With high school sports and college dorms as breeding grounds for disease sharing, a particularly scary infection crops up.
Meningitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain. Most cases of meningitis are caused by viruses (viral meningitis). Fungal and bacterial meningitis occur as well, and can be far more serious- even deadly.
Bacterial meningitis is a lot more dangerous than viral meningitis, so it's important to know what symptoms present themselves when a meningitis infection is suspected. You can seek prompt medical treatment for you or a loved one potentially suffering from meningitis. Meningitis can cause serious brain damage or even death if you delay treatment.
Key Points
- Pain in your legs, hands and feet that are cold to the touch, and abnormally pale skin are early signs of this disease.
- Get yourself and your children vaccinated against meningitis to prevent this dangerous disease.
- If you notice signs of meningitis, get to the doctor as soon as possible. If you notice severe signs of meningitis, go to the emergency room.
Meningitis Symptoms
Some of the early meningitis symptoms might give you clues that you are suffering from a very dangerous infection– though they might not necessarily suggest that it is meningitis. These include pain in your legs, hands and feet that feel very cold to the touch, and skin that is abnormally pale. It's a good idea to seek medical advice when any of these symptoms are observed.
The more telltale meningitis symptoms are a high fever, a severe headache, vomiting and nausea, confusion, difficulty concentrating, a stiff neck, seizure, and a sensitivity to light. These symptoms continue to get more severe as the disease progresses. Meningitis progresses very quickly. When left untreated, meningitis can cause brain damage and death. It's very important to make sure that you can recognize meningitis symptoms.
Meningitis is a dangerous condition. If you or someone you love is showing or suffering from these symptoms, you need to be very proactive in seeking immediate medical assistance. Time is of the essence in seeking medical treatment and any delay can be fatal.
Meningitis Prevention & Treatment
Most colleges require all of their students to have a meningitis vaccine. The sooner your get your child vaccinated, the less change they have of being infected. Talk to your doctor about getting this vaccine for your child.
If you or someone you know gets meningitis, treatment is available. The treatment a patient is given depends on whether they have bacterial, fungal, or viral meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is treated with an aggressive course of antibiotics. Viral meningitis has no cure, but it generally clears up on its own after several weeks. Someone with viral meningitis will need a lot of bed rest, fluids, and possibly pain medication or corticosteroids. Fungal meningitis can be treated with antifungal medication.
Ultimately, the best treatment for meningitis is prevention. Get vaccinated if you haven't already, and make sure your children get the vaccine. The meningitis vaccine is safe to get, and will protect you and your children from this dangerous disease.
Do not take the content of this article as professional medical advice. It's important to exercise due diligence when obtaining relevant information in matters pertaining to your health. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.