What are the symptoms of meningitis?

Written by Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
Updated on September 26, 2024
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The symptoms of meningitis mainly include headache, nausea, vomiting, fever, epileptic seizures, and mental abnormalities. Severe cases may also present with disturbances in consciousness and signs of meningeal irritation, among others. Therefore, when a patient exhibits the above symptoms, the possibility of meningitis should be considered. The patient needs to promptly visit the neurology department to undergo a cranial CT scan, cranial MRI, electroencephalogram, and lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid analysis to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment should be based on the test results, selecting appropriate anti-infective medications. For example, patients with viral meningitis should be treated with antiviral medications such as acyclovir and ganciclovir; patients with bacterial meningitis should be treated with potent antibacterial drugs, including carbapenems and quinolones; patients with tuberculous meningitis should receive antitubercular drugs, such as isoniazid, rifampin, and ethambutol. In addition, patients may also need symptomatic treatments such as dehydration to reduce intracranial pressure, fever reduction, and control of psychiatric symptoms. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How to rule out meningitis.

Patients with meningitis usually show clinical symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. To rule out meningitis, the following points should be considered. The first point is to check if the patient has a relevant medical history. If the patient's symptoms are very normal, without fever or headache, the possibility of meningitis is generally not very high. The second point is to pay attention to the physical examination, to see if there is any sign of meningeal irritation. If there is no meningeal irritation, it also does not support the presence of meningitis. The third point involves performing a lumbar puncture to examine the cerebrospinal fluid, checking if the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid is high, and whether the cellular and biochemical properties within the fluid are normal. If completely normal, the likelihood of meningitis is also very small. Additionally, if necessary, an enhanced MRI scan of the brain should be performed, as meningitis usually shows enhancement.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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Is meningitis scary?

Is meningitis a frightening disease? Meningitis can be very frightening if the condition progresses quickly, or if it is not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. In severe cases, it can be life-threatening. Many patients often suffer from after-effects following recovery, such as decreased intelligence, dementia, aphasia, paralysis, etc., significantly impacting the quality of life. Therefore, meningitis is a quite frightening disease, and patients should actively cooperate with doctors for treatment to save lives and minimize or reduce the occurrence of after-effects.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Meningitis examination methods

The examination methods for meningitis mainly include several types. The first is the lumbar puncture examination, which is a very important diagnostic tool. Through lumbar puncture, one can observe the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, its color, and perform laboratory tests on the CSF to examine biochemical properties and cell count changes. Additionally, it is possible to culture pathogens from the cerebrospinal fluid, which is of great auxiliary value in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of meningitis. Secondly, patients with meningitis also need to undergo physical examinations. If signs of meningeal irritation are found during the physical examination, it also indicates meningitis. Thirdly, patients may need to undergo enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain. If the meningitis lesions are severe, meningeal enhancement can be seen.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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How is meningitis treated?

The treatment of meningitis is comprehensive. Firstly, medication should be based on the cause of the disease. For example, if it is caused by bacteria, sensitive antibiotics should be chosen for treatment; if caused by tuberculosis bacilli, standard anti-tuberculosis treatment should be applied; if caused by fungi, appropriate antifungal drugs should be used, and so forth. Additionally, symptomatic treatment is necessary, such as timely decompression treatment for increased intracranial pressure; fever reduction, especially for patients with high fever; and controlling seizures in patients with anticonvulsants. Moreover, it is important to maintain nutritional and electrolyte balance and ensure that the respiratory tract remains clear, among other things. If there are complications, they should be actively treated. (Specific medications should be administered under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Han Shun Li
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Does meningitis cause headaches?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, tuberculosis bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc., which can all cause meningitis. Common symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, etc., thus patients with meningitis do experience headaches. Moreover, headache is one of the most common symptoms in patients with meningitis. Often, patients suffering from headaches will experience symptoms of nausea and vomiting, which is frequently projectile, and in many cases, the headache can be alleviated after vomiting.