The pathogenic microorganism meningococcus got its name due to the fact that it affects mainly the meninges (meningeal tissues). Nevertheless, it can also get into other organs and tissues of a person, however, the brain remains its number one goal. The first manifestations of meningitis (inflammation of the meninges) are an increase in body temperature to 28 or 40 degrees. In general, all the symptoms at the onset of the disease indicate a common respiratory infection.
However, meningitis differs from respiratory diseases in that, along with fever, there are many other symptoms that are characteristic only for this disease. They are primarily associated with a violation of the normal functioning of brain tissue. This also includes the so-called meningeal symptoms, talking about the defeat of the soft meninges. This is a symptom of Kernig (sometimes referred to as Kernig syndrome), Brudzinsky symptoms and other symptoms.
These manifestations are worth mentioning separately, but for now let us dwell on the general symptoms of meningitis. Many such patients have weakness and severe headaches, which are caused by increased intracranial pressure and intoxication. This also causes vomiting, which is caused by irritation of the vomiting centers in the brain, so it is not accompanied by nausea and relief does not come after it.
Meningeal symptoms do not appear immediately, usually after one day. Kernig's symptom, although it is one of the most indicative of meningitis, there is also a number of other manifestations: a headache intensifies when the patient turns his head several times in a horizontal plane. The nape muscles are usually tense (stiff), which is noticeable when the patient tries to passively tilt his head forward, sometimes it is even impossible to simply bring the chin to the chest.
Kernig's symptom can be characteristic not only for people with meningitis, but also for those who have some diseases of the knee joints. However, in conjunction with other manifestations of the disease, this symptom makes it possible to establish an accurate diagnosis. Kernig’s symptom consists in the fact that with passive flexion and extension of the leg in the knee and hip joint (with the help of a doctor), there is no complete extension, which is due to both the rigidity of certain muscles of the lower limb and pain.
This Kering syndrome is investigated in two stages. First, the doctor bends the leg of the patient lying on his back, at a right angle in the hip and knee joints. Then the doctor relaxes his pressure on the patient’s leg, because of which it is passively unbent. In a healthy person, this symptom does not appear in any way, and the leg returns without difficulty to its original position.
Using the Kernig symptom, it is possible to establish not only the presence of meningitis, but also the degree of damage to the brain infection. You can also determine the dynamics of the disease and predict further pathological changes in the nervous tissue.