|
Lawsuits Have Been Filed When Doctors Failed to Treat Meningitis
Acute bacterial meningitis requires treatment right away with
intravenous antibiotics to ensure recovery and reduce the risk
of complications. The antibiotic or combination of antibiotics
that a doctor may choose depends on the type of bacteria
causing the infection. Often, analyzing a sample of
cerebrospinal fluid can help identify the bacteria. If you or
your child has bacterial meningitis, your doctor may recommend
a more generic antibiotic until he or she can determine the
exact cause of the meningitis.
In both adults and children, doctors may recommend treatments
for brain swelling, shock, convulsions or dehydration.
Infected sinuses or mastoids—the bones behind the outer ear
that connect to the middle ear—may need to be drained. Any
fluid that has accumulated between the brain and the membranes
that surround it may also need to be drained or surgically
removed.
Antibiotics can’t cure most viral meningitis, but many cases
improve on their own in a week or so without therapy.
Treatment of mild cases of viral meningitis is usually with
bed rest, plenty of fluids and over-the-counter pain
medications to help reduce fever and relieve body aches. If
the cause of your meningitis is the herpes virus, your doctor
may also recommend an antiviral medication aimed at this
virus.
|
