Meningitis Symptoms You Didn’t Know
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Introduction to Meningitis
Meningitis refers to swelling of the tissues (meninges) that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. If your immune system is not strong enough to fight infection then you are more prone to get meningitis.
Type of Meningitis
The most common kinds of meningitis are:
1. Viral meningitis
It occurs due to a virus that enters your brain through your nose or mouth. It is relatively milder and generally affects babies and children.
2. Bacterial meningitis
This one is rare but more deadly. It starts from bacteria that cause infection and block the blood vessels in the brain, resulting in stroke or brain damage.
Causes of meningitis
Our brain is protected by a shield of our immune system. With the help of this protection layer, our body fights the infectious bacteria. However, when bacteria or other organisms find a way to the brain, the body starts fighting these foreign bacteria and then the blood vessels allows fluid, WBC’s and other fighters to enter the meninges and the brain. This fight within the brain leads to inflammation and can gradually lead to decreased blood flow to other parts of the brain, resulting in further deterioration.
Symptoms of Meningitis that you shouldn’t ignore
About 25% of the patients develop symptoms of meningitis over 24 hours and rest of the lot fall ill over 4-7 days. The symptoms differ from babies to adults. Here are of the most common ones:
Meningitis Symptoms in babies
- Crying for no reason, usually different from their usual cry
- Fast breathing rate
- Fever with cold hands and feet, shivering and pale skin
- Baby will refuse to intake food
- Irritation
- Drowsiness
- A lump on a baby’s head (may or may not)
- Convulsions
- Body rashes
- Neck stiffness
- Fever and shivering
- Rapid breathing
- Painful muscles and joints
- Dislike for bright lights
- Laziness and fatigue
- Abdomen pain and nausea
Meningitis Symptoms in adults and children
- Neck stiffness
- Fever and shivering
- Rapid breathing
- Painful muscles and joints
- Dislike for bright lights
- Laziness and fatigue
- Abdomen pain and nausea
Who is at maximum risk?
- Adults of age 60 and above
- Babies younger than 5 years of age
- Alcoholics
- Anemic patients
- People with cancer and especially who are receiving chemotherapy
- People who have gone through a transplant surgery
- Diabetic patients
- People staying in close quarters, like dormitories and military camps
Glass test, a test to ensure that rashes aren’t due to meningitis
CC: Copyright Meningitis Trust
If your rashes doesn’t fade under pressure, then it’s a sign for meningitis.
How to try this?
- Use an ordinary transparent glass
- Place it next to the rash
- Roll it over the spots/rash with firm pressure. A normal skin under the glass turn white as the blood is pushed out of the blood vessels.
- If the spots doesn’t fade, then the rash is most likely due to meningitis. But you should keep checking because it might develop into a rash that doesn’t fade.
- If yes, then you need medical attention soon.