Monday, 17 October 2011

Bacterial Meningitis Symptoms




Bacterial Meningitis Symptoms

If we take a look at meningitis brought on by bacteria and the one triggered by a virus, we can say that the bacterial meningitis is much more dangerous. It is widely known that Bacterial meningitis is among the most frequent form of this disease and it also is a huge danger to the health and well being for the affected person. This illness will cause the tissues around the human brain to begin bloating and raises the probabilities for the individual to have paralysis and even stroke. Since meningitis is definitely a severe disease it's essential to know the actual signs and symptoms.
The period between the infection and the symptoms for the bacterial meningitis is often 2-3 days. There were times when the symptoms and signs have appeared a couple of hours right after the infection. Several of the symptoms of bacterial meningitis are generally temperature and head aches, but unfortunately a number of other conditions develop the described symptoms. But there's one indication that is unique for meningitis and that's a progressively improving firmness in your neck which may be so significant that it could result in significant difficulties. As for the different signs or symptoms we can mention the following: uncertainty, advancing sleepiness, being easily annoyed and perhaps, even stroke.

Encephalitis and Meningitis - What is the Difference?




Encephalitis and Meningitis - What is the Difference?

Encephalitis is a disease that occurs to your brain sometimes after having a viral infection, like the chickenpox, the flu, measles, mumps, Mono, and even cold sores. What it does is causes your brain to become inflamed. The swelling can lead to damaged nerve cells, bleeding in your brain, and eventually lead to brain damage.
Meningitis on the other hand is a disease that effects the tissues that are around the brain and the spinal cord. It is caused by either a viral or bacterial illness and creates inflammation in those tissues. It has been found to often follow things such as a sinus infection or in your infection, or in some instances a viral illness.

Saturday, 15 October 2011

How Alzheimer's Disease Is Diagnosed




How Alzheimer's Disease Is Diagnosed

Alzheimer's disease is a condition in which the brain undergoes shrinkage in key areas, affecting memory, thinking and behavior. The symptoms progress so slowly that the changes are difficult to pinpoint over time, and it usually takes an outsider or a person that is not around the individual to suggest a doctor visit. It is classified as the most common form of dementia, which can interfere with daily life as it causes severe loss of intellectual capability and memory.
By taking the time to discover if an individual's inconvenient symptoms are truly caused by Alzheimer's, several things can be accomplished. Most importantly, the fear of the unknown will be destroyed. This fear causes anxiety in some patients and anger in others. If the time is taken to discuss the symptoms with a doctor, one of two things will be accomplished: the doctor will tell the patient that the symptoms are due to other causes or he will confirm that it is indeed Alzheimer's disease.

Infection of the Central Nervous System - Brain Abscess (Suppurative Encephalitis)




Infection of the Central Nervous System - Brain Abscess (Suppurative Encephalitis)

Diagnosis: In any patient having one of the underlying causes, features suggestive of meningitis, raised intracranial tension or focal neurological deficit should suggest the possibility or brain abscess. Lumbar puncture should not be routinely done in such cases since the risk or coning is high. Moreover the CSF may not show diagnostic changes in the case of localized abscess.
The diagnosis can be confirmed by CT Scan which should be done of an early stage. X-ray skull may give evidence of sinusitis and rarely gas in the abscess cavity, if the abscess is caused by gas-producing organisms or the abscess is communicating with the paranasal sinuses.
Course and prognosis: If left untreated, brain abscess is fatal. Complications include rupture into cerebral ventricles producing ventriculitis, meningitis, rise in intracranial tension and secondary epilepsy. If the abscess is diagnosed early and treated, full recovery may occur. Mortality is higher in brain abscess complicating congenital heart disease. The overall mortality in large series is 11-15%.