Meningitis symptoms treatment prevention. What causes meningitis and why is it dangerous? Eliminate the cause of meningitis

What is meningitis?

Meningitis - dangerous disease is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. The disease can occur both independently and as a complication of another process.

There are several classifications of meningitis. According to the etiology, meningitis can be bacterial, viral, fungal; by the nature of the inflammatory process - purulent and serous (rapid damage to the membranes of the brain, which is characterized by a serous inflammatory process).

The most common symptoms of meningitis are neck numbness, heat, impaired consciousness, fear of light and increased sensitivity to sounds. Nonspecific symptoms include irritability and drowsiness.

However, you need to understand that meningitis proceeds rapidly. You will be in intensive care within a day. If you observe these symptoms for several days, then this is not meningitis!

Causes of meningitis

The most common causes of meningitis are bacteria or viruses that infect the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid.

In children, the cause of meningitis is mainly enteroviruses that enter the body through food, water, and dirty objects.

In adults, bacterial meningitis predominates, the causative agent of which is the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. and Neisseria meningitidis. These bacteria do not cause meningitis in the throat and nose, but when they get into the blood, cerebrospinal fluid and soft tissues of the brain, they provoke inflammation.

Sometimes other types of bacteria are the cause of meningitis. Group B streptococcus often causes illness in newborns infected during or after childbirth. Listeria monocytogenes also predominantly affects infants and the elderly.

Meningitis often develops as a complication various diseases and head injuries.

The disease can be transmitted during childbirth, by airborne droplets, through mucous membranes, dirty water, food, rodent and insect bites.

Symptoms of meningitis

The most common symptoms of meningitis are headache, numbness (rigidity) of the neck muscles, fever, impaired consciousness (up to coma), increased sensitivity to light and sound. The patient has nausea and vomiting, general weakness, heart rhythm disturbance, muscle pain. Meningeal syndrome is expressed by the symptoms of Kernig and Brudzinsky: the patient cannot bend the neck, straighten the leg in knee joint. Hyperesthesia manifests itself in hypersensitivity: a person cannot bear bright light, loud sounds, touches.

An upper respiratory tract infection is often a harbinger of meningitis, but antibiotics can alleviate big picture diseases. When weakened, meningitis can either occur as a mild infection with mild fever and headache, or quickly develop into a coma.

Meningitis is diagnosed through the study of cerebrospinal fluid, after taking a lumbar puncture.

Bacterial meningitis usually begins acutely, meningeal symptoms are pronounced. Serous tuberculous meningitis has a gradual course.

A variety of chronic diseases often lead to lesions of the meninges: tuberculosis, syphilis, sarcoidosis, toxoplasmosis, brucellosis.

Types of meningitis

Bacterial meningitis usually occurs due to penetration into the central nervous system bacteria pneumococcus, meningococcus, Haemophilus influenzae.

1. Haemophilus influenzae provokes the disease mainly in children under 6 years of age, less often in adults. It occurs against the background of diseases such as pneumonia, otitis media, alcoholism, traumatic brain injury, sinusitis.

2. Meningococcal meningitis usually proceeds quite hard; hemorrhagic rash in the form of spots (asterisks) may occur different size. Spots are localized on the legs, thighs and buttocks, mucous membranes and conjunctiva. The patient is disturbed by chills and high fever, intoxication is possible.

3. Pneumococcal meningitis occurs quite often and proceeds with the onset of pneumonia in about half of the patients. People who are sick are the most affected by the disease. diabetes, alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver. Symptoms are damage to consciousness and cranial nerves, gaze paresis, epileptic seizures. Pneumococcal meningitis can recur and is often fatal.

Bacterial meningitis can lead to complications such as shock, endocarditis, purulent arthritis, bleeding disorders, pneumonia, electrolyte disorders.

Viral meningitis begin with the symptoms of the infectious disease that caused them. Such meningitis occurs with moderate fever, severe headache and weakness. At the same time, meningeal symptoms are mild in patients. The disease most often proceeds without disturbances of consciousness.

Tuberculous meningitis is now often one of the first clinical symptoms of tuberculosis. Previously, this form of the disease was always fatal, but now, with adequate treatment, mortality is 15-25% of all cases of the disease. Tuberculous meningitis begins with headache, vomiting. Meningeal symptoms appear, cranial nerves are affected.

Treatment of meningitis

Treatment of meningitis should always be comprehensive and carried out in a hospital. The patient is shown strict bed rest, taking antibiotics and antiviral drugs. Sometimes severe conditions of the disease require resuscitation procedures. With proper and timely treatment, meningitis is completely curable.

For the prevention of certain types of meningitis, a vaccine is given that is valid for about four years, but it is impossible to protect yourself from the disease by 100%. The main thing is to diagnose it in a timely manner and immediately begin treatment.

FAQ

Is it possible to get meningitis a second time? As a rule, no, a person who has been ill with meningitis develops lifelong immunity. However, in rare cases, those people who have a traumatic brain injury and who have post-traumatic liquorrhea (liquor leakage into the nasal passages through a crack at the base of the skull) can get sick again.

I have a temperature of 39+ for 3-5-7 days, my head hurts a lot, I feel sick, is it meningitis? No, if you had meningitis, in 5 days you would already be in intensive care. Meningitis proceeds rapidly, it is inflammation of the meninges, high fever and resuscitation. You most likely have a viral infection, the temperature should start to drop on the 5th day. You can periodically bring down the temperature with ibuprofen. Contact a therapist.

What is the main difference between meningitis and other diseases? Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain. A person cannot walk, buy antibiotics for himself, make an appointment with a doctor, perform any actions at all, he simply lies with an unbearable headache, a high unrelenting temperature of 39+, sometimes unconscious.

How to suspect meningitis in infants? Symptoms of meningococcal infection in children are: severe headache, nausea and vomiting, a sharp increase in temperature, photophobia, lethargy and drowsiness, pale skin, possible loss of consciousness and convulsions. One of the symptoms is also neck stiffness (the baby is almost always with his head thrown back. The fact is that with meningitis, the child is not able to tilt his head forward - so as to touch his chest with his chin, due to strong tension in the neck muscles). Another striking symptom in children of the first year of life is swelling and pulsation of the fontanel, combined with constant monotonous crying.

Expert editor: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich| MD general practitioner

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. I. M. Sechenov, specialty - "Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".

Meningitis in children is one of those diseases that, by its name alone, inspires panic in all parents without exception. And despite the fact that the treatment of meningitis is never complete without the intervention of doctors, it is the observation of mom and dad that can play a decisive role in the successful recovery of the child.

In the case of children, it is not so much the inflammation of the meninges itself that is dangerous (which, in fact, is meningitis), but the catastrophic complications and consequences that it can provoke in the absence of proper treatment.

Meningitis in a child is a sentence!

Even in our time, most parents are convinced that meningitis in children is actually a sentence: if the child survives, he will remain disabled for life.

Where does this "primal" fear come from? Apparently - from the depths of time, from the historical context. After all, they “learned” to successfully treat meningitis in children relatively recently - about 60-70 years ago. Basically - thanks to the "discovery" of antibiotics in medical practice. Until that time, in fact, 100% of children and adults who fell ill with meningitis really either died or were left to live with severe injuries ...

Even today, meningitis, especially in children, is considered one of the most dangerous diseases. For comparison: over the past 75 years, mortality from most childhood diseases has decreased by an average of 25 times, while cases of death from meningitis among children have decreased by only 2 times.

Part of the reason for the high death rate from meningitis is that it is caused not by any particular microbe, fungus, or virus, but by a whole “company.” By by and large and the symptomatic diagnosis of meningitis itself does not indicate a specific pathogen.

Meningitis means only a process - inflammation in the membranes of the brain. But the specific culprits of this inflammation can be any hostile microorganisms - bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

In this regard, the conclusion logically suggests itself - meningitis (both in children and adults) are different: both in their nature, and in the severity of the course of the disease, and in the methods of treatment, and in the degree of complications. And, fortunately, nowadays there is no reason to panic and lose one's head with horror at the mere mention of meningitis in a child - with early diagnosis and timely treatment, they are successfully treated without leaving negative consequences.

How does meningitis occur in a child?

In order for inflammation of the membranes of the brain to occur (this is meningitis), it is necessary that the pathogen - whether it be a bacterium, virus or fungus - gets inside the cranium, into the cranial cavity. Often, meningitis occurs as a complication of diseases such as or severe.

There are also cases when meningitis in children develops against the background of a traumatic brain injury - which is quite logical: the integrity of the skull is violated, microorganisms enter the cavity and an inflammatory process develops.

And yet, the most common scenario for the occurrence of meningitis is the entry of pathogens into the cranial cavity with blood flow. And bacteria, viruses or fungi, in turn, can get into the blood with dozens of different diseases if the baby’s immune system has not “built” the proper barrier. And finally, in the child's body itself (along with the disease), the causative agent of infectious meningitis (whether it be a virus, bacterium or fungus) enters in 95% of cases by airborne droplets from another carrier or a sick person.

That is, a typical scheme for the occurrence of meningitis can be as follows:, or, or say, or ("almost any infection will do") - a virus, bacteria or fungus has entered the baby's body. And if the child's immunity is not strong enough - a large number of"pests" are in the baby's blood. Then, with the bloodstream, they are carried throughout the body, in theory having the ability to cause inflammation anywhere. They also enter the cranial cavity. And if the activity of viruses, bacteria or fungi is localized in the membranes of the brain, meningitis occurs (viral, bacterial or fungal).

That is why children with weakened immune systems are always considered by doctors to be a special risk group for meningitis. However, the factor of poor immunity does not explain the fact that boys get meningitis on average 3.5 times more often than girls.

Meningitis in all its diversity

We have already mentioned that most often meningitis in children is of an infectious nature, they are different and differ depending on the pathogen. For example, viral meningitis often occurs against the background of such viral infections as: chickenpox, rubella, herpes infection, influenza, etc.

In children with immunodeficiency (for example, in patients with AIDS), it is fungal meningitis that most often occurs.

And the real "champions" among all other meningitis in children are bacterial. They can occur against the background of any purulent inflammation that occurs in the body - for example, with tonsillitis, an abscess at the site of a burn, etc. But the most common causative agent of bacterial meningitis is a special microbe meningococcus. Even this microbe got its name precisely because of its closest connection with meningitis.

As a rule, meningococcus enters the child's body through the nasopharynx (airborne) and then spreads with the bloodstream - into the meninges, joints, lungs, internal organs and so on. Wherever meningococcus appears, it can cause an inflammatory process (meningococcal infection). If this happened in the membranes of the brain, then the child will have to be treated for meningococcal meningitis.

By the way, before the advent of antibiotics, every meningococcal meningitis ended in the death of a child and an adult. Today, the mortality rate from meningococcal infection (including meningococcal meningitis) is also high - from 5 to 15% of the number of cases.

In addition to meningococcus, the causative agent of bacterial meningitis in children can be: pneumococci, staphylococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Koch's tubercle bacillus and other bacteria.

In case of any suspicion of meningitis, parents are obliged to seek medical help, preferably immediately to the infectious diseases clinic. Meanwhile, it will be useful for parents to know that, for example, most viral meningitis is by no means terrible. They disappear on their own 5-7 days after the onset of inflammation, as soon as the immune system produces a sufficient amount of antiviral interferon.

But bacterial meningitis (and, alas, most of them) are much more dangerous! This group of meningitis in children is successfully treated, as a rule, only if antibacterial treatment was started on the very first day after infection.

That is why it is so important to immediately contact the doctors if a child is suspected of having meningitis - after all, you and the doctors have only a day to determine what type of meningitis the baby has. And only in this case, the chances of a successful recovery are great. But the longer you put off seeing an infectious disease specialist if you suspect bacterial meningitis, the more tragic the consequences can be.

One hundred percent accurate method of confirming the diagnosis of "meningitis" in a child (and identifying the pathogen) is a spinal puncture.

Symptoms of meningitis in children

Regardless of what breed is the causative agent of inflammation in the meninges, there are a number of symptoms of meningitis in children, which is universal for all varieties of the disease. These symptoms include:

severe headache (which occurs due to a sharp headache);
nausea and vomiting;
photophobia;
lethargy and drowsiness;
pale appearance of the skin;
possible loss of consciousness and convulsions;
neck stiffness (the baby is almost always with his head thrown back; the fact is that with meningitis, the child is not able to tilt his head forward - so as to touch his chest with his chin, due to strong tension in the neck muscles);
a vivid symptom in children of the first year of life - swelling and pulsation of the fontanel, combined with constant monotonous crying;

We repeat: any slightest suspicion of meningitis in a child requires immediate hospitalization and medical examination! Despite the fact that meningitis itself rarely happens in children in reality, in no case should you bet on it: it’s better to play it safe a hundred times, go to the doctor and eventually refute the suspicions than once “slip” real meningitis. Because if ignored, this disease almost always turns into disastrous consequences for the health and life of the child.

There is another striking symptom of meningitis infection, which, together with other signs, illustrates meningococcal meningitis:

a specific rash on the body of a child (this rash looks like bruises, hemorrhages of red or purple flowers, which do not disappear when pressed on them).

If you notice such a sign in your child, then you need to rush to the infectious diseases hospital three times faster than with all other meningeal symptoms! Such hemorrhages indicate that meningococcus provoked inflammation in the blood (that is, blood poisoning began - meningococcal sepsis, one of the most dangerous infectious childhood diseases). If first aid is not provided to the child in the next few hours, he will experience a hemorrhage in the adrenal glands, the arterial pressure and he will most likely die.

Complications after meningitis in children

In the case of children, complications and consequences after suffering meningitis (and especially meningococcal meningitis) can be more than catastrophic. Among the most negative:

severe and regular headaches;
pronounced lags in physical and emotional development;
severe violations mental development;
epilepsy;
loss of vision and hearing;
convulsions (spontaneous muscle contractions);
kidney failure;
cerebral edema;

However, all of the sad consequences of meningitis listed above relate in the vast majority of cases to advanced bacterial forms of the disease, to which neither parents nor doctors responded in time.

The occurrence of complications after meningitis in children is directly related to two factors - which microbe caused the disease and how quickly adequate treatment was started. That is, in this case, it is your parental observation, quick reaction and persistent desire to “show” the child to specialists at the first suspicion of meningitis, as a rule, are the key to a successful recovery without consequences.

Prevention of meningitis in children

It would be naive to assume that there are some "magic" measures that would protect our body and the bodies of our children from "meeting" with all sorts of harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. Of course, there are no such measures.

At the same time, for example, adequate and timely vaccination is, to a certain extent, prevention against meningitis. After all, meningitis is different - depending on the pathogen. And if we give the baby an appropriate vaccine against this pathogen, then we also protect against one of the types of meningitis.

Here is a vivid example for you: tuberculous meningitis is one of the most terrible and the most dangerous forms inflammation of the meninges in children, the causative agent of which is a tubercle bacillus (or otherwise, Koch's bacillus). To cure a child of tuberculous meningitis, he is usually prescribed a course of 30 to 45 injections of streptomycin into the spinal canal. Not every adult can endure as much pain and fear as such a baby has ... However, when we are in infancy, it reliably protects him in the future not only from tuberculosis itself, but also from tuberculous meningitis.

On the other hand, meningitis disease directly depends on the state of the child's immune system. The stronger it is, the less likely he is to get meningitis. And this means that the only reasonable and effective prevention meningitis in children, in addition to vaccination - a constant concern for strong children's immunity.

Meningitis is a medical term for a serious infection, in which the membrane of the brain or spinal cord, located between the bones and the brain, becomes inflamed. This pathology occurs due to many reasons and can develop as an independent disease or as a complication of infections. Meningitis is recognized by a number of characteristic symptoms.

Such a disease is considered very dangerous, because it can lead to disability, falling into a coma and lethal outcome. That is why, when signs of illness appear, it is important to call emergency care. Timely and proper treatment can prevent serious consequences.

The disease is caused by various pathogenic microorganisms - bacteria, fungus, as well as viruses. Depending on this, two forms of meningitis are distinguished: purulent and serous.

The causative agents of purulent meningitis are such pathogenic bacteria:

meningococci
Klebsiella
pneumococci
tuberculosis bacillus
coli
Haemophilus influenzae

Most often, bacterial meningitis occurs in adults.The serous form of the disease (without the development of a purulent process) is provoked by the ECHO virus, enterovirus, Coxsackie virus, mumps or polio viruses, and herpes infection. Viral meningitis usually occurs in childhood.

In addition, meningitis can develop due to a fungus, for example, in the presence of candida or cryptococci in the body. In some cases, the causative agents of the disease are considered to be the simplest microorganisms - toxoplasma and amoeba.

There is also a mixed form, when the disease develops as a result of several pathogens.

Meningitis is primary when it passes as an independent disease, and secondary - its development is characterized as a complication of some kind of infection, for example, measles, syphilis, tuberculosis, mumps. The disease can occur against the background of untreated, osteomyelitis, facial boils.Pathology can develop as a result of head injury.

More information about meningitis can be found in the video:

Why does it dry in the mouth and how to get rid of an unpleasant symptom?

Factors that influence the development of a pathological condition include:

Weakened immune system.
Bad nutrition.
Chronic forms of diseases.
HIV.
Diabetes.
stressful situations.
Hypovitaminosis.
Alcohol abuse.
Drug use.
Frequent hypothermia.
Temperature fluctuation.

Children are at risk for contracting meningitis. This is due to the fact that in childhood the blood-brain barrier has a greater permeability, as a result of which substances enter the brain that do not penetrate in adults.

The disease can be contracted by airborne droplets, through contaminated water, food. Insect and rodent bites are also modes of transmission. In addition, meningitis can be transmitted during childbirth from mother to child. Sexual intercourse, kissing, and contact with infected blood or lymph are also considered routes of infection.

Signs of the disease

Meningitis is characterized primarily by headaches, which are of a different nature and intensity. Most often, the head hurts constantly, in addition, it worsens when the head is tilted forward, with loud sounds and bright lighting.Also an important sign of the development of meningitis is the rigidity of the muscles of the neck. With this phenomenon, it is difficult for patients to bend their heads forward, the condition is facilitated by tilting the head back.

Meningitis is characterized by Kernig's symptom - they cannot unbend hip joints and knees bent. Also, the difference in the disease is the sign of Brudzinsky, in which the legs involuntarily bend when the patient is in a supine position and tilts his head to his chest.

In infants, a characteristic meningeal symptom is bulging, pulsation and tension of the large fontanel. If the child is held by the armpits, his head involuntarily throws back, and his legs are pulled up to his stomach. Such a phenomenon in medicine is called the symptoms of Le Sage.

Also, signs of meningitis are pain that occurs when pressure is applied to the area of the auricle and when the skull is tapped.

The disease is also accompanied by other symptoms. These include:

Dizziness
Frequent vomiting, nausea
Hyperthermia
General weakness
Fear of bright light
Sound phobia
neck numbness
Increased sweating
Strabismus
Pale skin
neck numbness
Double vision
muscle pain
Dyspnea
Tachycardia
Sleep disturbance (increased drowsiness)
Decreased appetite
Feeling thirsty
convulsions
pressure drop
Loss of consciousness
Diarrhea (most common in children)
Feeling of pressure in the eye area
Enlarged lymph nodes
Paresis of mimic muscles

Except physical signs meningitis, there are also mental symptoms, namely hallucinations, aggressiveness, irritability, apathy. The patient has a markedly reduced level of consciousness with meningitis.

A dangerous sign of the disease is the occurrence of rashes of red or Pink colour. This phenomenon indicates sepsis in meningitis.If these symptoms occur, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. medical care because the consequences of untimely treatment can be deplorable.

Disease danger

With meningitis, mandatory and urgent hospitalization of the patient is required. This is due to the fact that the disease is dangerous with such severe complications:

Asthenic syndrome.
Sepsis.
Hydrocephalus.
Increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the brain.
Epilepsy.
violated mental development in sick children.
Purulent arthritis.
Endocarditis.
Diseases associated with blood clotting.

Often, the disease develops infectious-toxic shock, which is characterized by sharp decline pressure, tachycardia, impaired functioning of organs and their systems. This condition occurs due to the fact that pathogens secrete toxins that have negative impact on the human body.

In this situation, resuscitation is necessary, since coma or death is possible with infectious-toxic shock.A dangerous disease is also considered due to a decrease or loss of vision and hearing, which leads to disability.

Treatment Method

disease in without fail treated only in a hospital setting. It is important that the patient stay in bed.

Treatment is carried out with integrated approach and includes the use of the following groups of drugs:

Antivirals or antibiotics (depending on the causative agent of meningitis).
Hormonal preparations.
Diuretic drugs (to reduce swelling of the brain) - Diakarb, Lasix.
Means to reduce the process of intoxication (they are administered intravenously), for example, glucose solution or saline.
Antipyretics: Nurofen, Diclofenac, Paracetamol.
Vitamin complexes, including vitamins of groups B and C.

Antibacterial drugs can be used penicillin, macrolide and cephalosporin groups. They are administered intravenously or endolumbally (introduction into the canal of the spinal cord).

If the causative agent is viruses, then Interferon is most often prescribed. For fungal infections, Flucytosine or Amphotericin B is used.

In severe cases of the disease, resuscitation procedures are necessary.

In addition, spinal puncture is also prescribed. This procedure consists in the collection of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). With this method, the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid is noticeably reduced, as a result of which the patient's condition improves.Symptomatic treatment is used to eliminate allergic reactions, vomiting, irritability.

Forecast and prevention

With timely admission to the hospital and timely treatment, the disease can be cured, but this process is lengthy.

If measures are taken late, then disability or death may be a possible prognosis.

Prevention measures for the disease are as follows:

Avoidance of crowded places in case of an increased epidemiological situation.
The use of multivitamins in autumn and winter.
Use of the meningococcal vaccine.
The use of other vaccinations against various infections.
hardening.
Rational and balanced nutrition.
Compliance with hygiene rules.
Wearing protective masks during epidemics.
Healthy lifestyle.

If a person has had contact with infected meningitis, then it is necessary to use anti-meningococcal immunoglobulins and antibacterial drugs for the purpose of prevention.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain caused by a bacterial or viral infection. This disease is quite dangerous due to the localization of the inflammatory process - the spread of the process to the brain tissue entails many serious consequences.

The outcome of the disease directly depends on the adequacy and timeliness of treatment, which is almost impossible to provide at home, so meningitis is treated in a hospital. How long will the treatment take and how long will the hospitalization last?

Treatment of meningitis is carried out in a hospital setting

A little about the disease

It is impossible to establish the exact term for the treatment of meningitis - it consists of many individual characteristics of the organism and the clinical course of the disease. The form of the disease depending on the etiological factor and the severity of the patient's condition are of decisive importance.

Meningitis can be caused by a large number of microorganisms and viruses, among which are often found:

Meningococcus.
Haemophilus influenzae.
Pneumococcus.
Tuberculosis bacillus.
Viruses.
Mushrooms.
Chlamydia.
Protozoa.

In addition, meningitis is divided into primary, which occurred independently, without previous infections, and secondary, which are the result of any infectious process in another part of the body. The pathogen can enter the brain in several ways - hematogenous (through the circulatory system), lymphogenous (through the lymphatic vessels) and contact (in the presence of a purulent-inflammatory focus in the communicating areas).

The disease is accompanied by multiple pathological changes:

Increased production of cerebrospinal fluid.
The permeability of the blood-brain barrier increases.
The blood supply to the brain is disturbed, especially the microvasculature.
Toxins adversely affect brain tissue.
The outflow of cerebrospinal fluid is difficult, which leads to hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain).
Growing signs of hypoxia.
There is cerebral edema.
The process gradually spreads to the substance and ventricles of the brain.

The symptoms of meningitis vary depending on the etiological factor, but the main ones that are common to all forms of the disease can be distinguished. In most cases, the disease begins with an intense headache that spreads over the entire surface of the head and grows to unbearable. After some time, nausea appears, vomiting is possible. Patients take a characteristic pose on their side, with their heads thrown back and legs pressed to the stomach. Meningococcal infection is accompanied by a characteristic rash on the body, pneumococcal - rhinitis, enterovirus additionally causes digestive disorders.

Factors affecting the duration of treatment

If meningitis is suspected, call ambulance

There is no definite answer to the question of how long the treatment of the disease will take.

The duration of drug therapy depends on many factors that are taken into account when compiling individual plan treatment.

Matter:

The form of the disease - bacterial meningitis is more severe than viral.
The general condition of the body and the age of the patient - children preschool age and older people get sick longer, the clinical picture is more severe; comorbid chronic diseases can complicate treatment and prolong hospital stays.
Time to start treatment - timely diagnosis and the beginning of therapeutic measures can bring recovery closer; in case of late detection of the disease, the prognosis is less favorable and more time will be required for treatment.
Individual susceptibility of the body to incoming drugs.

Duration of treatment depending on the form of the disease

The duration of treatment in a hospital depends on the form of meningitis - the more severe the clinical picture, the more time is required for a full recovery.

meningococcal meningitis

What does meningococcus look like?

This form of meningitis is often accompanied by cerebral edema, hyperemia and the appearance of infiltrates on the surface of the medulla. In the case of timely (during the first day from the onset of clinical manifestations) detection of the disease, it is possible to prevent the further spread of the process and reduce the treatment time. Launched meningococcal meningitis or irrational drug therapy can lead to severe pathological processes, as a result of which therapeutic measures are delayed and do not always give the desired result. On average, the treatment of this form of the disease lasts from two to five to six weeks, with a protracted course - up to 8 weeks.

Purulent and tuberculous meningitis

Purulent inflammation of the meninges is difficult - pus fills the subarachnoid space, meningeal symptoms are pronounced, the patient's condition is severe. On average, the clinical course of this form of the disease lasts about 4-5 weeks, the prognosis with adequate treatment started in a timely manner is favorable.

Symptoms of tuberculous meningitis develop slowly over several weeks. Treatment is also quite long - specific medications 12-18 months are accepted.

Patients with tuberculous meningitis are prescribed anti-tuberculosis drugs

Average disability after meningitis

The terms of disability depend on the form of the disease: after mild serous meningitis, the duration of disability is at least two to three weeks. More severe forms diseases are accompanied by a loss of working capacity for five to six months or more. It is possible to return to work only after the complete elimination of all symptoms, while the patient is provided with special working conditions with a reduced load ahead of schedule. Within six months after discharge, the worker is exempt from night shifts and overtime assignments. If symptoms persist sick leave extended by one or two months. If after 4-6 months after discharge from the hospital the symptoms are not eliminated, then the patient is sent to medical and social expertise to assign a disability group.

At home, diagnosing meningitis is unrealistic. But here you can suspect the disease by the symptoms that appear. The danger of the disease is that its clinical picture is very similar to the signs of a cold, flu.

The duration of the incubation period is 1.5 weeks. But still, it is possible to distinguish meningitis from the common cold by such a symptom as the appearance of rashes. They look like hemorrhages.

simple test

At home, you can determine the presence of meningitis if you do the following test: lie on your back, bend one leg at the knee, and straighten the other. If there is meningitis, then the leg will not bend normally, and the second will follow it.

First aid

If a person's condition has deteriorated sharply, then the first thing to do is call an ambulance. Before her arrival, it is necessary to provide the patient with silence, semi-darkness and peace. He doesn't have to get up so you have to bring him a vessel or put on a diaper. Drinking water is allowed, but only in the supine position.

If nausea occurs, turn the patient's head to the side. This compulsory procedure if he is unconscious. Then he will not choke on his own vomit.

How to treat meningitis at home?

Folk remedies can be used in the treatment of meningitis at home. But only on condition that they have been approved by a doctor and are used in combination with drug therapy. The duration of therapy is also determined by the doctor, taking into account the patient's condition and the types of meningococcal infection.

The use of folk remedies

For the treatment of pathology at home, the following recipes are used:

Prevention measures

Adults who are at risk should receive the appropriate vaccine. This category should include:

people with immune disorders;
students in collectives and conscripts;
visiting foreign countries.

Important! Vaccination is effective in immunocompromised newborns breastfeeding, children up to 2 years.

In addition, it is necessary to direct all efforts to increase the body's defenses. For this, you will have to:

give up smoking and alcohol;
Healthy food;
take vitamins;
do not be nervous;
walk more in the fresh air;
engage in physical activity.

Conclusion

Meningitis is a dangerous disease that needs to be treated immediately. To do this, you need to visit a neurologist, undergo a diagnosis. Treatment is usually carried out in a hospital, but with a mild inflammatory process, therapy can be carried out at home, combining it with folk recipes.

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