Non-infectious inflammatory processes affect various systems of the human body. It is meningitis that appears first. Signs of diffuse tumor infiltration may be combined with characteristic symptoms indicating the development of a primary tumor.

The patient is worried about:

• chronic migraine;
• hydrocephalus;
• cranial nerve neuropathy;
• cognitive disorders.

A lumbar puncture will help establish an accurate diagnosis or confirm assumptions. In some patients, the disease is detected incidentally during a CT scan or MRI. A contrast agent accumulates in the meninges, the appearance of which is considered one of the signs of chronic meningitis.

Meningitis

Meningitis is a disease in which inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord and brain occurs. Depending on changes in the cerebrospinal fluid and the nature of inflammation, it is divided into serous and purulent.

Serous meningitis is characterized by an increase in the level of lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid. When purulent, the level of neutrophils increases.

Purulent meningitis occurs due to pathogens entering the nerve sheaths (pneumococcus, Pfeiffer bacillus, meningococcus). This can occur with an open head injury, or if there is an infection in the mastoid, middle ear, or paranasal sinuses.

The main symptoms of meningitis are irritability, headache, significant increase in body temperature, increased breathing, chills, and in infants - vomiting, diarrhea.

The patient cannot bring his chin closer to his chest or straighten his leg bent at the hip and knee joints. There is also involuntary bending of the legs at the knee joints when bending the head. If the course of the disease is unfavorable, drowsiness may appear, and sleep may turn into a coma.

If similar symptoms occur, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible, where a lumbar puncture will be performed, during which the number of lymphocytes and leukocytes, protein and sugar levels, as well as blood pressure will be determined.

If meningitis is not treated promptly, complications such as deafness, paralysis, epilepsy, brain abscess or sepsis may occur.

Meningitis caused by meningococcus is called cerebrospinal, or epidemic. It develops when the pathogen enters through the nasopharynx and mucous membrane of the pharynx, mainly in spring or winter. Symptoms of this type of disease are a sharp and significant increase in body temperature, fever, headache, vomiting, chills, hearing loss, and the appearance of hemorrhagic rashes on the skin. If left untreated or if the disease is severe, complications such as strabismus or double vision may develop.

Meningitis, which is caused by Pfeiffer's bacillus, is more severe. Symptoms of the disease are chills, the appearance of profuse sweat, and a significant increase in body temperature. In most cases, coma develops.

Meningitis caused by pneumococcus can be a complication of previous or severe pneumonia.

Serous meningitis can be caused by viruses or Koch's bacillus. The main symptoms of the disease are increased body temperature, headache, vomiting, pallor of the nasolabial triangle, the appearance of a rash, and the development of conjunctivitis.

A complication of pulmonary tuberculosis can be tuberculous meningitis. This disease most often occurs in children and adolescents. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, headaches, which may result in vomiting, a slight increase in body temperature, and sweating.

Treatment should be carried out only by specialists. Traditional medicine can be used as a preventative or auxiliary.

Grind the leaves of alfalfa, pour 10 tablespoons into 1 liter of boiling water, cover with a lid, wrap in a warm blanket, leave for 2 hours and strain. Add 1.5 kg of sugar to the resulting mixture, put on low heat and cook with constant stirring for 1 hour, then leave again for 2 hours.

Take 50 ml 3 times a day after meals for 10 days.

This remedy will help you quickly restore strength after illness.

Mix 5 tablespoons of crushed nettle leaves with the same amount of yarrow herb, pour 1 liter of dry red wine brought to a boil over the plant material, cover, wrap and leave for 2 hours, then strain and add honey to taste.

Take 50 ml every 3 hours for 1 week.

It is recommended to store the resulting product in the refrigerator.

As an adjuvant after the main treatment of meningitis, it is recommended to use the following preparation: 30 g of pure iron, ground to a powder, pour in 700 ml of white wine, leave for 8 days with periodic shaking and strain through cotton wool. Take with plenty of boiled or filtered water, 2 times a day, 30 minutes before meals, 15-50 ml.

Grind fresh Danish Astragalus herb, pour 100 g of raw material into 1 liter of red wine, leave for 1 week with occasional shaking and strain.

Take 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals, 30 ml.

Viral meningitis

Good afternoon In the evening, my daughter (3.5 years old) had a sharp rise in temperature and a headache, the next day she was already in the hospital with a diagnosis of viral meningitis (cytosis 312). The temperature lasted for four days, then she subsided, the child returned to normal and was cheerful. On the 8th day she caught a cold. due to a draft together with my daughter (Snot, cough)

At the moment, blood tests are good, SOE is slightly elevated. Because of ARVI and repeated puncture, they do not want to discharge you from the hospital. Is it advisable to do a repeated puncture? The treatment takes place without antibiotics, the enterovirus is confirmed. Is it possible in our case to leave the hospital on the 12th day of illness, provided the child is in good health? What are the restrictions on physical activity during the recovery period and to what extent? Mainly interested in swings, carousels, running and jumping on a bed or trampoline. Thank you in advance

On the Ask a Doctor service, you can consult an infectious disease specialist on any problem that concerns you. Expert doctors provide consultations around the clock and free of charge. Ask your question and get an answer immediately!

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Complications and consequences

Meningitis is generally considered a life-threatening disease. Complications of this inflammatory process in the meninges are:

• Brain swelling. Most often, this type of complication develops on the second day of the disease. The patient suddenly loses consciousness (this occurs against the background of standard symptoms of meningitis), his blood pressure drops sharply, and after a while his blood pressure suddenly rises, a slow heartbeat is replaced by a rapid heartbeat (bradycardia turns into tachycardia), intense shortness of breath appears, and all the signs of pulmonary edema are clearly visible.

Please note: if medical assistance is not provided, then after a short time the meningitis symptoms completely disappear, the patient experiences involuntary urination and defecation, and death occurs due to paralysis of the respiratory system.

• Infectious-toxic shock. This complication develops as a consequence of the decay and absorption into the cells and tissues of the body of a large number of decay products of pathogenic microorganisms. The patient's body temperature suddenly drops, the reaction to light and sounds (even not loud ones) becomes very sharp and negative, there is agitation and shortness of breath.

Please note: infectious-toxic shock often resolves against the background of cerebral edema. The patient's death occurs within a few hours.

The consequences of meningitis can include epilepsy, deafness, paralysis, paresis, hormonal dysfunction and hydrocephalus. In general, meningococcal infection can affect any organs and systems of the body, so recovery from inflammation of the meninges lasts a very long time, and in some cases, a lifetime. Only immediate seeking help from doctors will help reduce the risk of complications and consequences of meningitis.