Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of Deadly Meningitis | Faulkner's Drug Store
Did you know that April 25 is recognized as World Meningitis Day? Faulkner’s Drug Store would like to help raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of the disease and help families better understand the vaccines that are available.
Meningitis refers to an inflammation of the fluid and membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord. It is a potentially deadly disease that impacts more than a million people around the world every year. Here are some of the facts you should know:
There are three main types of meningitis infection–bacterial, viral and fungal or environmental.
Bacterial meningitis is the most severe and common form of the disease, and it causes about 170,000 deaths worldwide each year.
Survivors of meningitis may face long-term effects including deafness, brain damage, learning difficulties, seizures, challenges with physical activities and loss of limbs.
Infants and children under five and adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years old are most at risk for meningitis. However, people of all ages can contract meningitis.
Some forms of meningitis are preventable with vaccines.
It’s imperative that you don’t wait if you suspect a loved one has meningitis because death can occur within 24 hours. Get medical attention immediately!
Symptoms may be similar to those of the common flu and can develop within hours.
The main symptoms often include a fever, rash, vomiting, severe headache, a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, and drowsiness/difficulty to wake. These signs don’t appear in any definite order, may not occur all together, or they may not appear at all.
Other symptoms that might be experienced by older children and adults include behavioral changes, cold hands and feet, irritability, listlessness, diarrhea, pale or blotchy skin, a blank or staring expression, rapid breathing, seizures or convulsions, and muscle, leg or joint pain.
In infants, additional symptoms may include an unusually high-pitched cry, a sudden dislike of being handled, refusal of food or drink, a unusually vacant expression, pale or blotchy skin and irritability as well as a bulging fontanelle or neck retraction.
Until a medical professional can determine the cause of meningitis, it must be treated as a medical emergency.
This April, ask your doctor about the vaccines available to your family to prevent some strains of meningitis. Continue to stay updated on the health issues which impact our community by liking Faulkner’s Drug Store on Facebook too! Our friendly and educated staff are proud to help our community get and stay healthy.