How Long Does It Take To Recover From Meningitis

Types of Meningitis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis And Treatments

Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes that comprehend the encephalon and spinal cord. Many unlike germs, like bacteria, viruses, or fungi, can cause meningitis. While well-nigh people recover from this condition, information technology is of import that you go to the doctor as soon every bit possible because untreated meningitis can be fatal. Treatment for meningitis differs depending on the germ causing it. Larn more about the types of meningitis in this article.

Some people are more probable to get meningitis than others, such as:

Unvaccinated people who have less protection against germs
People twenty years old or younger
People living in a customs setting, like recruits in the armed forces, children in boarding schools, or college students in dorms
Pregnant people, who are at risk of infection from Listeria monocytogenes, an organism found in unpasteurized dairy products and raw meat
Those with a weak immune system

There are six types of meningitis: viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, amebic, and non-infectious. All six types crusade similar symptoms.

Viral Meningitis

Viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis and can be acquired past unlike viruses, including:

Mumps
Herpes
Measles
Flu

Bacterial Meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is the second most mutual form of meningitis. You tin become bacterial meningitis if leaner direct infect the brain and spinal string or travel to the brain and spinal cord through the bloodstream. An ear infection, skull fracture, or, rarely, surgery tin lead to bacterial meningitis.

Many bacteria can cause meningitis, and the well-nigh likely type largely depends on your age:

Streptococcus pneumoniae tin can cause meningitis in all age groups.
Group B Streptococcus and E. coli tin can crusade meningitis in newborns.
Neisseria meningitidis can crusade meningitis in teens and young adults.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause meningitis in significant people.

Fungi, parasites, single-celled germs called amebae, and non-infectious conditions tin can also cause meningitis, though non as frequently.

Fungal Meningitis

You can go fungal meningitis when you breathe in particles that soil-dwelling house fungi release into the air. If you have a weak allowed arrangement, yous are at increased risk of getting fungal meningitis. People may have weak immune systems if they have medical weather similar poorly controlled HIV or take certain medications similar steroids. Fungal meningitis is usually caused past the following:

Cryptococcus found throughout the earth
Histoplasma found in areas with a lot of bird or bat debris
Blastomyces found in soil in the midwestern, south-fundamental, and southeastern The states
Coccidioides found in soil in the southwestern US

Parasitic Meningitis

You lot can get parasitic meningitis if you lot swallow foods contaminated with parasitic eggs or undercooked foods like raw fish and eels.

Amebic Meningitis

You lot can get amebic meningitis if water contaminated with an amoeba chosen Naegleria fowleri goes up your nose while pond in a lake or river.

Non-infectious meningitis

Yous can get non-infectious meningitis from cancer, head injury, or brain surgery. These can pb straight to inflammation of the meninges.

Signs and Symptoms

No matter what causes meningitis, the symptoms are the same. Your symptoms may vary depending on your age and allowed status.

Adults

The archetype symptoms of meningitis in adults are:

Fever
Headache
Stiff neck

Other symptoms of meningitis can include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Confusion or difficulty concentrating
Seizures
Sleepiness
Difficulty walking
Eye pain in response to light
No ambition
Thirst
Pare rash

Newborns and Young Children

The symptoms of meningitis in newborns and children younger than two often differ from symptoms seen in older children and adults. A baby or young child with meningitis may take:

High fever
Constant crying
Excessive sleepiness
Irritability
Difficulty waking from sleep
Sluggishness
Poor feeding
Vomiting
A bulge in the soft spot on elevation of the baby's caput
Stiffness in the body and neck

Diagnosis

Talk to your doctor if yous or your kid has symptoms of meningitis. Your medico tin diagnose meningitis by:

Doing a spinal tap: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounds your brain and spinal string. A spinal tap is done when a medico takes a needle, inserts it into your lower dorsum, and draws a little CSF out of your body and into the needle. Your CSF is then analyzed in a lab to determine what germ is causing your meningitis.
Getting blood cultures: Your doctor might also utilise blood cultures to decide what germ is responsible for your meningitis.
Ordering imaging: Your dr. may have imaging done to see if in that location is swelling or inflammation around your brain.

Treatments For Dissimilar Types of Meningitis

Treatment for meningitis depends on what kind of meningitis you accept.

Viral meningitis: Yous commonly don't need treatment considering well-nigh people recover in seven-10 days. If yous don't recover on your own, your physician may give you antiviral medication.
Bacterial meningitis: Your doc will treat y'all with antibiotics. Bacterial meningitis tin can result in permanent brain damage or expiry if left untreated, then getting treatment equally early as possible is important.
Fungal meningitis: Fungal meningitis is treated with high-dose antifungal medication. If you lot take a weak immune arrangement, you will probably have to exist on antifungal medication longer than someone with a potent allowed system.
Parasitic meningitis: Your md will care for your underlying parasitic infection and give yous hurting medication for whatsoever headaches y'all may accept.
Amebic meningitis: There is no known constructive treatment for amebic meningitis, and, unfortunately, this affliction is about always fatal.
Non-infectious meningitis: Your physician will care for your underlying non-infectious status, such as cancer, head injury, or brain surgery.

Next Steps

Hither are a few steps you tin can take to prevent meningitis:

Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly to prevent the spread of germs.
Don't share items like drinks, eating utensils, or lip balm with others.
Maintain your health by exercising regularly, getting enough slumber, and eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
If y'all're significant, avoid unpasteurized dairy products and undercooked meat.
Get vaccines against certain forms of bacterial meningitis, similar the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13)

If you've been in close contact with someone who has bacterial meningitis, your physician can give yous antibiotics to prevent you from getting meningitis besides.

If you feel like you lot or your child might accept meningitis, prepare up an engagement with your doctor as shortly as possible. Before your appointment, drink plenty of fluids and stay home from work or school. When you lot meet your doctor, they will evaluate you and let you know what treatment is best.

Resource Links:

"Meningitis" via CDC
"Meningitis" via Mayo Clinic
"Meningococcal Disease" via CDC

Source: https://www.symptomfind.com/health-conditions/types-of-meningitis-causes-symptoms-diagnosis-and-treatments?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740013%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex&ueid=6229a4db-d8ee-4121-80b5-39bbda9ae42c

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