- How to treat viral meningitis at home
- Physiotherapy for viral meningitis
- Care during treatment
- Signs of improvement
- Signs of worsening
Treatment for viral meningitis can be done at home and aims to relieve symptoms such as fever above 38ºC, stiff neck, headache or vomiting, as there is no specific antiviral drug to treat meningitis, except when it is caused by the Herpes Zoster virus, where Acyclovir can be used.
Thus, the neurologist, in the case of the adult, or the pediatrician, in the case of the child, can recommend the intake of analgesic remedies to relieve pain and antipyretics to lower the fever, such as Paracetamol, for example, as well as antiemetic remedies, like metoclopramide, to stop vomiting.
During the treatment, which lasts between 7 to 10 days, it is recommended that the patient rest in bed until the fever subsides below 38ºC and that he drinks about 2 liters of water a day to avoid dehydration.
Viral meningitis, when it presents with a mild clinical picture, can be treated at home with rest and remedies to control the symptoms because there is no specific remedy to treat this disease.
How to treat viral meningitis at home
The doctor may recommend the use of painkillers and antipyretics, such as Paracetamol, and vomiting remedies, such as Metoclopramide. Some tips for treating viral meningitis at home are:
- Place a cold towel or compress on the forehead to help lower the fever and relieve headaches; Take a bath with warm or cold water to help lower the fever; Place a warm compress on the back of the neck to relieve neck stiffness and headaches; drinking ash tea to lower the fever, putting 500 ml of water together with 5 g of chopped ash leaves to boil, as this medicinal plant has antipyretic action; drinking lavender tea for relieve headaches by boiling 10 g of lavender leaves in 500 ml of water, as this medicinal plant has analgesic and relaxing properties; drink ginger tea to relieve nausea and vomiting, putting to boil 500 ml of water together with 1 tablespoon of ginger, sweetening with honey, as ginger helps digestion, reducing nausea and vomiting; Drink about 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day, especially if you are vomiting, for n do not dehydrate.
The treatment of viral meningitis usually lasts about 7 to 10 days and it is important that during this time the patient has some precautions to avoid the transmission of meningitis. The precautions are to wear a mask, not to share food, drinks or personal objects, such as cutlery or a toothbrush, and to wash your hands frequently.
In severe cases, treatment of viral meningitis should be done at the hospital so that the patient receives drugs and serum through the vein, in order to relieve symptoms until the virus is eliminated from the body.
Physiotherapy for viral meningitis
Physiotherapeutic treatment for viral meningitis may be necessary when the patient develops sequelae, such as paralysis or loss of balance, for example, through exercises to increase muscle strength and restore balance, promoting the patient's autonomy and quality of life. Know the possible consequences of meningitis.
Care during treatment
Some precautions when treating viral meningitis include:
- Wash your hands before and after contacting other individuals, before meals and using the bathroom; Use a mask; Do not share food, drinks, cutlery, plates or toothbrushes; Avoid intimate contact and kisses.
These precautions prevent the transmission of the disease, which can occur through the air, through coughing or sneezing, sharing glasses, cutlery, plates or toothbrushes, for example, from intimate contact, from kissing or from contact with the feces of a infected patient. See what else you can do to protect yourself from meningitis.
Signs of improvement
Signs of improvement in viral meningitis include a decrease in fever below 38ºC, a reduction in the stiff neck and headache, as well as a decrease in nausea and vomiting.
Signs of worsening
Signs of worsening viral meningitis appear when treatment is not started as soon as possible or is not done correctly, which may include decreased muscle strength, increased fever, loss of balance, deafness or loss of vision, for example.
