Meningitis, commonly referred to as spinal meningitis, may be caused by either a bacterial or a viral infection. Since the disease often progresses rapidly, early detection is vital. Understanding the signs and symptoms of the disease can help you identify it quickly, increasing your odds of a good recovery.
Identification
Spinal meningitis is a disease that causes swelling of the meninges, which are the protective tissue layers surrounding both the brain and spinal cord. Despite its name, spinal meningitis can affect the tissues of the brain as well as the spinal cord. It is most often caused by a virus, though it can also be caused by different bacterial infections. Because it often progresses rapidly, early diagnosis is crucial to recovering from spinal meningitis.
Signs of Spinal Meningitis
Spinal meningitis tends to manifest first as cold or flu-like symptoms. However, the symptoms usually come on rapidly, and are more intense in nature. Typical first signs of spinal meningitis include a very bad headache, a sudden fever and a stiff neck. These symptoms may appear as little as two hours following infection, or may take a day or two to become apparent. In the later stages, spinal meningitis can cause nausea and vomiting, confusion and difficulty thinking, discomfort in bright lights and extreme fatigue or drowsiness. Eventually, if untreated, spinal meningitis can lead to blocked blood vessels which may cause seizures or a stroke.
Detecting Spinal Meningitis
With adults, detecting spinal meningitis is a bit easier as they can report unusual symptoms. With small children, however, it is often more difficult to detect. For instance, infants cannot tell you they have a stiff neck. They may, however, be unusually fussy, drowsy and uninterested in eating. Because spinal meningitis progresses quickly, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as you notice the symptoms. While testing for spinal meningitis may not be very pleasant, it can help save your life. If your doctor suspects spinal meningitis, he will need to test a sample of your blood and possibly your spinal fluid for signs of a viral or bacterial infection.
Recovering From Spinal Meningitis
Though the symptoms of spinal meningitis often appear quickly, recovery from the disease may take some time. How quickly you recover depends on the type of infection (bacterial often takes longer) as well as how quickly it was diagnosed. In general, bacterial meningitis is more deadly than the viral form. However, both forms can cause permanent damage if not treated quickly enough. Prevention plays a large role in avoiding spinal meningitis complications. Vaccines are available for many forms of the disease, and are often recommended for school-age children and college students. Even if you have been vaccinated against some forms, it is still important to recognize the signs of spinal meningitis early. This can help make diagnosis and treatment more effective.
