What Is Spinal Meningitis?
Spinal
meningitis is a condition that causes inflammation and swelling in the lining of the brain and spinal cord. The swelling that results can harm or destroy nerve cells and cause bleeding in the brain.
The
causes of spinal meningitis are usually a bacterial or viral infection (known as
bacterial meningitis and
viral meningitis, respectively). Most often, the body's immune system is able to contain and defeat an infection. But if the infection passes into the bloodstream and then into the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, it can affect the nerves and travel to the brain and/or surrounding membranes, causing inflammation. This inflammation and swelling causes the
symptoms of meningitis.
Other causes of spinal meningitis include:
- Fungal infection
- Some types of cancer
- Traumatic injury to the head or spine
- Inflammatory disease (such as lupus)
- Reaction to certain medications or medical treatments.
Symptoms of Spinal Meningitis
Common symptoms of spinal meningitis include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sleepiness or confusion
- Discomfort looking into bright lights.
In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms --
headache, fever, and neck stiffness -- may be absent or difficult to detect; the infant may only appear slow or inactive and irritable. The infant may also feed poorly or vomit. As the disease progresses, people of any age may have
seizures.
Anyone with possible symptoms should seek immediate medical care by contacting their doctor or going to an emergency room or clinic.
Early diagnosis and treatment of spinal
meningitis are vital.
The disease is often diagnosed using laboratory tests of spinal fluid obtained with a spinal tap. A spinal tap is a test in which a needle is inserted into an area in the lower back where fluid in the spinal canal is readily accessible.
For the bacterial variety, identification of the bacteria responsible is important so that the correct antibiotics can be prescribed. The specific cause of viral form can be determined by tests that identify the virus in specimens collected from the person. However, these tests are rarely done because the treatment for
viral meningitis isn't dependent on the type of virus responsible.
Treatment for Spinal Meningitis
The bacterial form of spinal meningitis has a high death rate if left untreated, so it requires immediate medical attention. This type can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important, however, that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common bacterial types of spinal meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from the infection to below 15 percent, although the risk is higher among the elderly.
No specific treatment for the viral type exists at this time. Most people completely recover on their own. Doctors often will recommend:
- Bed rest
- Plenty of fluids
- Medicine to relieve fever and headache.
Transmission of Spinal Meningitis
Some bacterial forms of spinal meningitis are contagious and can be spread through contact with:
- Saliva
- Nasal discharge
- Feces
- Respiratory and throat secretions (often spread through kissing, coughing, or sharing drinking glasses, eating utensils, or personal items such as toothbrushes or lipstick).
People sharing a classroom,
daycare center, or household with an infected person can become infected. College students (in particular, college freshmen) living in dormitories have a higher risk of contracting meningococcal meningitis than college students overall.
Children without access to childhood vaccines are at increased risk of developing certain bacterial types of spinal meningitis.
