Meningitis : Symptoms

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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; Decreased consciousness; Op...
Source:ADAM
Date:November 12, 2007
Meningitis is a serious inflammation of the meninges, the membranes (lining) that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can be of bacterial, viral, or fungal origin.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Meningitis is a potentially fatal inflammation of the meninges, the thin, membranous covering of the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis is most commonly caused by infection (by bacteria, viruses, or fungi), although it can also be caused by ble...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Meningitis is a potentially fatal inflammation of the meninges, the thin, membranous covering of the brain and the spinal cord . Meningitis is most commonly caused by infection ( bacteria , viruses , or fungi ), although it can also be caused by b...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Encephalitis is an acute inflammatory process that affects brain tissue and is almost always accompanied by inflammation of the adjacent meninges (tissues lining the brain). There are many types of encephalitis, most of which are caused by viral i...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Decreased consciousness is reduced alertness or awareness.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 6, 2007
Most people over age 65 have some hearing loss, and by age 80, almost everyone does. Because hearing loss usually occurs slowly over the years, you may not realize your hearing ability has gotten worse.
Source:StayWell
As you age, some hearing loss is normal. You lose more than the ability to hear how loud a sound is. You also lose the ability to hear certain types of sounds. For example, you might not be able to hear some of the high-pitched sounds of a child's voice.
Source:StayWell
A bulging fontanelle is an outward curving of an infant's soft spot (fontanelle.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 15, 2007
Chills refers to feeling cold after an exposure to a cold environment. The word can also refer to an episode of shivering, accompanied by paleness and feeling cold.
Source:ADAM
Date:January 18, 2007
Chills is the common name for a feeling of coldness accompanied by shivering and possibly fever . Causes & symptoms Chills may occur due to the following reasons: Exposure to extremely low outside temperature.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Disorientation, the lack of being able to correctly identify oneself, one's location, or the date and time, is a sign of an altered mental status. An alteration in mental status is often an indication of a serious medical problem, requiring prompt medical attention.
Source:HealthLine
Date:December 31, 2007
Drowsiness refers to feeling abnormally sleepy during the day - often with a strong tendency to actually fall asleep in inappropriate situations or at inappropriate times.
Source:ADAM
Date:October 31, 2007
Each year, at least 100,000 vehicular crashes and 1,550 deaths are caused by drivers who are impaired by sleepiness.
Source:StayWell
When drowsiness occurs most of the time or causes a person to fall asleep at inappropriate times, quality of life and performance can be affected.
Source:StayWell
Hypersomnia refers to a set of related disorders that involve excessive daytime sleepiness. There are two main categories of hypersomnia: primary hypersomnia (sometimes called idiopathic hypersomnia) and recurrent hypersomnia (sometimes called recurrent primary hypersomnia).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
A feeding disorder of infancy or early childhood is the failure of a young child to obtain adequate nutrition, which is reflected by weight loss or a failure to gain weight appropriately for development. See also: Poor feeding in infants
Source:ADAM
Date:October 11, 2007
Detailed information on breastfeeding and plugged milk ducts
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on breastfeeding and plugged milk ducts
Source:StayWell
Sometimes a person feels hot to touch due to illness or environmental situation that causes elevated core temperature. A compounding factor can be dehydration (lack of fluids.
Source:HealthLine
Normal body temperature varies by person, age, activity, and time of day. The average normal body temperature is 98.6?F (37?C.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 27, 2008
A fever is any body temperature elevation over100.4 ? F (38 ? C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Detailed information on fevers in children
Source:StayWell
A fever is a special cause for concern in infants younger than 3 months of age. Parents and caregivers should be most concerned with changes in eating or sleeping habits, coughing, pain or other marked changes.
Source:StayWell
A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100 ? F (37.8 ? C).
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Fever is defined as an abnormally high body temperature or a regulated rise to a new set point of body temperature. While a body temperature above 100 ? F(37.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
An elevated body temperature. While the standard for normal body temperature is 98.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence
Normal body temperature varies somewhat from one individual to another but displays a general range and pattern around the " normal " temperature of 98.6 ? F.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
One minute you're hot; the next, you're chilled and your teeth chatter. You've got a fever. But look on the bright side: Fever seems to serve a helpful function in the body.
Source:StayWell
Buying a thermometer isn't as easy as it used to be. You face an array of choices. But the decision doesn't have to be hard. Like temperature, it's a matter of degrees.
Source:StayWell
Most medical professionals agree a fever by itself is not an illness; it is a symptom of an underlying problem. Fevers actually can be a positive sign the body is fighting an infection. However, a fever can cause discomfort for a child.
Source:StayWell
A fever is a way for the body to fight infection. But it may also be a sign of a serious illness, especially in children younger than 3 months and children who haven't been immunized. Know when to seek medical care for your child.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on fever, including when to call your physician
Source:StayWell
The best way to take an infant's temperature is rectally with a digital thermometer (never use a glass mercury thermometer). Taking the temperature under the arm, or using an ear thermometer, is less exact.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on children and fever, including symptoms and treatment
Source:StayWell
Use a digital thermometer to take your child's temperature; never use a glass mercury thermometer. Most children aged three years and older can hold a thermometer under their tongue. If your child is younger than that, or you're having difficulty with the oral method, talk to your doctor about the best way to take his temperature.
Source:StayWell
Hyperthermia is the use of therapeutic heat to treat various cancers on and inside the body. Purpose The purpose of hyperthermia is to shrink and hopefully destroy cancer without harming noncancerous cells.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Hyperthermia involves raising the body ' s core temperature as a means of eradicating tumors. The treatment simulates fever .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Separated sutures are abnormally wide spaces in the bony joints of the skull in an infant.
Source:ADAM
Date:August 15, 2007
A generalized tonic-clonic seizure is a seizure involving the entire body, which usually involves muscle rigidity, violent muscle contractions, and loss of consciousness.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 21, 2006
A headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom HEADACHE THERAPIES Type Acupressure Press pointer fingers beneath cheekbones and parallel to pupils (Stomach 3) for one minute. Squeeze fleshy area between thumb and pointer finger (Large Intestine 4) for one minute.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
This report helps you identify the cause of your headache and learn what to do about it. Includes the latest treatments, such as new medications and mind/body techniques.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on headaches, including the different types of headaches and statistics relating to headaches
Source:StayWell
About 90 percent of all headaches are harmless episodes that can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers, either alone or together with rest, ice packs or relaxation techniques.
Source:StayWell
Most headaches in kids are caused by tension, not disease. Your pediatrician can determine what kind of headache your child has.
Source:StayWell
Youngsters' most common head pain is a tension headache—a dull ache that feels like pressure around the head.
Source:StayWell
When seeking treatment for headaches, start with your primary care provider. Most people who suffer from headaches tell their doctors about their pain only as an afterthought. And 31 percent have never seen a health care provider for their condition, according to the National Headache Foundation (NHF). The result is a lot of needless suffering.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on headaches, including types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Can dehydration cause headaches? Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications. He is recognized as an outstanding clinician and teacher and is a recipient of the Internal Medicine Teacher of the Year award at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine continues to practice Internal Medicine; most recently he became a hospitalist after practicing primary care for over 20 years.
Source:StayWell
An old theory about the connection between headache and high blood pressure makes a comeback.
Source:StayWell
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are extremely rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax, and occasionally by taking medications. See also: Tension headache; Cluster headache; Migraine with aura; Migraine without aura.
Source:ADAM
Date:June 19, 2008
A headache involves pain in the head which can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself. There are three types of primary headaches: tension-type (muscular contraction headache), migraine (vascular headaches), and cluster.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom of an underlying medical condition or disease. The medical term for headache is cephalalgia.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
A headache involves pain in the head that can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself. Headaches can be categorized as primary or secondary.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Detailed information on headaches, including the different types of headaches and statistics relating to headaches
Source:StayWell
Irritability is an excessive response to stimuli.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 12, 2007
Children can become cranky, fussy or irritable for many reasons. Often it's because they're hungry or just tired. But sometimes irritability can be a sign of illness in children.
Source:StayWell
Don't Catch a Bad MoodLike the common cold, human emotions are highly contagious."It's easy to get swept up in somebody else's emotions," says James Page, M.D., a psychiatrist in Greenville, SC.
Source:StayWell
Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 22, 2007
Anorexia is characterized by a loss of appetite or lack of desire to eat. Anorexia is common in cancer patients with reported incidence between 15% and 40%.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Detailed information on anorexia, including causes, characteristics, types, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prevention
Source:StayWell
Appetite StimulationSymptom and Description Loss of appetite is a loss of the desire to eat. Not eating can lead to weight loss.
Source:StayWell
Your loss of appetite may be because of anxiety or depression, aging, medications or a health concern.
Source:StayWell
A harvard Medical school physician answers your question about the prevalence of anorexia in men, and discusses the biological and environmental factors that influence the disorder in both sexes.
Source:StayWell
Women suffering from anorexia nervosa may benefit more from general support than in-depth therapy, according to a recent study.
Source:StayWell
Nausea is the sensation of having an urge to vomit. Vomiting is forcing the contents of the stomach up through the esophagus and out of the mouth.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 25, 2007
Vomiting can deplete you of fluids and electrolytes, so repeated vomiting requires medical treatment if it results in a lasting lightheaded feeling or weakness.
Source:StayWell
 A Recipe to Ease Nausea: Gingerbread With Brown Sugar Meringue"Gingerbread. Ginger cookies.
Source:StayWell
Nausea is the sensation of having a queasy stomach or being about to vomit. Vomiting , or emesis, is the expelling of undigested food through the mouth.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Will excess fluid in the ear cause dizziness and nausea? David Vernick, M.D. is assistant clinical professor of otology and laryngology at Harvard Medical School and interim chief of the Division of Otology and Laryngology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Source:StayWell
Pain - neck; Neck stiffness Neck pain may begin in any of the structures in the neck. These include muscles and nerves as well as spinal vertebrae and the cushioning disks in between. Neck pain may also come from regions near the neck, like the sh...
Source:ADAM
Date:April 29, 2008
Neck pain is a nonspecific symptom of discomfort that has a number of possible causes. Depending on the cause, neck pain may be experienced as limited to the neck itself (localized), or as radiating to the shoulders and upper arm.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Detailed information on neck pain and the most common types of neck problems
Source:StayWell
Physical therapy for back and neck pain is the treatment of this pain using professionally accepted techniques and procedures carried out by a physical therapist. Purpose The ultimate purpose of physical therapy is to restore normal function to the patient.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Do your neck and shoulders feel stiff when you awake in the morning? Or do they seize painfully with no warning? If so, you have plenty of company. Doctors estimate that 7 out of 10 people will be troubled by neck pain at some point in their lives, often causing daily aching in the neck and shoulder area. One in 10 adults is hurting right now, and for 1 in 20, the pain is longstanding and intense enough to severely limit the ability to work and play.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on neck pain and the most common types of neck problems
Source:StayWell
Learn the most effective exercises, therapies, and ergonomic strategies for this debilitating condition.
Source:StayWell
Even if your neck pain is caused by an injury or a worsening condition, self-care can often provide relief. In some cases, however, you should seek medical attention right away.
Source:StayWell
Most neck pain is caused by sleeping on a bed that’s too soft, poor posture, stress, neck strains or degenerative joint disease that occurs when the joints of the neck become inflamed or a disc pushes outward from its normal position.
Source:StayWell
Neck pain may be a symptom of a serious or even dangerous condition that requires prompt evaluation.
Source:StayWell
The neck is the most flexible part of your spine. However, because it is not well protected by muscles, it's also easy to injure.
Source:StayWell
Your neck spends a lot of time supporting your head - - here's how to manage the neck pain that may result.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on back and neck pain, including causes, prevention, and rehabilitation
Source:StayWell
Definition and classification Pain is a universal human experience. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as " an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Expert-reviewed information summary about pain as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of cancer-associated pain are discussed.
Source:StayWell
Pain, medically termed "nociception," is a response to noxious stimuli that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons . The discomfort signals actual or impending injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Communicating About PainResourcesAmerican Pain Foundation888-615-7246www.painfoundation.orgAmerican Chronic Pain Associationwww.theacpa.orgThe National Pain Foundation www.painconnection.orgYou have a right to have pain treated. Untreated pain can...
Source:StayWell
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Measuring Your PainA pain scale helps you rate pain intensity. In the scale, 0 means no pain, and 10 is the worst pain possible.
Source:StayWell
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body. Pain arises from any number of situations.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
This comprehensive report describes the many causes of pain, the latest treatments, and the best preventive strategies.
Source:StayWell
I have recurring sores in my mouth, most generally on the sides of my tongue, and the tip of my tongue gets very tender and sore. Do I have a vitamin deficiency? What else could be the cause of this?
Source:StayWell
Examines the role of forgiveness in personal health and happiness, ranging from reduced stress to improved relationships.
Source:StayWell
Children who experience verbal abuse are at as much risk for developing anxiety or depression as those who are abused physically or sexually. This may be due to the fact that verbal abuse is likely to persist over a lengthy period of time.
Source:StayWell
A normal breathing rate for an adult at rest is 8 to 16 breaths/minute. For an infant, a normal rate is up to 44 breaths/minute. Tachypnea is a medical term that your doctor would use to describe your breathing if it is too fast, particularly if you have rapid, shallow breathing due to an associated lung disease or other medical cause. In contrast, the term hyperventilation is usually used if you are taking rapid, deep breaths because of anxiety or panic. The terms may be used interchangeably, however.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 13, 2006
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal, increased tension, and irritability.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 26, 2008
Opisthotonos is a condition of abnormal posturing that involves rigidity and severe arching of the back, with the head thrown backward. If a person with opisthotonos were laid on his or her back, only the back of the head and the heels would touch the supporting surface.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 22, 2007
Breathing that slows down or stops from any cause is called apnea. Apnea can come once in a while and be temporary. This can occur with obstructive sleep apnea, for example. Prolonged apnea means a person has stopped breathing. This is also called respiratory arrest when the heart is still active. Prolonged apnea accompanied by lack of any cardiac activity and a patient who is not responsive is called cardiac arrest.
Source:ADAM
Date:February 19, 2008
Vomiting is the forceful discharge of stomach contents through the mouth. Vomiting, also called emesis, is a symptomatic response to any number of harmful triggers.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Although nausea and vomiting can make you feel miserable, it's important to remember that these are not diseases, but rather symptoms of many illnesses.
Source:StayWell
Nausea with or without vomiting is common in children. Most of the time, the cause is not serious. The symptoms usually go away in a day or two and can be managed at home. However, there are times when you should alert your child's doctor immediately.
Source:StayWell
Vomiting is very common in babies. Sometimes it can be entirely normal, like when babies spit up mouthfuls of breastmilk or formula after eating. Sometimes it can be a sign of illness or a blockage somewhere in the intestines. Less commonly, it can even be a sign of accidental poisoning or be caused by a bad bump to the head.
Source:StayWell