Thank you for visiting my (Dr. Ramin Rak’s) medical blog!

Today we will be going over the life-threatening condition known as meningitis.

The swelling many times identified with Meningitis triggers the early symptoms of fever, headache, and sore neck.

In many cases, the reason for meningitis stems from viral infections.

However, sometimes bacterial and fungal infections can cause meningitis. Depending upon the cause of the inflammation and the associated infection, meningitis conditions can be as simple as waiting a few days, or in some severe cases, can require immediate emergency care. People experiencing symptoms of meningitis are encouraged to see a doctor as soon as possible to safeguard against life threatening conditions.

Meningitis is fought off by antibacterial medication.

Early treatment of bacterial meningitis can prevent serious complications. I urge anyone experiencing the following symptoms to seek medical care immediately. Visit http://about.me/DrRaminRak for more info about my medical background.

• Sudden high fever
• Severe headache that isn’t easily confused with other types of headache
• Stiff neck
• Vomiting or nausea with headache
• Confusion or difficulty concentrating
• Seizures
• Sleepiness or difficulty waking up
• Sensitivity to light
• Lack of interest in drinking and eating
• Skin rash in some cases, such as in meningococcal meningitis

Symptoms in newborn babies are presented differently.

Please be on the lookout for these symptoms of early meningitis. If your newborn baby diagnosed with meningitis, I recommend parents seek professional counseling simultaneously with the newborn’s treatment and recovery period. The inability to comfort the newborn mentally can be burdening to any parent.

Look for these early signs:

• High fever
• Constant crying
• Excessive sleepiness or irritability
• Inactivity or sluggishness
• Poor feeding
• A bulge in the soft spot on top of a baby’s head (fontanel)
• Stiffness in a baby’s body and neck

Always seek medical care first before self-prescribing medications.

Any of the listed symptoms could be signs of many of other medical conditions.  A misdiagnosis could lead to life-threatening implications. Visit my website or Tumblr for more information.