Diagnosing and Treating Meningitis

A series of meningitis tests are used to diagnose meningitis. If you are diagnosed with the condition, meningitis treatment should begin immediately.

If you or someone you know may have meningitis, it is important to see a doctor immediately. To properly diagnose meningitis, a doctor will give you a series of meningitis tests, including a blood test, a spinal tap and possibly a CT scan. In this video, Dr. Preeti Parikh explains what else you can expect at the doctor as well as meningitis treatment options if you have the condition. The only way to receive a definitive answer about whether or not your symptoms are due to meningitis is through a spinal tap, or a lumbar puncture. In this procedure, fluid is examined based on the amount of red and white blood cells, protein and sugar. From this information, your doctor can typically tell you whether or not you have meningitis.

Show Less

This video features Preeti Parikh, MD. Dr. Parikh, a board-certified pediatrician affiliated with The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, is HealthiNation's chief medical editor.

Duration: 4:08. Last Updated On: Nov. 8, 2017, 6:14 p.m.

Reviewed by: Holly Atkinson, MD, Dr Supriya Jain . Review date: Aug. 28, 2012

00:00 [MUSIC]
00:08 If you think you or somebody you know may have meningitis,
00:12 it's important to see a doctor or visit an emergency clinic immediately.
00:18 It's important to both diagnose and begin treatment quickly if it is meningitis.
00:24 We'll talk about treating meningitis in a moment.
00:26 But first, diagnosis.
00:29 A doctor will perform some tests to determine if
00:32 the symptoms are due to meningitis.
00:34 And if so, the cause of the meningitis.
00:37 These tests include a blood test, a lumbar puncture, also called a spinal tap,
00:43 and possibly a CT scan.
00:45 The blood test, called a blood culture, is a test whereby the patient's
00:51 blood sample is placed in a special dish to see if bacteria will grow from it.
00:57 Bacteria should not be present in blood.
00:59 So if the blood culture is positive it can be a sign of bacterial meningitis.
01:05 This test takes 48 to 72 hours, so in the mean time a quick test will also be done.
01:11 Whereby a special stain is placed on a blood sample on a slide to see if
01:16 bacteria is present.
01:18 A CT scan is an imaging test that is often done before a spinal tap
01:23 because it can both reveal other conditions that can mimic meningitis and
01:27 it is used to check to make sure that safe to proceed with the spinal tap.
01:32 The spinal tap is the only way to reach a definitive diagnosis of meningitis.
01:38 A spinal tap is a procedure whereby the doctor uses a small needle in the lower
01:42 back to remove a small amount of fluid from around the spinal cord.
01:47 This fluid is then examined with a special eye on the amount of white and
01:51 red blood cells, protein, and sugar in the fluid.
01:56 Based on the findings, a doctor can sometimes, but not always,
02:00 be able to determine if it is a bacterial, viral, or a fungal case of meningitis.
02:05 The fluid will also be sent to a lab for
02:09 further testing to determine the exact organism causing the meningitis.
02:14 Since it can take a few days to complete the lab tests that determine the type of
02:18 meningitis, your doctor will likely begin treating you immediately for
02:22 the most severe type, bacterial meningitis.
02:27 Bacterial infections, whether they are meningitis or not,
02:29 are typically treated with antibiotics.
02:32 In the case of bacterial meningitis, the antibiotics will be given intravenously.
02:37 Oral antibiotics cannot move from the blood to the brain.
02:41 But I.V. antibiotics can.
02:43 This is essential since the medication is needed in the brain and
02:47 surrounding tissue.
02:49 If you are ultimately diagnosed with a viral meningitis,
02:53 the antibiotic drugs won't work.
02:55 They don't kill viruses.
02:57 So if your doctor has begun treatment with antibiotics, he or
03:01 she will likely stop the initial treatment and prescribe rest, plenty of fluids, and
03:06 maybe some medication to reduce the fever and any aches and pains you may have.
03:12 The symptoms typically resolve in about seven to ten days.
03:16 If, however, your meningitis is caused by herpes virus,
03:19 there is an antiviral drug available to treat it.
03:23 Fungal meningitis can be treated with anti-fungal medications.
03:28 Many forms of meningitis are contagious and
03:30 can be passed easily from person to person.
03:34 If you live with or care for a person with known meningitis or
03:37 think you may have had contact with a person with meningitis, call your doctor.
03:43 You may be prescribed antibiotics as a precaution.
03:46 Meningitis is serious, but it can be treated if caught early.
03:51 Know the warning signs and symptoms and
03:53 see a doctor immediately if you think you or somebody you know may have it.
03:58 It could save a life.
04:00 Thanks for being part of HealthiNation.
04:03 [MUSIC]