Meningitis: Treatment Overview

Content provided by Healthwise

Treatment Overview

Treatment for meningitis depends on the organism causing the infection, your age, the extent of the infection, and the presence of other medical conditions or complications of meningitis.

Most people with viral meningitis usually start getting better within 3 days of feeling sick and recover within 2 weeks. However, it is important to see your health professional if symptoms of meningitis develop so that he or she can rule out bacterial meningitis, which is more serious. With mild cases of viral meningitis, you may only need home treatment, including fluids to prevent dehydration and medicine to control pain and fever. If you do not get better or if symptoms get worse, you may need further testing to check for other causes of illness.

Bacterial or severe viral meningitis may require treatment in a hospital, including:

• Antibiotics. These medicines usually are given through a vein (intravenously, or IV) to treat meningitis. Antibiotics are given only when bacteria are causing the infection. Giving antibiotics when they are not needed may cause drug resistance.
• Measures to reduce pressure within the brain. If meningitis is causing pressure within the brain, corticosteroid medicines such as dexamethasone may be given to adults or children.
• Measures to reduce fever. Medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), fluids, and good room ventilation reduce fever. If you have a high fever, you also may need a device such as a cooling pad placed on the bed.
• Measures to prevent seizures. If you have seizures, your surroundings will be kept quiet and calm. Medicines such as phenobarbital or dilantin can help stop seizures. For more information, see the topic Seizures.
• Oxygen therapy. Oxygen may be given if you have trouble breathing and to increase the amount of oxygen in all parts of the body. Oxygen may be delivered by a hood or tent placed over the body, a face mask placed over the nose and mouth, a nose piece (nasal cannula) held loosely under the nose, or, in severe cases, a tube through the mouth into the trachea (windpipe).
• Monitoring fluids. You may need to drink extra liquids because infections increase the body's need for fluids. Increasing liquids also reduces the possibility of dehydration. Liquids are given into a vein (IV) if you have an infection and are vomiting or are not able to drink enough. Health professionals control the amount of fluids given because people with meningitis may develop problems if they have too much or not enough fluid.
• Monitoring blood chemicals. Frequent blood tests are done to measure essential body chemicals, such as sodium and sugar in the blood.

A person who has severe meningitis may need to be treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital. Health professionals watch the person closely and provide care if needed. See the Other Treatment section of this topic for more information on intensive care in a hospital.

What To Think About

Most healthy adults who have recovered from meningitis do not need follow-up care. However, adults who have existing medical conditions that make them more likely than others to develop long-term complications or get meningitis again should see their health professional after recovery. Babies and children treated for meningitis always need follow-up care after recovery and need to be checked for long-term complications such as hearing loss.

E-mail This | Print This Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Last updated:	January 19, 2007
Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, W. David Colby, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman