Bacterial meningitis - is there a chance for the patient?

Bacterial meningitis is an extremely serious infectious disease caused by inflammation of the brain envelope, which requires immediate treatment, and in this case the possibility of healing is increased.

When delayed treatment increases the likelihood of complications and even death, especially this disease is dangerous for elderly people with weakened immunity, and children.

Even after the end of inpatient treatment, a person should be under the supervision of a doctor for at least a year because of the serious consequences caused by meningitis.

It happens that people who have had the disease have seizures, attacks of suffocation, memory is lost, there is a deterioration in the intellectual functions of the brain and even, in some cases, paralysis is possible.

Clinical picture

Bacterial meningitis causes viruses and bacteria: hemophilic rod, meningococcus and pneumococcus. A few hours after the virus enters the human body, it causes severe headache, vomiting, dizziness, fever.

A special factor that indicates meningitis is involuntary tilting of the head back because of the tension of the occipital muscles. The patient is unable to lower his head to his chest, he immediately has severe pain in the nape and vomiting. The infected person also has a mucous membrane of the throat and oral cavity.

Very often meningitis is a consequence of the inflammatory process in the throat or upper respiratory tract.

The condition of the patient deteriorates sharply during the day, in children this process is much faster.

Children under two years of age who have contracted bacterial meningitis are constantly crying, their temperature rises sharply, vomiting and diarrhea occur, and convulsions occur.

In severe cases, stretches of the head under the fontanel, they sharply protrude, and in some cases, children develop hydrocephalus( edema of the brain).

Causes of

Because bacterial meningitis is an infectious disease, it is transmitted by airborne droplets or by direct contact with the patient.

Bacteria that cause the disease live in the environment and even in the body of the person. But getting into a weakened organism with a "lucky" coincidence of circumstances can begin to actively multiply and, as a result, infect the cells of the brain.

It happens that meningitis causes head injuries, sometimes it flares up in people with weakened immunity due to already undergone severe inflammatory processes. Most of this disease affects children under three years old.

Diagnosis of

Because of the severity of the disease, at the slightest suspicion of it, the patient should be provided with qualified medical care. If the adult, and especially the baby is up to two years old, have similar symptoms, you should call an ambulance or go to the nearest clinic.

The diagnosis can be performed only if there are all laboratory tests and the result of a lumbar puncture. It is obtained by inserting a needle between the two vertebrae of the lumbar region to obtain a cerebrospinal fluid.

Thus, determine the causative agent of the disease and its resistance to antibiotics. In addition, sputum, mucus from the oral cavity and scrapings from the skin are examined.

Medical assistance

There are no drugs for the treatment of this disease. Patients are prescribed large doses of antibiotics intravenously for suppression of the inflammatory process, washed with saline solution in the nasopharynx and give drugs to increase the body's resistance.

Treatment is prescribed immediately, and in this case, several drugs are tested to combat possible pathogens of infection. But after the exact definition of the bacterium that caused the disease, only one or two of the most effective medicament preparations remain.

It is necessary to monitor compliance with the water-salt balance due to possible dehydration of the body by diarrhea, vomiting and fever.

Because meningitis is dangerous for its complications, it is always necessary to monitor the condition of all internal organs, and especially to control blood pressure.

Folk remedies

Treatment of this disease is carried out necessarily permanently and qualified specialists, but in addition to medicines, you can use, in agreement with the doctor, some folk recipes.

The most effective way to treat meningitis are infusions and decoctions of poppy, which have a strong analgesic and soothing effect.

Pour the seeds of poppy in a mortar into fine dust, pour boiled hot milk and leave for several hours in a thermos for infusion. Take the drug three times a day for 1 tablespoon.an hour before meals. Adult dose can be increased to 70-80 g.

Before use, infusion should always consult a physician.

Very often when meningitis is used as an analgesic, anticonvulsant and relaxing remedy, medicinal lavender is used. For this, an infusion is prepared from it: 3 tsp.dry color of lavender pour half a liter of boiling water and insist for 2 hours.

Lavender can be combined with other medicinal herbs for the preparation of infusions: mix in equal parts the dry color of lavender, peppermint, root of the primrose, the root of valerian and elecampane( approximately, 20 grams).After mixing, stirring 1 tbsp.mixture is poured into 200 g of hot water and infused for 2 hours. Take infusion two times a day, 200 g.

. At high body temperatures, the patient can be rubbed with vodka, apple cider vinegar and wrapping from a weak solution of acetic acid( 6%).

With strong convulsions, such wraps can also be effective: add vinegar and sea salt to warm water, soak a large soft towel, wrap a person in it and cover it with a warm blanket. Continue wrapping for at least an hour, after which the patient to change into clean dry clothes.

When meningitis in humans increases susceptibility to light and sound, so in a room it is better to create a twilight and utter silence.

Possible complications and consequences of

Often after meningitis in adults, deafness develops due to swelling of the brain envelope. In a number of cases, who underwent meningitis suffers from acute renal failure.

This disease gives complications to the joints and bone tissue, sometimes due to a common infection of the blood, the connective tissues become affected. In rare cases, those who have recovered are diagnosed with epilepsy.

Children who have had the disease at an early age develop delayed mental development, speech, memory, and there is a delay in the development of all areas of the psyche.

Against the background of meningitis, an organic psychosyndrome appears. It manifests itself in increased excitability or apathy, passivity or aggressiveness, sharp mood swings and inability to concentrate on anything.

In order to prevent the disease

The best prevention of any infectious diseases is timely vaccination.

Try to avoid contact with infected patients with suspected meningitis. If the family is sick, it should be immediately isolated.

If contact with the patient still took place, you need to see a doctor, in order that you have been prescribed antibiotic for the prevention of disease and funds that increase the body's resistance to infections.

Going on vacation or business trip, try to be extremely cautious, especially in areas with an unfavorable environment. Sometimes meningitis can be carried by animals or insects, so do not forget to use repellents.

Drink only bottled water. Do not bathe in unfamiliar waters, especially where there are no equipped beaches.

Thoroughly wash all vegetables and fruits and scald them with boiling water before eating.

Take vitamins, eat high-grade, strengthen your immunity and twice a year pass medical examination.