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 Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
1min 23sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of meningitis?

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 Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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What is meningitis?

Meningitis is predominantly an inflammation that occurs in the meninges and can extend to the brain parenchyma. It is generally caused by pathogenic microorganisms, including common pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, tuberculosis bacteria, etc. The most common symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, etc. More severe cases can present with convulsions, disturbances of consciousness, or even coma. The condition can be mild or severe, and if not treated promptly, it can be fatal in serious cases.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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How to test for meningitis?

The main methods for meningitis examination are lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid testing. Cerebrospinal fluid examination may show increased pressure, turbid appearance, and purulent changes, containing a large number of white blood cells and neutrophils. Routine blood tests may also show a white blood cell count significantly higher than normal, predominantly composed of immature neutrophils. Additionally, it is possible to check electrolytes and use auxiliary diagnostic tools such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRI to confirm the diagnosis, facilitating early detection and treatment.

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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.