10 Viral Meningitis Symptoms

By leslie

Reviewed: dr. stavarache

Article Sources

Article Sources

• 1. ’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html
• 2. ’Viral Meningitis.’ Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508
• 3. Logan SA, MacMahon E. ‘Viral Meningitis.’ British Medical Journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2174764
• 4. ’Meningitis rash: Pictures, symptoms, and test.’ Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324726

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Viral meningitis is a condition in which the protective tissue covering the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges, becomes inflamed. The inflammation may cause headaches, fever, a stiff neck and other symptoms. The symptoms of viral meningitis are different for babies and young children.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html

Viral meningitis sometimes follows a case of mumps, a cold sore or other viral diseases such as West Nile virus, measles or the flu. Most cases resolve without treatment in seven to 10 days, but they may also lead to serious complications. At particular risk are children less than five years old and people with immune system problems.²’Viral Meningitis.’ Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508

Fever

A common first symptom of viral meningitis is a high fever. Typically, it appears suddenly and may last a few days to a week. The fever can be managed with over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen or aspirin. If it's very high and lasts more than a week, emergency medical intervention may be necessary.

Newborn babies experiencing high fevers are more vulnerable to complications that may be fatal. At the first sign of a high fever or other meningitis symptoms, caregivers should take a baby for emergency care. Admission to the hospital may be necessary.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html

Stiff Neck

A classic sign of meningitis is a stiff neck. In conjunction with other common symptoms, it may lead clinicians to suspect meningitis. The inflammation accompanying the disease as it attacks the covering of the spine at the neck level can cause swelling and irritation of the nerves that originate in the spinal cord and travel outward.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html

Medications, such as acetaminophen and aspirin, may help relieve the pain, and warm compresses applied to the neck region may help relieve some of the stiffness.

Severe Headache

The mechanism that causes a stiff and painful neck with meningitis may also cause a severe headache. Some viral meningitis patients describe the headache as different from regular headaches. This perception may be due to swelling around the brain, which can put pressure on cranial nerves in the brain.

The headaches experienced with viral meningitis may come and go for up to two weeks. Over-the-counter pain medications may help alleviate the discomfort they cause.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html

Confusion and Difficulty Concentrating

The swelling resulting from inflammation of the meninges can cause pain and stiffness. It also causes a sense of being unable to concentrate and keep external stimuli straight. This, combined with a high fever, can make a person feel exhausted and limit their ability to stay on task and solve problems.

This brain fog sensation may last over the duration of the illness, or it may come and go. Antiviral medications may help to eliminate the cause of the swelling.²’Viral Meningitis.’ Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508

Sleepiness or Difficulty Waking

Viral meningitis mimics the flu in that it can make people feel tired. Sleepiness and trouble waking up are common symptoms of meningitis in both adults and children. It may be the result of tissue swelling and viruses in the fluid surrounding the brain.

While viral meningitis may go away on its own after about a week, it can be a serious illness with serious complications. As the body fights to eliminate the virus, fatigue and extended sleep needs may follow.

Light Sensitivity

Photophobia is the term for the inability to tolerate light. People with viral meningitis may experience this sensation that's described as pain in the eyes and involuntary squinting. Eventually, too much light may cause a headache or make a person feel worse.

The cause of photophobia may be the tendency of meningitis to interfere in the normal processes of the brain. This symptom may resolve as the illness improves.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html A cloth over the eyes may help alleviate it.

Lack of Appetite

Inflammation around the brain may cause a loss of appetite along with nausea and vomiting. Disruption in communication in the brain and spinal cord due to the inflammation can slow down food processing in the body's digestive tract.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html^,2’Viral Meningitis.’ Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508

The stomach may empty more slowly, or even reject food through vomiting. Consuming clear liquids, such as broth and electrolyte drinks, may provide the nutrition a person needs until their lack of appetite resolves.

Skin Rash

A viral meningitis rash is caused by bleeding under the skin. In this way, it differs from rashes caused by irritation or allergies. It commonly appears as a pinprick-like mark called petechiae that may be red, brown, pink or purple. The rash may also look like a bruise.

A person who develops a petechial rash along with other meningitis symptoms should seek medical attention. The appearance of a rash may mean that the blood is infected with the virus.⁴’Meningitis rash: Pictures, symptoms, and test.’ Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324726

Behavioral Symptoms

In babies, the inability to communicate with words to describe how they feel makes it vital that caregivers are alert to certain signs and symptoms of viral meningitis. These can include constant crying and excessive sleeping. Also, the baby may react to light by squinting or closing his or her eyes.

A baby with viral meningitis may be sluggish and listless. They may be irritable and react to being picked up by stiffening their body, and the baby may refuse to nurse.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html ²’Viral Meningitis.’ Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508

Objective Symptoms of Viral Meningitis in Newborns

Objective symptoms aren't behaviors themselves but may cause behavioral signs to appear. High fever is one of these symptoms, which can cause listlessness and lethargy. Nausea and vomiting, with a lack of interest in nursing, are other examples.¹’Viral Meningitis.’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/viral.html

A viral meningitis rash may be present in newborns and is a sign that immediate medical treatment is needed. Another symptom of viral meningitis is a bulge in the soft spot, or fontanel, on a baby's head.²’Viral Meningitis.’ Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meningitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350508