/ / Meningitis disease: causes, symptoms and treatments

Disease of meningitis: causes, symptoms and methods of treatment

The disease of meningitis is accompanied by inflammatoryprocess in the membranes of the spinal cord or brain. Such a disease can occur for various reasons, and the rate of its progression may also differ in each individual case. Nevertheless, this is an extremely dangerous disease, since the mortality rate here is from 10 to 20%.

meningitis disease

Meningitis: What is the disease and what are its causes?

As already mentioned, meningitis is ainflammation of the membranes of the brain - it can be a hard or arachnoid membrane, but most often the disease affects the soft layers. The cause of the disease is infection - most often it's viruses and bacterial microorganisms. The disease of meningitis is divided into two forms depending on the source of infection:

  1. The primary form develops as a result ofpenetration of infection from the outside. In this case, pathogenic microorganisms most often get into the shell of the brain through the nasopharynx. Sometimes meningitis is the result of severe craniocerebral trauma or open fractures of the skull. By the way, the source of bacteria and viruses are sick people.
  2. Secondary meningitis is a complicationsome other serious infectious disease, for example, angina, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, acute or chronic inflammation of the ear, dental diseases, gums, etc.

    meningitis signs of disease

Meningitis: signs of illness

In most cases, the disease beginssuddenly, and its first symptoms resemble an ordinary cold. Patients complain of weakness, pain and aching muscles, lack of appetite, and a strong temperature increase. But as the disease develops, there are other, more specific symptoms that can not be overlooked. And one of them is a headache, which is diffuse. Every day the intensity of pain is increasing - it is simply impossible to sustain. Discomfort significantly increases when the patient tries to turn his head, press his chin to his chest. Attacks of pain can provoke some external stimuli, for example, a strong noise.

Migraines are often accompanied by nausea and vomiting,which, unfortunately, does not bring any relief. Sometimes the infection affects the cranial nerves, which leads to the development of light strabismus. At some forms of a meningitis on a body there is a small eruption of dark cherry color which disappears by itself after some days.

meningitis is the disease

Disease of meningitis: treatment methods

A person with such symptoms is urgently neededto deliver to the hospital. The disease of meningitis is extremely dangerous, so the patient is immediately hospitalized. Several tests are done to confirm the diagnosis, in particular, the withdrawal of the cerebrospinal fluid takes place.

It is worth noting that to accurately determine the natureThe pathogen is not always possible. Therefore, antibiotics are used for treatment - in most cases it is penicillin or cephalosporin. Medicines are administered intramuscularly or intravenously, less often - by puncture directly into the cerebrospinal fluid. Some other drugs are also used that help avoid complications. For example, with the risk of developing cerebral edema, diuretics are prescribed to the patient.

As a rule, the course of treatment lasts at least 3 weeks. And in a few months the patient is recommended rest, although this issue is decided by the doctor individually.

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