Viral meningitis is a medical condition where the area around your brain and spinal cord, your meninges, becomes inflamed. While there are several different types of meningitis, viral meningitis occurs when you get infected with a viral infection. While several viruses can lead to viral meningitis, enteroviruses and herpes viruses are the most common.
While viral meningitis is not always a serious health condition, it can progress quickly and turn into one. If left untreated, it can lead to severe headaches, terrible nausea, mental problems, and even death. Therefore, it is essential to get to a medical facility as quickly as possible if you suspect you have viral meningitis. With proper treatment, viral meningitis is curable and can be remedied without any permanent ramifications.
Depending on your age and physical condition, your doctor might recommend a wait-and-see approach. Most cases of viral meningitis will resolve on their own within seven to ten days and do not require any special treatment. However, things can turn bad quickly, so it is still essential to receive a diagnosis and treatment recommendation if you have viral meningitis.
If you are experiencing bad symptoms from your viral meningitis, your doctor will prescribe antiviral medications, such as ganciclovir or foscarnet. These medications are especially effective with viral meningitis that is caused by a herpes virus. However, it is important that you start antiviral treatments as quickly as possible, or they will not be effective.
While antibiotics are useless against viral meningitis, your doctor might prescribe them if they are uncertain if you have viral or bacterial meningitis. If it is bacterial, antivirals will be ineffective. Therefore, without a conclusive cause, you may have to take both antibiotics and antivirals.
If your doctor recommends a wait-and-see approach, they will also likely recommend several home remedies to speed up your recovery. Home remedies also help to mitigate symptoms and increase your comfort during the recovery period, and include the following:
In addition to home remedies, antivirals, and antibiotics, you might also benefit from taking additional medications. These medications are typically prescribed to reduce inflammation, increase your strength, relieve pain, and bolster your immune system.
Most of the symptoms you will experience from viral meningitis stem from the inflammation in the area around your brain and spinal cord. Therefore, your doctor might prescribe corticosteroids, such as prednisone and budesonide, to reduce inflammation.
In serious cases, you may have to be hospitalized while you recover from viral meningitis. Hospitalizations often stem from being too dehydrated, which leads to weakness, dizziness, and a reduced immune system. To remedy these problems, you may require IV fluids, including sodium chloride, glucose, electrolytes, and others.
In situations where over-the-counter pain medications are insufficient, your doctor might prescribe you stronger pain medications.
Although viral meningitis is not always serious or life-threatening, it can quickly become so if you leave it untreated. Therefore, if you suspect that you have viral meningitis, you should see your healthcare provider immediately. They can advise you as to what the best approach is and get you started on the right treatment for your needs.