{"id":9019,"date":"2019-08-16T09:31:24","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T09:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=9019"},"modified":"2021-06-18T19:58:11","modified_gmt":"2021-06-18T19:58:11","slug":"14-know-symptoms-of-spinal-meningitis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-know-symptoms-of-spinal-meningitis\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Know Symptoms of Spinal Meningitis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Spinal meningitis is a pain to deal with \u2014 both in the physical and psychological sense. That being said, the easiest way to shorten the suffering that you\u2019ll endure is by getting treatment as early as possible. The sooner you begin treatment, the shorter the duration of your meningitis will be. Most cases of meningitis \u2014 at least in the US \u2014 are caused by viruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being the case, there is a specific set of symptoms that will be present whenever you\u2019re dealing with spinal meningitis. These symptoms will help you diagnose the condition early so that you can nip the issue at the bud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spinal meningitis, much like any viral infection, will be resolved faster if you treat it when the infection is in its earlier stages. Today we\u2019re going to walk you through eight of the most common symptoms of spinal meningitis. Let\u2019s get right into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Sensitivity to light<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first telltale symptom of spinal meningitis is sensitivity to light. When you have meningitis<\/a>, the membranes around your spinal cord and brain become inflamed. Doctors believe this is what causes the sensitivity to light. The de facto medical term for sensitivity to light is photophobia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bear in mind that there are other causes for photophobia that aren\u2019t related to meningitis. One common cause of corneal abrasions. If you have any abrasions on your eyes then you may be overly sensitive to light as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you suspect that your photophobia may be an ocular problem then you should go see an optometrist verify the diagnosis. That being said, if you don\u2019t recall sustaining any injuries to your eyes but still suffer from sensitivity to light then you might want to get yourself checked to see if it\u2019s caused by spinal meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Joint pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another symptom that could be caused by spinal meningitis is joint pain<\/a>. Seeing as most cases of spinal meningitis \u2014 and meningitis in general \u2014 in the US are a result of viral causes, it\u2019s not surprising that joint pain would manifest as a symptom. After all, whenever your body is fighting a viral infection it will attempt to kill the invaders with heat, resulting in a fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This inflammation along with the increase in body temperature will lead to joint pain in most cases. It\u2019s worth noting that we\u2019re referring to unexplained joint pain. If you\u2019ve just spent a day at the gym working out then you shouldn\u2019t be surprised if your joints are sore. However, if you haven\u2019t had too much physical exertion but notice a sudden wave of joint pain then it may be caused by your body trying to fight off meningitis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Seizures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As we mentioned earlier, meningitis occurs when an infection, viral or otherwise, leads to the inflammation of the membranes around your spinal cord<\/a> and brain \u2014 known as the meninges, hence the name. This inflammation could lead to seizures, especially during the later stages of the infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue with this symptom is that some patients with pre-existing conditions such as epilepsy may mistake their meningitis-induced seizures as just another episode of their life-long ailment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, epileptic patients who don\u2019t experience seizures when taking the appropriate medication may still be able to pinpoint the cause as being meningitis if they had a seizure while on the epileptic medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people have reported that taking cannabidiol has helped them reduce the frequency and severity of seizures during their meningitis due to its anti-inflammatory properties \u2014 though it\u2019s worth noting that these anecdotal claims are yet to be analyzed by doctors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Spinal pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As would be expected, when you have spinal meningitis, you\u2019ll most likely experience spinal pain. The duration and severity of the pain can vary from case to case. Studies have also shown that the level of pain will change depending on the demographics of the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s said that adults over the age of 65 will experience less pain than younger patients due to the fact that their immune responses aren\u2019t as powerful as it once was, leading to less inflammation <\/a>and thus less severe pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children, on the other hand, tend to experience higher levels of pain when they have spinal meningitis due to the fact that their bones are still developing and thus their spinal cord will have a more severe reaction to meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Vomiting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Much like with most conditions affecting the brain or other areas around it, spinal meningitis will often lead to severe nausea and vomiting <\/a>in most patients. This is why most doctors will ask you if you\u2019ve vomited in the last 24 hours when they suspect that you may be suffering from meningitis. It\u2019s worth mentioning that there are many other causes of nausea and vomiting. For instance, you may have a bad case of food poisoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With som nay different things being able to cause vomiting you shouldn\u2019t immediately assume that you have meningitis when you get a little queasy. That being said, if you find yourself vomiting frequently in conjunction with the other symptoms listed in this article then you may want to get yourself checked to see if you are in fact dealing with a case of meningitis. If it turns out that you don\u2019t have meningitis then at least you\u2019ll have peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Cold extremities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another sign that someone is suffering from spinal meningitis is if their extremities \u2014 such as hands and feet \u2014 are cold. Pulling blood away from the extremities and towards your core is the natural response of your body whenever a threat such as a viral infection is detected. This is the same response you see when you\u2019re suffering from hypothermia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your immune system will do its best to bring more heat to the core when trying to stave off invaders or keep your temperature at a high enough level so you don\u2019t freeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you find that your hands and feet are very cold without any explanation and you have some of the other symptoms on this list then it may very well be a case of meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you suspect that it is, heading to your doctor as soon as possible is advised so you can diagnose the issue and treat it immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Paleness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This symptom is a result of the same mechanism that we described in the previous one: the immune system drawing blood from the rest of your body and storing it in your core. In an effort to raise your core temperature and kill off the invading pathogen<\/a>, your immune system will move as much blood as possible into your core area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing as the rest of your body will have less blood to go around, you\u2019ll likely take on a pale white look rather than the healthy pink or beige that you normally sport. Needless to say, there are other things that can cause paleness such as lack of exposure to sunlight. That being said, a sudden onset of paleness isn\u2019t normal and could be caused by spinal meningitis so a call to your doctor is in order. Due diligence saves lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Stiff back<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The last common symptom that we\u2019re going to cover in this article is stiff back. You\u2019ve likely heard about stiff necks<\/a> and dealt with the issue more than once over the course of your life. A stiff back is pretty much the same sensation only it takes place in your back rather than your neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to reports from patients, the stiffness will begin in the uppermost region of your back where the spinal cord ends during the earliest stages of the infection, then proceed to spread to the lower regions of the spinal cord as your case of meningitis progresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also reported that the sequence was in the reverse order as their meningitis subsided: withdrawing back to the top of the spine before dissipating entirely. Even if you only experience the stiffness on the upper area of your back, you should see your doctor rather than waiting for it to spread.
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