Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord or brain. It can appear both as an independent ailment, and as a result after a simple SARS. The disease is caused by bacteria and viruses.
Types of diseases
Today, many types of the disease are known, but the most common are serous and purulent meningitis. The latter type of disease is carried by the person himself, whose nasopharynx becomes a natural reservoir of meningococcus. And to infect others, it is enough to sneeze or cough. Serous meningitis is transmitted not only through contact with the patient, but also through unwashed fruits and vegetables, and you can also get infected in the pool while swimming. Another carrier of this type of disease is the tick. After all, encephalitis is one of the varieties of meningitis.
Causes of the disease
The main cause of the disease is infection with meningococcal infection. Its carriers can be people who have intestinal infections or nasopharyngitis. In this case, the carrier itself may not get sick. But this is not the only causative agent of the disease. Tuberculosis can also become the cause of inflammation.coli, and spirochete, and pneumococcus, and many more viruses and bacteria. Incorrectly or incompletely cured otitis media, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis and any purulent inflammation of the respiratory organs and nasopharynx can also provoke the disease.
Main symptoms of meningitis
Standard meningitis begins acutely. Only the tuberculous form of the disease can proceed very slowly. Sometimes even up to several months. The disease is so insidious that the signs and symptoms of meningitis can be completely similar to SARS: fever, malaise, weakness, muscle pain. Symptoms of acute meningitis are quite pronounced. It manifests itself in a severe headache, which only intensifies over time, especially with movement, bright light and noise. Nausea and vomiting do not bring relief. The body is covered with spots that can last from several days to several weeks. The surest symptom of meningitis can be called the tension of the occipital muscles. It manifests itself when you try to press your head to your chest and stretch your legs. If even the slightest symptoms of meningitis appear, treatment should be started immediately.
Diagnosis and treatment of disease
The doctor determines meningitis almost at the first glance at the patient. Which is not surprising, the disease has very specific signs. But for a more accurate diagnosis, a puncture from the spinal cord can be taken. If the symptoms of meningitis are confirmed, treatment should take place only in a hospital setting. No waycase, you should not resort to folk methods. This is fatal. Of the drugs, broad-spectrum antibiotics will be prescribed. They are used intravenously, but in severe cases they can also be injected into the spinal canal. The duration of taking the drugs is determined only by the doctor. But exactly another week after the temperature has returned to normal, the antibiotic should enter the body. In order to avoid cerebral edema, diuretics are prescribed. Simultaneously with them, calcium intake is necessary, because the last drugs wash it out of the body. Recovery sometimes takes up to a year. Therefore, you should be patient.
Disease prevention
If you have symptoms of meningitis, treatment should be started without delay. And in order not to get infected, you need to be vaccinated against those diseases that can cause this disease. And besides, avoid contact with the sick, wear masks during the epidemic, maintain hygiene and wash vegetables and fruits. You say that this is children's advice? By no means, having discovered the symptoms of meningitis, you must begin treatment immediately, otherwise you are in danger of death. So it's better to follow children's advice than to get sick.
