Meningitis: Symptoms, Treatment & More: ER Near Me
There is no doubt that the brain and the spinal cord are among the most important structures in the body, and any issues here could be potentially life-threatening. This is exactly the case when it comes to meningitis, which is aptly named as it is an inflammation of the meninges in the brain and the spinal cord. As explained by the gurus over at the excellent frontlineer.com, the meninges are the three membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord. Inflammation and infection in these delicate membranes will occur when fluid surrounding them becomes infected. The infection is usually caused by bacterial and viral infections, although, as per the discussions on the same over at frontlineerrichmond.com, other things like cancer, allergies to drugs, fungi as well as irritation due to chemicals can also lead to meningitis. It is also worth noting that some bacterial and viral meningitis are contagious and can be transmitted through close contact as well as coughing or sneezing. While some cases of meningitis can improve and clear without treatment after a few weeks, some can be life-threatening requiring a visit to an ER near you, such as the highly frontlineerdallas.com.
Given that, as mentioned above, some cases of meningitis can be life-threatening, it is first of all important to know the symptoms of the condition. Here, as per the experts over at frontlineer.com, it is important to note that symptoms of meningitis usually vary depending on age. The cause of the meningitis will also play a part as far as your symptoms are concerned as while both viral and bacterial meningitis may have similar symptoms in the beginning, the symptoms due to bacterial meningitis are usually more severe than those due to viral meningitis. With that established, let us now look at the common symptoms as far as meningitis is concerned, starting off with viral meningitis. According to the highly regarded frontlineerrichmond.com, some of the common symptoms of viral meningitis include headaches, fever, a stiff neck, seizures, lethargy, a decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting, sleepiness as well as an increased sensitivity to bright light. Symptoms of viral meningitis in infants include a fever, decreased appetite, irritability, sleepiness and lethargy. On the other hand, the symptoms of bacterial meningitis include nausea and vomiting, an increased sensitivity to light, a stiff neck, chills, an altered mental status, lethargy and sleepiness, fever, a headache, chills as well as purple patches of skin that look like bruises. While bacterial meningitis symptoms usually develop suddenly, it is not possible to tell if you have bacterial or viral meningitis just by examining your symptoms given the overlap in symptoms. Fungal meningitis also has similar symptoms to the above types of meningitis, as discussed in detail over at frontlineerdallas.com, although it is more rare than the above types and usually only affects people with a compromised immune system.
Treatment as far as meningitis is concerned will depend by the cause of the meningitis. As per the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com, fungal meningitis will be treated with antifungal agents, while bacterial meningitis will be treated with intravenous antibiotics. Bacterial meningitis is extremely serious and early diagnosis and treatment is key so as to avoid brain damage and even loss of life. It is also worth mentioning that there is no general or specific antibiotic to treat bacterial meningitis as treatment will depend on the specific bacteria causing the infection. While most cases of viral meningitis may resolve on their own, some instances and causes may need to be treated with intravenous antiviral medications as per the gurus over at the excellent frontlineerrichmond.com. For treatment to start, the meningitis will first have to be diagnosed which will initially involve the examining of your medical history as well as a physical exam to suggest if you have a stiff neck or a rash on your skin. On top of that, you may need to have tests done on you which include blood tests to check for bacteria, head CT and MRI scans to check for any inflammation or swelling as well as a spinal tap to remove some fluid from around the spinal cord and check for the cause of your meningitis, as done over at the excellent frontlineerdallas.com. Risk factors as far as meningitis is concerned include age, with children being at a higher risk of getting meningitis, pregnancy, a compromised immunity among others.
Given meningitis can be life-threatening, it is important to know some of the common warning signs as far as it is concerned so that you can seek immediate medical attention by heading over to an ER near you, such as the excellent frontlineer.com, as soon as possible. Watch out for a sudden onset fever or a severe headache as well as a stiff neck, usually evidenced by an inability to lower your chi to your chest as per the experts over at frontlineerrichmond.com. Other warning signs as far as meningitis is concerned include nausea and vomiting, seizures, a sensitivity to light as well as an altered mental status as per the discussions over at the highly rated frontlineerdallas.com.
Remember, if you are looking for more information as far as meningitis is concerned, then make sure you check out the highly regarded frontlineer.com, frontlineerrichmond.com and frontlineerdallas.com, which are also the best place to go to for such emergency services.
