The signs of Kernig, Brudzinski and Lasègue are signs that the body gives when certain movements are made, which allow the detection of meningitis and, therefore, are used by health professionals to assist in the diagnosis of the disease.
Meningitis is characterized by severe inflammation of the meninges, which are membranes that line the brain and spinal cord, which can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites, leading to the appearance of symptoms such as severe headache, fever, nausea and stiff neck. Know how to identify the symptoms of meningitis.
How to detect meningeal signs
Meningeal signs should be searched for by a health professional, being performed as follows:
1. Kernig's sign
With the person in the supine position (lying on his stomach), the health professional holds the patient's thigh, flexing it over the hip and then stretching it upwards, while the other remains stretched and then does the same with the other leg.
If in the movement in which the leg is stretched upwards, involuntary flexion of the head occurs or the person feels pain or limitations to perform this movement, it may mean that they have meningitis.
2. Brudzinski's sign
Also with the person in the supine position, with the arms and legs stretched, the health professional should place one hand on the chest and with the other try to flex the person's head towards the chest.
If, when performing this movement, involuntary leg flexion and, in some cases, pain occur, it may mean that the person has meningitis, which is due to the nervous compression caused by the disease.
3. Lasègue sign
With the person in the supine position and arms and legs stretched, the health professional performs the flexion of the thigh over the pelvis, The sign is positive if the person feels pain on the back of the limb being examined (behind the leg).
These signs are positive for certain movements, due to the inflammatory processes characteristic of meningitis, which lead to the occurrence of spasms of the paravertebral muscles, being, therefore, a good means of diagnosis. In addition to researching these signs, the doctor also assesses the symptoms present and reported by the person, such as headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to the sun, fever, nausea and vomiting.
