Meningitis is the inflammation of areas surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is sometimes called spinal meningitis. The meninges protect your brain and spinal cord from injury and provide support and structure. They contain nerves, blood vessels and protective fluid (cerebrospinal fluid).
There are different types of meningitis including bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis fungal meningitis and parasitic meningitis. Some symptoms and causes include neck stiffness, nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light (photophobia) confusion or altered mental state, lack of energy (lethargy), extreme sleepiness or trouble waking up, lack of appetite and small round spots that look like a rash. In today’s Health Alert, we explore Meningitis prevention with Dr. Roger Hunter, Surgical Spinal Neurologist at Oxford Medical Centre. Learn more about meningitis in the Sunrise interview below.
