Some illnesses can heal on their own---but that's not the case with meningitis. This infection, which can be caused by a bacteria, virus, fungus or other factors like cancer or an allergic reaction to medications, can be fatal without the proper...
If you were lucky enough to get your meningitis diagnosis promptly and you're suffering from a mild case of the viral form of the disease, you'll probably be directed to manage it on your own, at home. Usually, self-care requires you to be...
Meningitis is an infection of the spinal fluid and protective fibrous tissue that encapsulates the brain and spinal cord, the meninges. Bacteria and viruses, and less commonly, fungi and parasites can cause meningitis. The Meningitis Foundation of...
If not treated, meningitis can be life threatening. Meningitis describes inflammation of the connective tissue covering the spinal cord and brain---the meninges. Bacteria or other infectious causes invade the meninges and release toxins into the...
Viral meningitis is caused most often by a virus belonging to the enterovirus group. Enterovirus infections are common, but only a small percentage of people will go on to develop this disease. Viral meningitis causes swelling of the membranes...
Although trusting your instincts is fine for some situations, when it comes to your health you need more. Today, numerous resources in print and online make self-diagnosis easy and less expensive than consulting with your doctor, but the results...
Meningitis inflames the membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord. It starts in a variety of ways. Various forms of meningitis come from bacteria or a virus that invaded the area, from exposure to chemicals, a fungus or even parasites....
Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal chord, caused by a bacteria or virus, according to BabyCenter.com. Most cases of meningitis in infants are treatable with little to no permanent damage, if treated in a timely...
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...
Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the fluid that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis comes in two flavors: viral and bacterial. Bacterial infections are the more serious. The symptoms of meningitis are a severe headache,...
To protect the brain from trauma, Mother Nature has surrounded it with fluid. The meninges are the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. These membranes produce fluid. The fluid serves to carry nutrients to the brain as well as offering...
Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It’s most often linked to viruses, but bacteria and fungi can lead to this condition as well. Since meningitis is the result of a pathogen,...
Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain and spinal cord. Most cases of viral meningitis usually get better without treatment. However, bacterial meningitis is life-threatening medical emergency, which may cause brain...
Spinal meningitis is an infection of the fluid that surrounds the spine and brain. Meningitis is caused either by bacteria or a virus. Meningitis can be a life threatening condition, so early diagnosis and treatment is a must. Some types of...
According to "Sheehy's Emergency Nursing Principles and Practice," meningitis is the inflammation of the meningeal layers, which is the protective covering that surrounds the brain and spinal cord; it is a neurological emergency and an infectious...
Aseptic meningitis refers to meningitis that is not accompanied by bacterial growth on cultures taken from the cerebrospinal fluid. According to Merck.com, the most common cause is viral infection. Partially treated bacterial infections, and...
Your doctor can use a rapid test approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007 that can diagnose a case of viral meningitis just a few hours after infection. Known as the Xpert EV test, the procedure is used in combination with other...
Bacterial meningitis is a potentially serious infection of the meninges, the tissue covering of the brain and the spinal cord. Viruses, bacteria and fungi can cause meningitis, and one of the ways to tell which microorganism is causing the...
Meningitis can be caused by a virus, fungus or bacteria. The most frequent meningitis symptoms include nausea, headache, high fever, seizures, rash, mental confusion, sensitivity to light, dizzy spells and stiff neck, reports the Mayo Clinic....
In the 2010 edition of "Current Diagnosis and Treatment," Baylor College of Medicine Professor Wayne X. Shandera, M.D. explains that the herpes simplex virus, often abbreviated as HSV, is a common cause of meningitis, especially among women who...
Meningitis is an illness caused by a virus, bacteria or some medications or illnesses that create inflammation of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord, explains KidsHealth.org, a medical resource produced by The Nemours Foundation....
Patients with meningitis have an infection of the meninges, a tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis can result from a virus or bacterium. One type of meningitis, pneumococcal meningitis, is a bacterial meningitis caused by...
Headaches are a frequent complaint among children. In a review article published in "American Family Physician," Dr. Donald Lewis reports that up to 82 percent of children experience headaches by age 15. Prior to puberty, boys are more commonly...
Breathing is usually automatic and regular. Breathing frequency responds to activity level, with breath slow and deep during sleep and rapid during exercise. When the breathing pattern does not match the active state, that can indicate a problem.
Meningitis is a potentially serious disease that involves the inflammation of the membranes around the brain and the spinal cord, caused by an infection that traveled through the bloodstream. Meningitis may be caused by a viral infection known as...
Spinal meningitis, or bacterial meningitis, is a serious infection of the spinal fluid and protective tissues overlying the brain. The infection can damage the brain tissues, causing a variety of neurological effects. People who suffer brain...
There are many parasites that commonly affect humans. Among these parasites are the protozoa that share the Earth's water, soil and food supply with the human population. Some may not be able to cause disease if you are healthy, while others can...
Cells that express the pigment melanin are predominantly found in the skin, but these cells are also present in the meninges of the central nervous system. Meninges are layers of membranes that surround and protect the central nervous system....
