The inflammatory process in the membranes of the brain and (or) the spinal cord is called meningitis. The consequences after curing the disease can remain very serious, causing brain damage in the worst case or permanent migraines. If you start treatment on time, then most of them can be avoided. This ailment is characteristic of both adults and children.
Classification
Depending on the pathogen that causes the disease, a division into several forms of meningitis in severity is carried out. With a mild degree, the body can cope on its own in a few weeks. Severe develops very quickly, poses a threat to the life of the patient, requires emergency medical attention. In this case, the consequences of meningitis can be very serious (especially if you untimely see a doctor).
According to the degree of progression, the disease is divided into the following forms:
By origin, meningitis is:
- primary (the pathogen independently enters the body where the developmental stages go);
- secondary (membranes of the brain become inflamed due to weakened immunity).
According to the ongoing inflammatory process, it is divided into:
For microorganisms that cause pathology, it is classified into:
- bacterial;
- viral;
- fungal meningitis.
People often ask: "Is meningitis contagious or not?" It can be transmitted to a healthy person as a result of infection in the body, which leads to inflammation of the soft meninges.
The bacterial form, as a rule, develops in late winter - early spring. This is the most common type of meningitis, the consequences of which can be fatal.
The fungal form is caused by the microflora of the same name. It mainly penetrates the body with a weakened immune system, which is more typical for older people.
Viral meningitis is formed in late summer or early fall. This form is tolerated relatively easily. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment do not lead to serious consequences.
The most dangerous form of this disease is tuberculosis, caused by the corresponding bacterium.
Symptoms
The first sign of meningitis appears already a day after infection. This disease is characterized by vivid manifestations that are difficult to confuse with others:
- body temperature rises to 39-40 ° during a short time interval;
- tonsils and throat turn red;
- difficulty appears when trying to tilt the head to the chest;
- the patient draws in the stomach, tightening his legs, while bending them in the joints;
- he constantly wants to throw his head back while lying on his back;
- headaches appear;
- when pressed, soreness of the eyeballs is felt;
- persistent nausea and vomiting;
- 3 hours after an increase in temperature, the body becomes covered with a rash.
Symptoms in children
The first signs of meningitis in babies are as follows:
- increased sensitivity to bright light;
- the appearance of strabismus;
- hypersensitivity to loud sounds;
- split image;
- the child, when lying on its side, throws back its head and pulls its legs bent at the knees to the chin;
- pressure on the cheeks below the cheekbones leads to spontaneous raising of the shoulders;
- muscles of the back of the thigh are tense;
- legs bent at the knees do not bend;
- the back muscles are tense, which does not allow you to sit without emphasis;
- an attempt to raise the head causes this in relation to the entire upper body.
Infants with the disease often regurgitate, cry monotonously, constantly lie on their sides with unbendable legs tilted up and their head thrown back, refusing milk.
Adolescents may experience mental disorders. Due to increased intracranial pressure, a coma may occur with meningitis.
Subsequent signs
If you do not call a doctor in time during the onset of the first symptoms of the disease, then it will progress further. The new stages of meningitis will be characterized by the appearance of the following symptoms:
- seizures
- delirium;
- inappropriate behavior;
- loss of consciousness.
It is important to focus on this if the patient has recently suffered pneumonia or sinusitis or is currently suffering from tuberculosis. The final diagnosis is made by the doctor after a detailed examination of the patient.
Symptoms of the last stage
At this time, the infection spreads throughout the body, the rash turns into ulcers, which are up to 15 cm in diameter. The course of the disease is rapid, a patient who had a satisfactory condition can become seriously ill almost instantly.
For the patient at the last stage of meningitis, the following symptoms become characteristic:
- persistent cramps;
- the rash becomes dark;
- tachycardia;
- nerve palsy, usually in relation to the facial nerves;
- respiratory muscle paralysis;
- transition to a coma.
Such symptoms cause complications of meningitis that can lead a person to disability. If the treatment is started incorrectly and untimely, a fatal outcome is possible.
Diagnosis of Meningitis
First, the patient is examined, his complaints are heard. The doctor checks for the presence of characteristic symptoms of the disease. If meningitis is suspected, spinal cord puncture is prescribed. This allows you to establish the type of pathogen that caused the disease. The treatment of bacterial and viral meningitis is different, therefore it is necessary to identify the microflora that provoked the disease. Puncture reduces intracranial pressure. It is carried out at the beginning and at the end of treatment. The presence of infection in the latter case indicates the ineffectiveness of the treatment, which requires the appointment of other drugs.
Also, diagnosis of meningitis can be differentiated with other diseases. For this, electroencephalography and CT are performed.
Drug treatment
Therapy is carried out in a hospital setting, patients are prescribed bed rest and absolute rest.
To eliminate the cause of the pathology, the appropriate medications are prescribed:
- with bacterial forms - broad-spectrum antibiotics (cephalosporins);
- with fungal - antifungal drugs (amphotericin);
- in case of viral: interferons, “Proteflazid”, “Acyclovir”, diuretic dehydration therapy, anticonvulsant and antiallergic drugs;
- in case of suspicion of tuberculosis, the appropriate drugs for this disease are prescribed: Pyrazinamide, Isoniazid, Rifampicin;
- sedatives are prescribed (Seduxen, Diazepam);
- anti-edema and anti-inflammatory therapy (NSAIDs, corticosteroids);
- detoxification and infusion therapy are carried out ("Reopoliglyukin", "Hemodez");
- funds are used to reduce intracranial pressure (Furosemide, Mannitol);
- the functioning of the respiratory and circulatory systems is supported.
During the recovery period, patients are prescribed exercise therapy, sanatorium and physiotherapy treatment. Improvement can be carried out in the Crimea, Pyatigorsk, Sochi and some other places in our country.
Physiotherapeutic treatment
It is prescribed to improve the metabolism of nerve tissue, improve microcirculation, restore normal functioning of the nervous system and circulate cerebrospinal fluid.
To improve the processes of metabolism and microcirculation in the tissue in question, the following methods are used:
- mud therapy;
- galvanization;
- UHF-therapy transcerebral;
- thalassotherapy;
- electrophoresis using vasodilators and those to improve metabolism;
- aerotherapy.
To achieve a tonic effect, the following methods are used:
- massage;
- non-selective chromotherapy;
- sea therapy;
- aerotherapy, including aerophytotherapy, air baths, possible round-the-clock;
- electrophoresis with neurostimulants.
To calm the patient, the following procedures are performed:
- electric sleep;
- franklinization;
- electrophoresis with sedatives;
- coniferous, bromine and iodine baths.
Immunostimulation is performed using the following procedures:
- radon baths;
- magnetotherapy;
- electrophoresis with immunomodulators;
- UV irradiation.
In order to reduce intracranial pressure and reduce brain edema, it is prescribed:
- low intensity decimeter therapy;
- sodium chloride and fresh baths.
The effects of meningitis
Their severity is determined by several criteria:
- the pathogen penetration into the human body;
- pathogen;
- the presence of chronic diseases;
- age of the patient.
The most common consequence of an ailment is a headache after meningitis. It can occur as a reaction to weather conditions and overwork. At the same time, memory deteriorates and the concentration of attention decreases.
In some cases, the effects of meningitis may be more severe:
- deviations in mental development;
- deafness;
- stuttering;
- strabismus;
- epilepsy;
- dropsy of the brain;
- blindness or other visual impairment.
The pathogen that triggered the onset of the disease can have a negative effect on the condition of internal organs.
Viral and purulent meningitis, even with timely treatment, can lead to serious consequences. In this case, a lethal outcome is not excluded.
A person who has undergone meningitis may experience mental illness, including schizophrenia.
In most cases, the treatment started correctly and in a timely manner prevents the occurrence of negative consequences.
The most dangerous disease for children. Its occurrence in the first years of a child’s life threatens death. In the case of cure of the disease, there is a high probability of damage to the nervous system, mental retardation, and a violation of the main brain functions.
Prevention
It is necessary to refrain from contacts with sick meningitis. If it is impossible to avoid them, it is necessary to take a course of antibiotics.
You must also observe personal hygiene. In childhood, vaccinations against mumps, hemophilic infection, rubella, and tuberculosis should be given. Also at this age, you need to be vaccinated against meningitis, which is carried out against a hemophilic bacillus - the main causative agent of the disease. It is valid for 4 years. Some of the children are difficult to tolerate, but the complications of vaccination are not comparable to those of meningitis itself.
Finally
Is meningitis contagious or not? This question is not open. There is a definite answer to it. Yes, contagious. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to limit contacts with patients with a similar ailment. Infection can lead to serious complications, especially in children, up to the fatal outcome, which can be both in them and in adults. To avoid such negative trends, it is necessary to start treatment on time, the doctor must monitor the patient's condition and adjust the therapy according to the results of the diagnosis.