One of the things that makes meningococcal disease so potentially dangerous is that
it comes on very quickly — often in a matter of hours. Many times, it seems like the flu or another common illness.
2 Because of this, many people do not get the treatment they need until the disease has gotten much worse.
When it comes to treating meningitis, speed is essential.
2 Knowing what to look for can help you fight back sooner. Here are some of the symptoms to watch for. Remember, a person with meningococcal disease might not have all of these symptoms or have them all at the same time.
2,6,8,9
Table: Possible symptoms of meningitis.
| SYMPTOM: |
DESCRIPTION: |
| Severe headache. |
A person with meningitis may describe the headache as the worst one they’ve ever had. |
| High fever. |
The infection can cause a high fever (103°F or over) which does not get lower with a tepid bath or fever-reducing medicine. |
| Stiff neck. |
Swelling in the meninges (membranes around the spinal cord and brain) causes a stiff neck that makes it extremely painful to move the neck or head. |
| Nausea and vomiting. |
Vomiting is common with many illnesses. However, if vomiting happens with the other symptoms listed, it may be caused by meningitis. |
| Numbness or loss of feeling. |
Sepsis (also known as blood poisoning) can reduce the amount of blood that gets to a person’s hands and feet, causing numbness, coldness, or loss of feeling. |
| Light sensitivity. |
A person with meningitis may find it painful to look at bright lights, and will try to avoid them. |
| Confusion. |
Swelling around the brain can make a person confused and seem "out of it." |
| Rash. |
Purple spots that do not turn white when you press on them are a sign of sepsis (also known as blood poisoning) – seek treatment immediately. |
| Seizures. |
Sometimes people with meningitis have seizures similar to the kind that people with epilepsy have. |
