Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs. Meningitis can be life-threatening because of the inflammation's proximity to the brain and spinal cord; therefore, the condition is classified as a medical emergency.
Viral meningitis occurs more often than bacterial meningitis, and is milder. It usually occurs in the late summer and early fall. It most often affects children and adults under age 30.
Bacteria meningitis is an emergency. You will need immediate treatment in a hospital. Symptoms usually come on quickly, and may include:
- Fever and chills
- Mental status changes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- Severe headache
- Stiff neck (meningismus)
Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:
- Agitation
- Bulging fontanelles in babies
- Decreased alertness
- Poor feeding or irritability in children
- Rapid breathing
- Unusual posture, with the head and neck arched backwards (opisthotonos)
4 Nursing Diagnosis for Meningitis
- Altered Levels of Consciousness related to the process of infection and neurological impairment.
- Increased body temperature related to the inflammatory response of the central nervous system.
- Ineffective airway clearance related to neuromuscular damage.
- Imbalanced Nutrition Less than Body Requirements related to changes in the ability to digest nutrients.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meningitis
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000680.htm
http://nanda-diagnosis.blogspot.com/2014/11/assessment-functional-health-patterns.html