Inflammation of the meninges of the brain is a serious disease. If time does not begin to treat this pathology, a fatal outcome is possible. The disease is divided into several varieties, depending on the affected area of the brain. In the article, we will take a closer look at the causes and symptoms of this disease.
Types of illness
The most common diseases that relate to inflammation of the membranes of the brain are encephalitis and meningitis. Pathology is divided into several forms: acute, subacute and chronic. Each disease has an individual manifestation and different methods of therapy.
Meningitis
Meningitis is a serious infectious disease that affects the brain and causes inflammation of its membranes. The disease can develop as an independent disease, or arise as a complication of another infection.
The causative agents of the disease can be fungi, bacteria and viruses. Inflammatorydoctors divide the process into purulent and serous.
If you suspect this disease, you must urgently go to the hospital, because meningitis can be cured only under the supervision of doctors. Since the disease has dangerous consequences, it is necessary to begin treatment as soon as the first signs appear.
Most often this type of inflammation of the meninges of the brain occurs in children, since the immune system and the BBB in a child are imperfect. The main causative agent is considered to be the meningococcus bacterium, belonging to the genus Neisseria, which, in turn, is divided into several serological groups - A, B and C. Group A is considered the most dangerous, which, when infected, leads to the development of a severe course of meningitis.
Most often the infection is transmitted by airborne droplets. Asymptomatic carriers pose the greatest danger, as they actively shed the infection into the environment.
The highest incidence of meningococcal disease occurs in Africa, although the disease is common in all countries of the world. This is facilitated by a warm climate that allows bacteria to actively develop. In spring and autumn, the incidence is higher, this is due to the weakening of human immunity after winter. More often than others, meningitis develops in children and the elderly, as their defenses are weaker in relation to this infection.
Encephalitis
Another pathology, which is characterized by inflammation of the membranes of the brain, is called encephalitis. It belongs to a group of diseases that causeinflammatory processes in the brain. Encephalitis is infectious, toxic and allergic. When an illness is detected, a person is immediately hospitalized. All patients with confirmed infection require strict bed rest and medical supervision.
The main cause of encephalitis are viruses - neuroinfections. Less commonly, the disease develops as a complication of certain infections.
Encephalitis happens:
- viral, microbial and rickettsial (primary);
- post-exanthema, post-vaccination, bacterial and parasitic (secondary).
The second type develops against the background of other pathologies (measles, toxoplasmosis, osteomyelitis, influenza).
Primary encephalitis is most often transmitted through insect bites. In addition, there are pathologies such as syphilitic and typhoid encephalitis.
Depending on the type of inflammation, the disease is divided into:
- Insulated. In which there are only symptoms of encephalitis.
- Meningoencephalitis. There are symptoms of inflammation of the meninges of the brain.
According to the lesion, the disease can be cortical, subcortical, stem and cerebellar lesions.
Encephalitis can occur in acute, subacute, recurrent and chronic forms. The severity of the disease is divided into:
- moderate;
- heavy;
- extremely heavy.
Encephalitis can affect anyone, but most often it occurs in the elderly and children. The risk category includes people whoseimmunity is weakened under any influence, for example, cancer patients, HIV-infected people or after long-term use of steroids.
Reasons
The main causes of meningitis are considered to be bacteria, fungi, spirochetes and viruses.
Provocateurs of encephalitis can be viruses, microbes, vaccination, bacteria and parasites.
Separately, one can single out situations in which the cause of the development of this disease is allergic and toxic processes in the brain. But these are quite rare cases. The most common cause of encephalitis is still considered an infectious agent.
Symptoms
The development time of meningococcal infection in the body is five to six days, sometimes the incubation period can be up to ten days. The duration depends on the pathogen.
Symptoms of inflammation of the meninges in the bacterial form usually appear unexpectedly. Symptoms of the disease with a viral type of infection can appear both suddenly and within a few days.
The most common symptoms of meningitis in adults are:
- continuous headache;
- shortness of breath, rapid pulse;
- light and sound intolerance;
- blue nasolabial area;
- high temperature;
- muscle and joint pain;
- hard to turn or lower neck;
- vomiting, weakness, decreased appetite.
Signs in children are fever, nervousness, decreased appetite, vomiting, rash, stiff back muscles and limbs. The baby cries whentrying to pick up, the child can not calm down for a long time.
Encephalitis most often develops suddenly, while the he alth of the sick person is rapidly deteriorating, and characteristic symptoms of inflammation of the lining of the brain appear. The first signs of encephalitis:
- Severe, pressing headache that spreads throughout the head.
- Temperature rises to 38 and above.
- Weakness.
- Intoxication.
- Vomiting without feeling better.
- Drowsiness and lethargy, there may be a state of stoppage with no response to any external stimuli (bright light, loud sound, tingling) or coma.
Diagnosis
The following procedures help confirm the diagnosis:
- Blood and urine tests.
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
- Computed tomography.
- The study of the cerebral fluid is carried out, while the stage of the disease is revealed, its form and cause are revealed.
Treatment of inflammation of the membranes of the brain is always developed for each patient individually and depends on the type of infection, the causes and form of the course.
Therapy
Treatment of meningitis and encephalitis is carried out only in a hospital and is based on three directions:
- eliminate the cause of the disease;
- use of drugs to stopthe process of brain damage and inflammation;
- eliminate individual symptoms.
Complications
In the absence of the necessary treatment for inflammatory processes in the brain, the following pathologies may develop:
- Paralysis
- Impaired vision.
- Appearance of epileptic seizures.
- Renal and liver failure develops.
- Violation of the functions of the musculoskeletal system.
- Squint.
- Memory and hearing loss.
- The work of the cardio muscle is deteriorating.
The main complication of inflammation of the brain is the death of the patient. It occurs if the patient is not treated within five to eight days after the onset of the disease.
Prevention
Vaccination is considered the main preventive measure against meningitis. Vaccination is optional. It can be made at will. It is also recommended to avoid contact with people who show symptoms of meningitis.
Vaccination is also carried out against encephalitis. To prevent the excessive spread of infection, vaccinations are given to people living or working in areas of possible infection. Usually, the encephalitis vaccination consists of three shots and gives immunity for three years. Preventive measures against secondary type encephalitis involve timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment of infectious diseases.
Inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord
Myelitis is a dangerous disease of the spinal cord,which entails serious consequences that affect the whole life of a person who has had this disease. Only timely detection of pathology and proper treatment can get rid of all symptoms and manifestations. Pathology develops very quickly. It is important to exclude self-medication and turn to experienced doctors in time.
Myelitis is primary and secondary. In the first case, the gray and white matter of the spinal cord is initially affected. In the second case, inflammation is a consequence of other ailments. Myelitis is often caused by viruses and bacteria.
Cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy often develop radiation myelitis. It manifests itself six months a year after the end of the treatment of the underlying disease. Doctors and patients are most often ready for such a complication, so the therapy of the inflamed spinal cord begins on time and gives a positive result.
Severe hypothermia can serve as another factor in the development of myelitis. At low temperatures, human immunity decreases, so at this moment bacteria and viruses can enter the spinal cord and multiply actively.
The disease develops rapidly, the symptoms appear on the rise. Among the main features are the following:
- temperature increase;
- chill;
- dizziness;
- muscle weakness;
- pain in the back.
Signs that appear at the beginning of the disease are characteristic of many pathologies, myelitis symptoms begin to appear a little later. Only a diagnosis can be madequalified he althcare workers.
Several forms of myelitis are known, depending on the location of the inflammation and the degree of brain damage. Each type of pathology has its own symptoms and signs. Pain can occur in different parts of the back. Equally important is the stage of development of the disease. At the initial stage, it can be pain in the spinal region and during raising the head and neck, two or three days after that, the patient may experience paralysis.
What else are inflammations
The inflammatory process in the brain is usually quite acute and has many consequences. Inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the brain (arachnoiditis) is one of the varieties of diseases of this group. Arachnoiditis refers to serous inflammatory processes in which blood circulation is disturbed and the walls of capillaries weaken. Due to these pathological processes, lymph begins to seep into soft tissues and stagnate there. Over time, swelling develops, fever increases, and symptoms similar to meningitis occur.
Conclusion
Inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord and brain are dangerous diseases with serious consequences. But each sick person has a chance of recovery, and it depends on how quickly the patient goes to the doctor. After all, the diagnosis and treatment of these pathologies are carried out only in a hospital.
