So what is meningitis all about? This is an infection in the membrane that surrounds your brain. Brain and spinal cord infections can be very dangerous because they cause inflammation, which places pressure on your nerves. This will cause you to have a viral infection headache.

Inflammation can also cause the following symptoms:

* Fever

* Severe headache

* Feeling confused

Severe inflammation can cause these symptoms:

* Brain damage

* Stroke

* Seizures

* Death

A bacterial infection or virus causes meningitis. The body can usually fight and beat an infection. However, when the infection travels into the blood stream, it can then go into your brain and spinal cord fluid. It can then affect your nerves and move into the brain causing inflammation and swelling. This can damage or kill nerve cells and cause bleeding in the brain. It can also cause you to have a viral infection headache.

Brain swelling is very dangerous because the brain is a soft organ in a hard box (the skull). If the brain swells, there is nowhere for it to go, except against the walls of the skull. This is what causes the most damage.

There are several causes of meningitis. These include

* Bacterial infection

* Viral infection

* Fungal infection

* A reaction to medications

* A reaction to medical treatments

* Lupus

* Some forms of cancer

* A trauma to the head or back

Bacterial meningitis is the worst type because it can kill you. It often begins as an upper respiratory tract infection. From there it travels through your blood vessels to your brain. Then it can block up your blood vessels inside your brain triggering a stroke and brain damage.

Viral meningitis is the most common form. Usually viruses that enter your body through your mouth before going to your brain and multiplying cause it. You can find these viruses in the mucus, saliva and feces.

Other viruses that may cause meningitis include:

* Chicken pox

* Flu

* Mumps

* HIV

* Genital herpes

Anyone can catch meningitis. This is especially true if your immune system is weak.

Meningitis often begins like the flu does. You may get a rash. The major symptoms include:

* Running a sudden fever

* A severe headache

* Stiff neck

* Dislike of light

Bacterial meningitis must be treated quickly. Severe bacterial meningitis will require intravenous antibiotics. On the other hand, antibiotics cannot be used to treat viral meningitis because they do not kill viruses.

Whether you are having bacterial or viral meningitis, what would be best for yourself is to get plenty of rest and give your body a break. In the meantime, drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins and go easy on your diet. Do follow the recommendations by your doctor during this period. Your viral infection headache and other symptoms will start to subside as your body recovers.