Meningitis

RestlessnessAgitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.

Alternative names: Soft spot – bulging; Bulging fontanellesDefinition: A bulging fontanelle is an outward curving of an infant’s soft spot (fontanelle).

Alternative names: Stuporous; Mental status — decreased; Loss of alertness; Decreased consciousness; Changes in consciousness; Obtundation; Coma; UnresponsivenessDefinition: Decreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is a serious condition.

Alternative names: Back arching; Abnormal posturing — opisthotonos; Decerebrate posture — opisthotonosDefinition: Opisthotonos is a condition in which a person holds their body in an abnormal position.

Alternative name: Sensory hallucinationsDefinition: Hallucinations involve sensing things such as visions, sounds, or smells that seem real but are not.

Alternative names: Spinal tap; Ventricular puncture; Lumbar puncture; Cisternal puncture; Cerebrospinal fluid cultureDefinition: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection is a test to look at the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

Alternative names: Mental status exam; Neurocognitive testing; Dementia-mental status testingDefinition: Mental status testing is done to check a person’s thinking ability and to determine if any problems are getting better or worse.

CAT scan; Computed axial tomography scan; Computed tomography scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body.

Alternative names: Nuclear magnetic resonance – cranial; Magnetic resonance imaging – cranial; MRI of the head; MRI – cranial; NMR – cranial; Cranial MRI; Brain MRI; MRI – brain; MRI – headDefinition: A head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding nerve tissues.