Meningitis is an inflammation in the protective membrane that covers the brain and the spinal cord. It is mostly known as spinal meningitis as it generally has an effect on the brain and spinal cord. Spinal meningitis could be both bacterial as well as non-bacterial. This inflammation is caused by infection due to bacteria, viruses and other types of microorganisms. The spinal meningitis caused by bacteria is considered more serious than the infection caused by virus. Meningitis in the extremes can be frightening and life threatening. Spinal meningitis as mentioned earlier is mostly caused by an infection but an injury or an illness such as cancer can also be the cause of it. Certain drugs can also be the reason for the spinal meningitis.

Antibiotics can treat bacterial meningitis whereas meningitis caused by virus does not require antibiotics and resolves itself. To know whether a person is suffering from spinal meningitis, he/she has to have it diagnosed. The treatment begins only after the doctor is ascertained that the patient is suffering from spinal meningitis.

Doctors say precaution is better than cure. Symptoms spinal meningitis, in adults there could be various symptoms of spinal meningitis. The most common symptoms are getting sudden headache and stiffness in the neck that prevents the neck from easy movement. Some people become sensitive towards light, experience confusion, fell sensation of vomiting (nausea), loss of appetite, fever and sweating. These symptoms could be felt individually or together. This means that the sufferer of spinal meningitis could have a single symptom or could experience more than one symptom. If the patient has bacterial meningitis then there could be symptoms of mental change, shivering and perturbation in greater degree than non-bacterial spinal meningitis. Researchers have now found out early symptoms that include leg pain, cold hands and feet and abnormally pale and mottled skin color. So, if a person is suffering from any of these then it is advised by doctors to diagnose it as soon as possible.

Spinal meningitis can also attack babies and children. Symptoms spinal meningitis in the babies and children are different from the grownups and most of the times difficult to detect. One reason for this is that babies and small children are unable to tell what they are experiencing. If the child has bacterial spinal meningitis then jaundice, stiff body or neck, rash or bulging "soft spot" could be some of the indications of the infection. Otherwise, poor health and change in mood are the only signs of non-bacterial spinal meningitis.

The symptoms of spinal meningitis develop in hours or are seen within two days. Most of the symptoms of spinal meningitis are common and not considered serious. It is required to go for immediate diagnosis if one finds any one of the symptoms, which are stated above because spinal meningitis could be serious and can cause death. The patient could also suffer from serious health problems. Even after the child or an adult escapes death, he/she may suffer from different disabilities, epilepsy, deafness and many other severe problems. Spinal meningitis diagnosed at the earliest and treated immediately results in increased chances of survival and patient may not face serious health problems later.