{"id":9258,"date":"2019-08-17T10:47:09","date_gmt":"2019-08-17T10:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=9258"},"modified":"2021-06-21T18:44:01","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T18:44:01","slug":"16-common-causes-of-spinal-meningitis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/16-common-causes-of-spinal-meningitis\/","title":{"rendered":"16 Common Causes of Spinal Meningitis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Before we get into the common causes of spinal meningitis \u2014 and rest assured we will \u2014 it\u2019s important that you understand the basics of this condition. First of all, meningitis was coined based on what it does and where it does it. As you may already know, any medical term that ends with itis refers to the inflammation of a certain area. In this case, as the name suggests, it\u2019s the meninges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meninges are the membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord. There are three meninges. Spinal meningitis can occur in any of the meninges surrounding the spinal cord and will inflame the site which can lead to a myriad of issues. The overwhelming majority of meningitis cases in the United States are viral. Now that you understand the basics of meningitis, let\u2019s have a look at eight of the most common causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Mumps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While it may be surprising to some, mumps <\/a>can actually cause meningitis. Mumps, like most cases of meningitis, is caused by a viral infection. It affects the salivary glands near your ears. As we discussed in the intro, the meninges affected in cases of meningitis surround the brain and spinal cord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viral infections around the ears, such as mumps, aren\u2019t too far away from your spinal cord and brain, thus the virus can sometimes spread to those areas and begin to inflame your meninges \u2014 causing meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why doctors tend to treat mumps with urgency as they want to nip the problem at the bud before it can spread to other areas of your body and cause severe problems if left untreated. Fortunately, mumps makes up one of the Ms in the MMR vaccine. To be specific, the acronym stands for measles, mumps, and rubella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Measles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since we\u2019re already on the topic of MMR, let\u2019s talk about how measles can also cause meningitis. Alongside pneumonia and encephalitis, cases of measles <\/a>may also develop the complication of meningitis. Cases involving measles-caused meningitis were rampant during the olden days of medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, children who are vaccinated with the MMR vaccine are no longer at risk of developing meningitis or any other measles-caused complication. Still, there are some people \u2014 prominently in anti-vax communities \u2014 who refuse to get the MMR vaccine and are thus at risk of developing meningitis after getting measles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you may have already guessed, measles is a viral infection, which is why it should come as no surprise that it can lead to spinal meningitis. When two of the Ms in the MMR vaccine are leading causes of spinal meningitis, it becomes a no-brainer \u2014 pun-intended \u2014 to get all your children vaccinated to ensure that they don\u2019t develop meningitis or other complications that these diseases can bring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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

Chickenpox <\/a>is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It\u2019s often characterized by the itchy rash and blisters that develop as a result of the disease, but did you know that it can also be a cause of meningitis? Before the age of vaccines, many children would die from chickenpox, often as a result of meningitis that it caused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, in our modern age of medicine, those who are vaccinated are entirely safe from chickenpox and potential meningitis that could come alongside it. Much like with the MMR vaccine, there are some parents who refuse to get their children vaccinated for chickenpox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These children remain at risk for contracting the disease and may develop meningitis after they get chickenpox. Headache, malaise, fever, and loss of appetite are characteristic symptoms of chickenpox. If you notice that your child is having these symptoms then you should take them to a hospital immediately before other complications such as meningitis develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Shingles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you thought that the relationship between the varicella-zoster<\/a> virus and cases of meningitis ends there, you\u2019re dead wrong. The condition known as shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox but it affects adults rather than children. You see, after you contract chickenpox, the virus remains in your body for years, lying dormant like a ticking timebomb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After years of inactivity, the varicella-zoster virus could reactivate in the form of shingles. There have been many cases of shingles that led to spinal meningitis. Much like with chickenpox, the easiest way to prevent shingles is through childhood vaccination. After all, you\u2019ll never develop shingles if you didn\u2019t catch chickenpox as a child in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If, for whatever reason, your parents decided not to vaccinate you for chickenpox as a child and you did contract it, know that you should head to a hospital upon noticing the earliest signs of shingles. Immediate treatment is the best way to shorten the infection and reduce the risk of developing meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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

So far, most of the causes of spinal meningitis that we\u2019ve discussed can be prevented through childhood vaccinations of the MMR and chickenpox variety, that being said, there\u2019s also a more ubiquitous cause for spinal meningitis \u2014 flu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it may seem like nothing more than a seasonal annoyance, thousands of deaths each year are a result of the flu. In many of these cases, it\u2019s the complications resulting from flu that kills the patient rather than the flu itself. One such complication is spinal meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s worth noting that, if you\u2019re a healthy young adult then you\u2019ll most likely ride the flu out without facing any complications. That being said, there are certain risk groups who are more likely to develop complications such as meningitis after catching the flu. This includes infants below the age of two and adults 65 and over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. West Nile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While you won\u2019t hear about many malaria deaths in the United States, one mosquito-borne virus that has managed to make its way onto continental ground time and time again is the West Nile virus<\/a>. Most cases occur throughout the start of summer until the end of fall. Cases during the winter are rare as most mosquitos are dormant during the colder seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people are asymptomatic, and that\u2019s exactly what makes this virus so dangerous. Seeing as 8 out of 10 people don\u2019t even know they have the virus, they likely won\u2019t seek treatment until a complication \u2014 such as spinal meningitis \u2014 arises. While it is currently unknown what percentage of West Nile deaths come as a result of meningitis, there are many reports of meningitis developing as a result of the West Nile virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. HSV-1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Herpes simplex virus<\/a> type 1, more commonly referred to as HSV-1 or cold sores, is a common disease that affects a large percentage of the global population. While it\u2019s not nearly as stigmatized as HSV-2, the virus that causes genital herpes, there are still risks involved with the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The blisters it causes will often disappear in a few weeks without leaving a scar, but there have been reports of the virus causing spinal meningitis. It\u2019s unclear what percentage of HSV-1 patients develop meningitis due to the virus, but those who know they have HSV-1 should seek treatment if they notice meningitis symptoms. Antiviral medications are the most common form of treatment for HSV-1 patients and may reduce the risk of meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. HSV-2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, it\u2019s important to note that HSV-2 can also cause spinal meningitis. That being said, some studies show that developing meningitis from HSV-2 is rarer in comparison to the cases of meningitis caused by HSV-1. Scientists have speculated that this is due to the fact that the former causes infections in the genitals rather than the mouth, thus making it harder to spread to the meninges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, their studies are still in the early stages and they are yet to make a conclusive statement on the correlation between the two variants of HSV and meningitis<\/a>. Despite the uncertain frequency, there have been confirmed reports of meningitis developing during HSV-2 flare-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, if you know you have HSV-2 and begin to notice symptoms of meningitis then you should see your doctor for immediate treatment. Early treatment is the best way to avoid complications such as meningitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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