Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCopingFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
Frequently Asked Questions
Aseptic meningitisis nonbacterial inflammation of the meninges, the tissue layers and fluid that protect the brain and spinal cord. It’s usually not life-threatening, but the symptoms can be distressing.
Often, aseptic meningitis improves on its own without causing brain or spinal cord damage. It’s important to rest while you’re recovering. Symptomatic treatment, like pain medication or intravenous fluids, can help you to stay comfortable and avoid complications as the inflammation subsides.
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What Are Meninges and the Cerebrospinal Fluid?The meningesconsist of three layers of tissue—the dura, the pia, and the arachnoid—located between the skull and the brain.The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)is a special fluid that nourishes the brain and provides a cushion between the brain and skull.
What Are Meninges and the Cerebrospinal Fluid?
The meningesconsist of three layers of tissue—the dura, the pia, and the arachnoid—located between the skull and the brain.The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)is a special fluid that nourishes the brain and provides a cushion between the brain and skull.
Types of Aseptic Meningitis
There are several types of aseptic meningitis, including:
Aseptic Meningitis Symptoms
Meningitis of any type can cause severe distress and discomfort. The symptoms can begin gradually or abruptly.
Common symptoms of aseptic meningitis include:
Babies and young children with aseptic meningitis may be fussy and lose interest in eating.
Signs and Treatments for Meningitis in Babies
Complications
In some instances, aseptic meningitis can cause serious complications. The complications can occur if an infection spreads to other areas of the brain or body or if the inflammation becomes so severe that it leads to brain damage.
Complications of aseptic meningitis can include:
Usually, aseptic meningitis occurs due to viral exposure. For example, it can occur after a cold.
Viruses that commonly cause aseptic meningitis include:
Most of the time, the virus is not identified with tests, even if a cerebrospinal fluid analysis is done on a lumbar puncture sample.
Some people are at increased risk of aseptic meningitis due to underlying conditions, such as a weak immune system or an autoimmune disorder. Other risk factors include having a spinal procedure or taking medication that may cause aseptic meningitis.
How Aseptic Meningitis Develops
Sometimes immune suppression from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), immunosuppressive medications, or a severe illness that weakens the immune system can make you susceptible to a severe infection if you’re exposed to a fungus or virus.
Parasitic meningitis can occur after exposure to a parasite, which is not a common occurrence.
Get EvaluatedOther serious health issues can cause symptoms similar to aseptic meningitis. You should get a medical evaluation so your healthcare provider can quickly determine whether you have another medical issue that may require treatment.
Get Evaluated
Other serious health issues can cause symptoms similar to aseptic meningitis. You should get a medical evaluation so your healthcare provider can quickly determine whether you have another medical issue that may require treatment.
The symptoms of aseptic meningitis are often nonspecific, and your healthcare provider will take a thorough history and perform a full medical evaluation to identify what’s going on.
Some signs of meningitis that might be seen on your physical examination include:
Diagnostic tests may includebrain imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). These tests can identify problems like a stroke, and they might show signs of meningeal inflammation.
A routine complete blood count (CBC) is usually normal in uncomplicated aseptic meningitis, but it may show signs of systemic infection or inflammation if the infection spreads in the body.
A lumbar punctureis a test in which CSF is collected and examined. It is the definitive way to diagnose an infection or inflammation in the CSF. This can show protein and white blood cell changes consistent with meningitis. Infectious viruses, fungus, or parasites might be identified in the fluid.
Medical management of aseptic meningitis involves symptomatic therapy and possibly treatment for the cause. If complications arise, they need to be treated.
Most of the time, mild viral meningitis is managed with rest, fluids, and mild pain medication at home. If you become dehydrated from lack of appetite or vomiting, you may need to be admitted to the hospital to get intravenous (IV) fluids and closer medical care.
Specific antimicrobial treatments may be needed for certain infectious types of aseptic meningitis. Anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive medication, such as steroids, might sometimes be used to treat inflammation. Since a weak immune system can predispose you to severe infections, this type of therapy is used with caution, depending on the situation.
Treatments for complications of aseptic meningitis:
Aseptic meningitis is generally distressing, but it’s not usually dangerous. Most people experience complete recovery within a few weeks.
However, this condition can lead to serious problems, including blood clots in the brain, encephalitis, systemic spread of the infection, and lasting brain damage. Anyone can experience complications, even with the best medical care.
Risk factors for these complications include a serious underlying illness (such as cancer), immune suppression (such as having HIV), or an especially aggressive infection.
If you are at risk of complications, your healthcare provider will monitor you closely to reduce the chance of an adverse outcome.You will need prompt treatment if you experience early signs of a complication.
Let yourself get some rest and stay comfortable. A warm blanket, dim lights, and a quiet environment will help you feel a little better.
While it can be challenging, it’s important to stay hydrated. Be sure to sip on fluids.
Call your healthcare provider immediately if your symptoms get worse or you develop new symptoms. Aseptic meningitis can worsen or cause serious health problems. Any complications must be diagnosed and treated promptly.
When your meningitis resolves, you might have residual head or neck pain, photophobia, or trouble concentrating. These effects should fully resolve within a few months. In the meantime, your healthcare provider may recommend treatment for comfort until these issues improve.
Summary
Aseptic meningitis is nonbacterial inflammation or infection of the meninges and CSF. The condition is usually mild and self-limited, typically resolving on its own. Sometimes treatment is necessary to control symptoms and prevent long-term effects.
If a serious complication develops, it needs to be treated. For example, after a blood clot in the brain, a person may have stroke symptoms, such as weakness on one side of the body, necessitating physical therapy. Meningitis may cause persistent seizures, necessitating long-term treatment with anti-seizure medication.
A Word From Verywell
If you or a loved one is diagnosed with aseptic meningitis, know that the symptoms will likely improve after a few days of rest. But you do need to get medical attention for this condition. As you recover, take it easy, and tell your healthcare provider if you are not improving as quickly as you would like to.
Frequently Asked QuestionsIn general, aseptic meningitis is not usually as serious as bacterial meningitis, but that’s not a rule. Some viral, fungal, or parasitic infections or other types of aseptic meningitis may require prompt medical intervention and can have harmful long-term effects.A lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is not always absolutely necessary for the diagnosis of aseptic meningitis. Usually, relying on the medical history of symptoms, a physical examination, and, possibly, brain imaging can support the diagnosis.Sometimes the CSF examination is normal in aseptic meningitis, so a spinal tap might not identify the condition.Depending on the circumstances, a spinal tap can be a valuable part of the diagnostic process, especially if there is concern about an infection that needs specific antimicrobial treatment.
In general, aseptic meningitis is not usually as serious as bacterial meningitis, but that’s not a rule. Some viral, fungal, or parasitic infections or other types of aseptic meningitis may require prompt medical intervention and can have harmful long-term effects.
A lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is not always absolutely necessary for the diagnosis of aseptic meningitis. Usually, relying on the medical history of symptoms, a physical examination, and, possibly, brain imaging can support the diagnosis.Sometimes the CSF examination is normal in aseptic meningitis, so a spinal tap might not identify the condition.Depending on the circumstances, a spinal tap can be a valuable part of the diagnostic process, especially if there is concern about an infection that needs specific antimicrobial treatment.
A lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is not always absolutely necessary for the diagnosis of aseptic meningitis. Usually, relying on the medical history of symptoms, a physical examination, and, possibly, brain imaging can support the diagnosis.
Sometimes the CSF examination is normal in aseptic meningitis, so a spinal tap might not identify the condition.Depending on the circumstances, a spinal tap can be a valuable part of the diagnostic process, especially if there is concern about an infection that needs specific antimicrobial treatment.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Elmedani S, Albayati A, Udongwo N, Odak M, Khawaja S.Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-induced aseptic meningitis: a new approach.Cureus. 2021;13(6):e15869. doi:10.7759/cureus.15869Aldriweesh MA, Shafaay EA, Alwatban SM, et al.Viruses causing aseptic meningitis: a tertiary medical center experience with a multiplex PCR assay.Front Neurol. 2020;11:602267. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.602267Inui G, Funaki Y, Makino H, et al.Pembrolizumab-induced aseptic meningitis in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer: a case report and literature review of aseptic meningitis as an immune-related adverse event.Mol Clin Oncol. 2022;17(1):120. doi:10.3892/mco.2022.2553Landa E, Campos F, Javaid S, Vigandt E, Won J.Stroke-like symptoms as presenting signs of varicella zoster meningitis in an immunocompetent adult.Cureus. 2022;14(2):e22062. doi:10.7759/cureus.22062
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Elmedani S, Albayati A, Udongwo N, Odak M, Khawaja S.Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-induced aseptic meningitis: a new approach.Cureus. 2021;13(6):e15869. doi:10.7759/cureus.15869Aldriweesh MA, Shafaay EA, Alwatban SM, et al.Viruses causing aseptic meningitis: a tertiary medical center experience with a multiplex PCR assay.Front Neurol. 2020;11:602267. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.602267Inui G, Funaki Y, Makino H, et al.Pembrolizumab-induced aseptic meningitis in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer: a case report and literature review of aseptic meningitis as an immune-related adverse event.Mol Clin Oncol. 2022;17(1):120. doi:10.3892/mco.2022.2553Landa E, Campos F, Javaid S, Vigandt E, Won J.Stroke-like symptoms as presenting signs of varicella zoster meningitis in an immunocompetent adult.Cureus. 2022;14(2):e22062. doi:10.7759/cureus.22062
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Elmedani S, Albayati A, Udongwo N, Odak M, Khawaja S.Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-induced aseptic meningitis: a new approach.Cureus. 2021;13(6):e15869. doi:10.7759/cureus.15869Aldriweesh MA, Shafaay EA, Alwatban SM, et al.Viruses causing aseptic meningitis: a tertiary medical center experience with a multiplex PCR assay.Front Neurol. 2020;11:602267. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.602267Inui G, Funaki Y, Makino H, et al.Pembrolizumab-induced aseptic meningitis in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer: a case report and literature review of aseptic meningitis as an immune-related adverse event.Mol Clin Oncol. 2022;17(1):120. doi:10.3892/mco.2022.2553Landa E, Campos F, Javaid S, Vigandt E, Won J.Stroke-like symptoms as presenting signs of varicella zoster meningitis in an immunocompetent adult.Cureus. 2022;14(2):e22062. doi:10.7759/cureus.22062
Elmedani S, Albayati A, Udongwo N, Odak M, Khawaja S.Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-induced aseptic meningitis: a new approach.Cureus. 2021;13(6):e15869. doi:10.7759/cureus.15869
Aldriweesh MA, Shafaay EA, Alwatban SM, et al.Viruses causing aseptic meningitis: a tertiary medical center experience with a multiplex PCR assay.Front Neurol. 2020;11:602267. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.602267
Inui G, Funaki Y, Makino H, et al.Pembrolizumab-induced aseptic meningitis in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer: a case report and literature review of aseptic meningitis as an immune-related adverse event.Mol Clin Oncol. 2022;17(1):120. doi:10.3892/mco.2022.2553
Landa E, Campos F, Javaid S, Vigandt E, Won J.Stroke-like symptoms as presenting signs of varicella zoster meningitis in an immunocompetent adult.Cureus. 2022;14(2):e22062. doi:10.7759/cureus.22062
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