Inflammation of the meninges is a serious disease. If you do not start treating this pathology in time, a fatal outcome is possible. The disease is divided into several varieties, depending on the affected area of the brain. The article will examine in more detail the causes and symptoms of this ailment.
Types of ailment
The most common diseases that relate to inflammation of the meninges are brain 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 disease of an infectious nature that affects the brain and causes inflammation of its membranes. An ailment 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. Doctors divide the inflammatory 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 occurs in children, since the child’s immune system and blood-brain barrier are imperfect. The main pathogen 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. The most dangerous is group A, which, when infected, leads to the development of a severe course of meningitis.
Most often, the infection is transmitted by airborne droplets. Carriers with an asymptomatic course of the disease pose the greatest danger; they actively release the infection into the environment.
The highest incidence of meningococcal infection is found in African countries, although the disease is common in all countries of the world. This is facilitated by a warm climate, allowing bacteria to actively develop. In spring and autumn, the incidence is higher, this is due to a 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 that is characterized by inflammation of the membranes of the brain is called encephalitis. It belongs to the group of diseases that cause inflammatory processes in the brain. Encephalitis is infectious, toxic, and allergic. When a disease 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 - neuroinfection. Less commonly, a disease develops as a complication of certain infections.
Encephalitis happens:
- viral, microbial and rickettsial (primary);
- postexantemic, postvaccinal, 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, pathologies such as syphilitic and typhoid encephalitis are distinguished.
Depending on the type of inflammation, the disease is divided into:
- Isolated. In which there are only symptoms of encephalitis.
- Meningoencephalitis. There are symptoms of inflammation of the meninges.
According to the lesion, the disease is 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 severity;
- heavy
- extremely difficult.
Any person can become infected with encephalitis, but most often it occurs in older people and children. The risk category includes people whose immunity is weakened under any influence, for example, cancer patients, HIV-infected or after prolonged use of steroids.
Causes
The main reasons for the development of meningitis are bacteria, fungi, spirochetes and viruses.
Encephalitis provocateurs can be viruses, germs, vaccination, bacteria and parasites.
Separately, we can distinguish situations in which the cause of the development of this disease are 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 a meningococcal infection in the body is five to six days, sometimes the incubation period can reach up to ten days. Duration depends on the pathogen.
Symptoms of inflammation of the membranes of the brain with a bacterial form usually appear unexpectedly. Signs of the disease with a viral type of infection can appear both suddenly and within a few days.
The most common adult meningitis symptoms:
- persistent pain in the head;
- shortness of breath, rapid pulse;
- intolerance to light and sound;
- blue of the nasolabial zone;
- heat;
- sore muscles and joints;
- it is difficult to turn or lower the neck;
- vomiting, weakness, decreased appetite.
Symptoms in children are fever, nervousness, decreased appetite, vomiting, rash, tension of the spinal muscles and limbs. The baby cries when they try to pick him up; the child cannot calm down for a long time.
Encephalitis most often develops suddenly, while the well-being of the sick person rapidly worsens, and characteristic symptoms of inflammation of the lining of the brain are manifested. The first signs of encephalitis:
- A strong, pressing headache that spreads throughout the head.
- The temperature rises to 38 and above.
- Weakness.
- Intoxication.
- Vomiting, after which there is no improvement in well-being.
- Drowsiness and lethargy, a stopper state may occur with a lack of reaction to any external stimuli (bright light, loud sound, tingling) or coma.
Diagnostics
The following procedures help confirm the diagnosis:
Blood and urine tests.
Magnetic resonance imaging.
CT scan.
A study of cerebral fluid is carried out, and the stage of the disease is revealed, its form and cause is revealed.
Treatment of inflammation of the meninges 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 areas:
- elimination of the cause of the disease;
- the use of drugs to stop the process of damage and inflammation of the brain;
- elimination of individual symptoms.
Complications
In the absence of the necessary treatment for inflammatory processes of the brain, the following pathologies can develop:
- Paralysis.
- Visual impairment.
- The appearance of epileptic seizures.
- Renal and liver failure develops.
- Violation of the functions of the musculoskeletal system.
- Strabismus.
- Impaired memory and hearing.
- Cardio muscle function is deteriorating.
The main complication of inflammation of the brain is the death of the patient. It occurs if the patient is not treated for five to eight days after the disease has begun.
Prevention
The main preventive measure against meningitis is vaccination. Vaccination is optional. It can be made as desired. It is also recommended to avoid contact with people who show symptoms of meningitis.
Vaccination is also carried out against encephalitis. In order to prevent excessive spread of infection, vaccinations are given to people living or working in areas of potential infection. Usually, vaccination against encephalitis consists of three vaccinations and gives immunity for three years. Preventive measures against encephalitis of the secondary type involves the timely diagnosis and proper treatment of infectious diseases.
Spinal cord inflammation
Myelitis is a dangerous disease of the spinal cord, which entails serious consequences that affect the entire life of a person who has had this disease. Only the timely detection of pathology and the correct treatment can get rid of all the symptoms and manifestations. Pathology is developing very quickly. It is important to exclude self-medication and consult experienced doctors on 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. Often the causative agents of myelitis are viruses and bacteria.
Cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy often develop radiation myelitis. It manifests itself six months after the end of treatment for the underlying disease. Doctors and patients are most often ready for such a complication, therefore, therapy for an inflamed spinal cord begins on time and gives a positive result.
Another factor in the development of myelitis can be severe hypothermia. At low temperatures, human immunity decreases, so at this moment bacteria and viruses can enter the spinal cord and actively multiply.
The disease develops rapidly, the symptoms are increasing. Among the main features, the following can be distinguished:
- temperature rise;
- chills;
- dizziness;
- muscle weakness;
- pain in the dorsal region.
Signs that appear at the beginning of the disease are characteristic of many pathologies, a little later myelitis symptoms begin to appear. Only qualified medical personnel can determine the diagnosis.
Several forms of myelitis are known, they depend on the location of inflammation and the degree of brain damage. Each type of pathology has its own symptoms and signs. Painful sensations can occur in different parts of the back. No less important is the stage of development of the disease. At the initial stage, it can be pain in the dorsal region and during the raising of the head and neck, two to three days after this, the patient may experience paralysis.
What other inflammations are there?
The inflammatory process in the brain has, as a rule, a fairly acute course and 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 the capillaries weaken. Due to these pathological processes, lymph begins to seep into the soft tissues and stagnate there. Over time, edema develops, the temperature rises, and symptoms similar to meningitis occur.
Conclusion
Inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord and brain are dangerous diseases that have serious consequences. But each patient 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 is carried out only in a hospital.