Meningeal signs and sysmptoms

Question 1

Meningeal

Signs-Symptoms:

Answer 1

• Sympt: fever, headache, confusion or altered consciousness, vomiting, and an inability to tolerate light or loud noises.

Stiff neck (during passive neck flextion)

• Kernig’s sign (painful to extend leg from 90 degrees)
• Brudzinski’s sign (involuntary leg lift when head lifted off the table – neck flexions)
• *infections of ear and oral cavity–>higher chance of meningitis

Question 2

Meningeal

Diag:

Answer 2

• diag: CSF, blood tests (CRP, CBC)

Question 3

Meningeal

Treatment:

Answer 3

• Tx: antibiotics (3rdgen cephalosporins: Cefotaxime, Ceftriaxone, Ceftazidime), acyclovir
• *if suspected, give antibiotics immediately (no need to wait for CSF culture result)

to reduce risk of sepsis