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Spinal meningitis is the common laymen’s term for meningitis. It is also called meningococcal disease. Actually, all meningitis involves your spinal cord.
Spinal meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover your brain and spinal cord. It is an infection of the cerebrospinal fluid around your brain and spinal cord.
There are several types of meningitis. The most common is viral meningitis. This is also known as aseptic meningitis. You get this when a virus enters your body through your mouth or nose and travels to your brain.
Bacterial meningitis is rare, but can be deadly. It has a high mortality rate if it goes untreated. There can also be ongoing, serious complications like brain damage and paralysis.
Fungal meningitis is much less common than the other two forms. A fungus called cryptococcus, found in pigeon droppings, usually causes it. Fungus-related meningitis is rare in healthy people. However, someone who has a weakened immune system like a person with AIDS is more likely to become infected with this form of meningitis.
Spinal meningitis used to occur mainly in infants. However, because a vaccine is now given to infants, this infection now happens usually to adults. Spinal meningitis can happen to anyone at any age, but it is more common in people whose bodies have trouble fighting infection.
Even though there are several types of spinal meningitis, the signs and symptoms are similar. The most common signs and symptoms in teens and young adults are:
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Fever and chills
- A painful and stiff neck, especially when you try and touch your chin to your chest
- Seizures
- Trouble staying awake
- Sensitivity to light.
Babies, children, older adults and people with other medical problems may experience different symptoms like:
- Babies may refuse to eat and be cranky. They may cry when they are held. They also may have a rash.
- Young children may act like they have the flu. They may cough or have trouble breathing.
- People with other medical problems and older adults may only have fever and a slight headache.
You or a loved one may have had spinal meningitis. Complications from spinal meningitis may be why you are disabled and unable to work.
You may need help. You may need financial help.
Have you or your loved one applied for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by complications resulting from spinal meningitis? Were you denied?
You may appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you do, remember this.
You will need a disability lawyer like the one at socialsecurityhome.com to represent you in this process. This is true because people who are represented by a disability attorney are approved more often than those people who are not represented by a lawyer.
Tags: AIDS, Conditions and Diseases, Health, Infection, Meningitis, Mortality rate, social security administration, Spinal cord