Meningitis cause neck stiffness. Before proceeding toward the causes of neck stiffness in Meningitis, we need to know what Meningitis is and, before it, where the word Meningitis comes from?
It has come from meninges. Now, what are meninges? These three protective membranes envelop the brain and spinal cord and separate them from their bony cases (skull and vertebral column).
Now we can assess the word Meningitis. It is a condition of swelling in these meninges, which can cause different problems in one’s body.
Neck stiffness is caused by Meningitis because meninges run in the brain and spinal cord through the neck, which is a highly mobile area in all. If the meninges become inflamed and painful with movement, it will reduce activity in the neck and cause neck stiffness due to Meningitis. Neck stiffness caused by Meningitis is vastly different from the minor muscle strains, and sometimes it needs to be cured immediately. Let’s talk about it in detail.
What is Meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The node from Meningitis typically triggers the signs and symptoms of headache, fever, and stiff neck.
In most cases, Meningitis is caused by a viral infection, but in some cases, it can be due to bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections. However, injuries, cancer, and other conditions can also cause Meningitis.
Some cases of Meningitis can improve without treatment in a few weeks. But others can be dangerous and life-threatening and must need emergency treatment through antibiotics.
It is essential to know the exact cause of Meningitis as the treatment differs depending upon the cause. It can affect a person at any age. To date, no vaccination protects 100% against Meningitis.
Causes of Meningitis:
Viral Meningitis is the most common and least serious type of Meningitis. Bacterial Meningitis is rare but dangerous and life-threatening.
Bacterial Meningitis:
Bacteria that enter in bloodstream and then travel to the brain o cause acute bacterial Meningitis. The Bacterial Meningitis cause neck stiffness
The most common Meningitis causing bacteria are:
- Streptococcus pneumonia
It is the most common cause of Meningitis in infants, young children, and adults. It causes pneumonia and ear or sinus infections.
- Neisseria meningitis:
It commonly causes respiratory infections. It is a highly contagious infection that affects teenagers.
- Haemophilus influenza:
Once, it was the leading cause of Meningitis, but now it is reduced through vaccination.
Chronic Meningitis:
It is caused by slow-growing organisms (such as fungi and Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that invade the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and cause chronic Meningitis.
It takes up to two weeks or more to develop. Symptoms include headache, fever, vomiting, and mental cloudiness.
Fungal Meningitis:
It is uncommon to others, contracted by breathing in fungal spores found in soil, decaying wood, and bird droppings.
This type of Meningitis is not contagious from person to person. Cryptococcal Meningitis is a common fungal disease that affects people with immune deficiency diseases like AIDS. It can be life-threatening if not treated with antifungal medication.
Parasitic Meningitis:
They cause a rare type of Meningitis known as eosinophilic Meningitis. Parasitic Meningitis can also be caused by tapeworm infection in the brain or cerebral malaria.
Symptoms Indicating Meningitis:
At an early stage, Meningitis has the symptoms of flu and other milder illness. But as it can be life-threatening, it is necessary to know the signs of Meningitis as soon as possible to differentiate it from other diseases.
A bad headache and stiff neck are the key symptoms of Meningitis which indicate the inflammation of meninges around the head and neck.
These two symptoms differentiate Meningitis from other common flu. The sensitivity to light makes it more apparent that a person must be suffering from Meningitis than other illnesses.
The tumbler test to identify Meningitis:
A well-known symptom to indicate Meningitis is a distinctive red rash that does not go away by pressing a glass against it (called the tumbler test).
It indicates blood poisoning (septicemia) due to bacterial Meningitis, which means the infection has already spread and requires urgent medical care. As the red rash indicates bacterial Meningitis,
The symptoms of bacterial meningitis can appear quickly:
Like flu, the symptoms of Meningitis can happen fast. In the case of bacterial Meningitis, it can diagnose earlier as it is also hazardous and life-threatening and must be cured immediately.
The symptoms of viral Meningitis cause neck stiffness, a stiff neck and fever not meningitis always and it appears three to seven days after exposure to the virus. This type of Meningitis is less aggressive than bacterial Meningitis.
Meningitis neck pain location varies but it is usually on the borders and back end of neck.
Fungal Meningitis comes on gradually:
It is sporadic, caused by the inhalation of fungus present in the soil. It sometimes takes months to appear. This Meningitis cause neck stiffness too.
Meningitis Symptoms in babies:
Meningitis in babies may not display prominent symptoms but only tiredness and sleepiness. But it can be dangerous quickly, so parents should be very aware of the signs and immediately consult the doctor. Common symptoms of Meningitis include:
- Fever
- Cold hands and feet with a warm torso
- Chills
- A stiff neck
- Rapid breathing
- Vomiting persistently
- Refuse to feed
- Red or dark rash on the body
How long do the symptoms of Meningitis last?
It depends on the type of treatment as there are different causes of Meningitis; that’s why their effects and symptoms are also distinguishable by time and treatment. Bacterial Meningitis has to be diagnosed earlier to treat it and prevent it after impact properly.
Treatment will depend on the cause of infection, but typically the antibiotics are administered in the vein after the diagnosis is confirmed. It is in the case if you have bacterial Meningitis, but if it is not bacterial, then the administration of the antibiotic is stopped.
How does Meningitis cause neck Stiffness?
Most people are familiar with stiff necks. Sometimes it appears upon waking up or lifting a heavy object.
Sometimes it goes away on its own. But in the case of Meningitis, the situation is different. As the meninges cover the brain and spinal cord and run through the neck, only the neck area is highly mobile.
If the meninges become inflamed and painful, the reduction of movement will be noticeable in the neck. If one observes neck stiffness without any injury and it does not go away in a week, Meningitis may be the reason that Meningitis cause neck stiffness.
How to cure neck stiffness caused by Meningitis?
A person should consult the doctor if he thinks he may have Meningitis. He should not wait for the other symptoms or rash to appear. If a person has a stiff neck, headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, it can signify Meningitis. These symptoms should not be ignored, and one must take medication immediately.
Following are the vaccines used to cure neck stiffness in Meningitis:
- Pneumococcal vaccine helps against Streptococcus pneumonia.
- The meningococcal vaccine helps against Neisseria meningitis.
- Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) was used against Hib.
- Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine is used against tuberculosis.
Risk factors for Meningitis
Meningitis includes the following risk factors. Patients suffering from immune deficiency are more vulnerable to Meningitis.
Some disorders and treatments may weaken your immune, such as AIDS, autoimmune diseases, chemotherapy, organ or bone marrow transplant, cancer, etc.
Treatment for Meningitis:
The treatment for Meningitis depends upon the type of infection one is having:
· Bacterial Meningitis:
The acute Meningitis caused by bacteria is cured with the help of antibiotics. It helps to ensure recovery and minimizes the risk factors such as brain swelling or seizures. The doctor will prescribe the antibiotics according to the type of infection one has.
· Viral Meningitis:
Usually, there is no specific treatment for viral Meningitis, and it can be recovered on its own in 7 to 10 days. Mostly it cannot be cured by antibiotics. Its treatment includes:
- Bed rest
- Plenty of fluids
- Over-the-counter medications for the treatment of body aches and to reduce fever.
· Other types of Meningitis:
If the cause of Meningitis is not known, then the doctor will recommend bacterial or viral antibiotics until the cause is diagnosed. In some cases, no treatment is required, and it is recovered independently.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does Meningitis cause a stiff neck?
Meningitis can cause a stiff neck. It causes inflammation in the meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. A person may feel stiffness in the neck because it is the mobile area that meninges cover.
Why does infection cause a stiff neck?
Mostly in Meningitis, the cerebrospinal fluids and their surrounding meninges become infected and inflamed. As the neck area is mobile so this inflammation of the meninges causes pain and stiffness in the neck.
What is the stiff neck associated with Meningitis called?
The stiff neck associated with Meningitis is called nuchal rigidity. It is the tightness and inability of neck muscles to move or have pain trying to do this.
It is an early warning sign of many conditions, and some of them may get serious. Nuchal rigidity or stiff neck caused by Meningitis ranges from minor pain to complete inability to move the neck side to side.
Why does your neck get stiff when you have a fever?
When you have flu, cold, or fever, your neck may stiff because viruses make your muscles achy and sore. But in the case of Meningitis, fever may get high as 103 degrees Celsius but not always. If you have a fever, painful headache, and stiffness, it may lead to Meningitis.
How does Meningitis cause neck stiffness?
The meninges are inflamed in Meningitis due to viral and bacterial infection because the nerve fibers may be activated and lead to headaches and stiff necks.
Conclusion:
Bacterial Meningitis is dangerous as it gets severe and may be life-threatening if not treated on time. It may lead to death sometimes.
While viral meningitis is not as severe as bacterial, it may recover independently. Symptoms commonly include stiff neck, high fever, and vomiting.
Meningitis does not always cause a stiff neck, but if it does not go away after a week with a headache, it may lead to Meningitis and needs treatment as soon as possible. Neck stiffness caused by Meningitis gets severe if not treated on time.
If viral Meningitis causes neck stiffness, it is not as dangerous as bacterial infection. Many vaccines and precautionary measurements are available to cure the disease on time.