Viral Meningitis Recovery

Meningitis is defined as a condition where in, the tissues that surround the brain or spinal cord known as meninges are subjected to inflammation due to an infection caused by a virus or bacteria. A viral meningitis, as the name suggests, is commonly brought upon by any one of the viruses like herpes simplex, chickenpox, measles, mumps or polio, coxsackie, A virus, St. Louis Encephalitis virus, etc.

There might also be certain underlying causes which can manifest themselves through viral meningitis. Some of these causes include mefenamic acid, leptospira canicola, sleeping sickness (east African), sleeping sickness (west African), whipple's disease, relapsing fever, mycobacterium tuberculosis, cryptococcus neoformans, toxoplasma, typhus fever, treponema pallidum, malaria, naegleria, etc. This infection is, however, not considered as severe or fatal which most bacterial meningitis may turn out to be.

Symptoms
The symptoms of viral meningitis are similar to those of bacterial meningitis. These include fever, severe headache, vomiting, sensitivity to bright light and stiffness in neck. Other signs such as lethargy, sleepiness, difficulty in waking up, tiredness, confusion and decrease in the level of alertness may also show up. Symptoms of viral meningitis in babies which parents must watch out for are fever with hands and feet growing cold in their babies, refusing to be fed, fretfulness, retracting neck, vomiting, resistance to being handled and high pitched moaning or cries or whimpering. Affected babies may have staring expression, poor muscle tone, diarrhea, jaundice, seizures, tiredness or lethargy. In some cases of viral meningitis, red and flat rashes have also been observed to be covering the whole of the body or just the arms and the legs.

Treatment
As with most viral infections or virus inflicted illnesses, viral meningitis has no specific treatment, except, taking measure to relieve the symptoms. Having said that, most people suffering from viral meningitis attain full recuperation within a week or two without any therapy. However, some patients might take longer to achieve full recovery even after the illness has healed. Temporary aftereffects such as muscle weakness, tiredness, headache, muscle spasms, insomnia, or personality changes such as behavioral problems and inability to concentrate may be exhibited in such people.

The treatment includes plenty of rest and increased fluid intake and some over-the-counter medications to relieve headaches and reduce fever. During the recovery period, it is advisable that the patient rests in a darkened and quiet room. Food should be bland and easily digestible to prevent vomiting. Avoid bright lights or other factors which may produce noise, as this may aggravate the discomfort of the patient. Depending on the type of virus which has caused the illness, doctors may prescribe the required antiviral medications for the treatment; for example the Herpes virus/varicella (chickenpox) virus may be treated with anti-viral drugs.

Viral meningitis, although mild by nature, has a rare and a complex complication of developing a fluid build up near the brain. So, if the recovery from the infection takes a longer time than expected and if the symptoms do not show any improvements in their retreat and become worse over time, then a medical visit could be wise. Other than this, a watchful wait is all that is required.