Treatment of meningitis should be initiated as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms, such as difficulty moving the neck, constant fever greater than 38 degrees Celsius or vomiting, for example.
As a general rule, the treatment of meningitis depends on the type of microorganism that caused the disease and should therefore be initiated in the hospital with diagnostic tests, such as blood tests, to identify the type of meningitis and determine the most appropriate treatment..
- Treatment of bacterial meningitis is always done in the hospital with an injection of antibiotics.
- Such as penicillin.
- To combat the bacteria that cause the disease and prevent the development of complications such as vision loss or deafness.
- See the other sequelae that meningitis can cause because.
In addition, during hospitalization, which can take approximately 1 week, it may also be necessary to use other medicines, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to reduce fever and relieve muscle pain, thus reducing the patient’s discomfort.
In more severe cases, where it is not possible to control symptoms of the disease, the patient may be hospitalized for longer in an intensive care unit to receive fluids in the vein and produce oxygen.
Treatment of viral meningitis can be done at home as it is generally easier than treating bacterial meningitis, however, there is no drug or antibiotic that can eliminate the virus that causes the disease and is therefore important to control symptoms.
Therefore, during treatment, it is recommended to
As a general rule, treatment of viral meningitis can take approximately 2 weeks, and during this time it is advisable to do a medical evaluation once a week to evaluate the course of treatment.
Signs of improvement in meningitis appear approximately 3 days after starting treatment and include, for example, decreased fever, muscle pain relief, increased appetite, and decreased difficulty moving the neck.
Signs of worsening meningitis occur when treatment doesn’t start quickly and include increased fever, confusion, apathy, and seizures.If symptoms of meningitis get worse, it is recommended to go to the emergency room immediately so as not to endanger the patient’s life.