Inflammation of the brain - Symptoms, causes and treatment

Inflammation of the brain or encephalitis is inflammation of the brain tissue that can cause symptoms of neurological disorders. Symptoms of neurological disorders can be in the form of decreased consciousness, seizures, or disturbances in movement.

Inflammation of the brain can occur due to viral, bacterial, or fungal infections. This disease is more common in children and the elderly, because their immune systems tend to be weaker. Although rare, inflammation of the brain has the potential to be serious and life-threatening. Therefore, early detection and treatment is needed as soon as possible.

Causes of Brain Inflammation

Most inflammations of the brain are caused by viral infections. Viral infections can directly attack the brain or are called primary encephalitis, but can also originate from other organs of the body and then attack the brain or are called secondary encephalitis.

Types of viruses that can cause inflammation of the brain include:

  • Herpes simplex virus, the cause of herpes in the mouth and genital herpes, and herpes in infants.
  • Virus Varicella zoster, the cause of chickenpox and herpes zoster.
  • Epstein-Barr virus, the cause of mononucleosis.
  • The virus that causes measles (measles), mumps (mumps), and rubella.
  • Viruses from animals, such as rabies and nipah virus.

This viral infection can be contagious, but encephalitis itself is not contagious. In addition to viruses, inflammation of the brain can also be caused by bacteria or fungi.

Inflammation of the brain or encephalitis is more likely to occur in someone with a weakened immune system, such as people with HIV or people taking immunosuppressive drugs.

Symptoms of Brain Inflammation

Encephalitis or inflammation of the brain begins with mild flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, vomiting, feeling tired, and muscle and joint pain. As it progresses, inflammation of the brain can cause more serious symptoms, such as:

  • Fever over 39oC.
  • dazed.
  • hallucination.
  • Unstable emotion.
  • Impaired speech, hearing, or vision.
  • Muscle weakness.
  • Paralysis of the face or certain body parts.
  • seizures.
  • Loss of consciousness.

In infants and children, the symptoms of inflammation of the brain that appear are general, so they are not easily recognized because they resemble the symptoms of other diseases. Symptoms that can appear are:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Decreased appetite
  • The child's body looks stiff
  • A bulge appears on the crown of the head
  • Fussy and cry a lot

When to go to the doctor

People with HIV are advised to continue taking antiviral drugs so that their disease can be controlled and not infected with other diseases, such as encephalitis. Some diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, require long-term immunosuppressive drugs. Discuss with your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking these drugs, as well as how to prevent infection while taking immunosuppressive drugs.

Immediately consult a doctor if the symptoms of inflammation of the brain mentioned above appear, or if you experience a severe headache accompanied by a high fever.

Infants and children suspected of having symptoms of encephalitis should be immediately taken to the hospital for a doctor's examination. Handling inflammation of the brain from an early age needs to be done to prevent further brain damage in children.

Brain Inflammation Diagnosis

Inflammation of the brain is often difficult to diagnose because it has early symptoms that resemble flu symptoms. At the initial stage of the examination, the doctor will ask about the symptoms followed by a physical examination of the patient.

Next, the doctor will conduct a follow-up examination to make sure a person has inflammation of the brain or encephalitis. The follow-up inspection is carried out by:

  • MRI or CT scan

    An MRI or CT scan is the first examination performed by a doctor to detect inflammation of the brain. This examination can show abnormalities in the brain, such as swelling or tumors that trigger inflammation in the brain.

  • Lumbar puncture

    This examination is carried out to identify the type of virus that causes infection. In a lumbar puncture, the doctor will insert a needle into the spine to take a sample of cerebrospinal fluid for examination in the laboratory.

  • Electroencephalogram (EEG)

    This examination is done by the doctor to check the electrical activity of the brain and determine the location of the infected brain.

  • Laboratory test

    Several laboratory tests, such as blood, urine, or sputum tests, may be done to identify the cause of the infection.

  • Brain biopsy

    This procedure aims to detect the presence of the virus through brain tissue sampling. This procedure is only done if the symptoms are getting worse and treatment is no longer effective.

Brain Inflammation Treatment

Inflammation of the brain requires treatment in a hospital. The faster the treatment is carried out, the higher the success rate of the treatment process. The goals of treatment are to treat the cause, relieve symptoms, and prevent complications. Treatment that will be given by a neurologist may include:

Drugs

Most of the inflammation of the brain caused by viral infections, so the main treatment is done with the administration of antiviral drugs. The types of antiviral drugs used are: acyclovir and ganciclovir. However, these two drugs can only treat certain viruses, such as herpes simplex and varicella zooster.

If the infection is caused by bacteria or fungi, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics or antifungal drugs.

The doctor will also give other medicines that are useful to relieve the symptoms that appear. These types of drugs are:

  • Corticosteroids

    Corticosteroids work to reduce inflammation and pressure inside the head.

  • Anticonvulsants

    This medicine is used to stop or prevent seizures.

  • Paracetamol

    This drug is given to relieve pain and fever.

  • Sedatives (sedatives)

    This drug has a calming effect on people who are emotionally disturbed and irritable.

Patients with inflammation of the brain or encephalitis will also be given intravenous fluids and nutrients to prevent dehydration and maintain nutritional needs in the body. If necessary, the patient will be fitted with a breathing apparatus. The duration of treatment can last for several days, weeks, to months depending on the patient's condition.

Special therapy

If the inflammation of the brain has affected the brain's ability to remember and understand things, or is causing the sufferer to have difficulty speaking or controlling the body, then a rehabilitation program is necessary. Some types of therapy that can be done are:

  • Physical therapy

    Physical therapy or physiotherapy is done to improve muscle strength, body balance, and control motor nerves.

  • Speech therapy

    This therapy aims to restore the function of the muscles that control speech.

  • Occupational therapy

    This therapy is given to enable the patient to carry out daily activities.

  • Psychotherapy

    Psychotherapy can help control unstable emotions and deal with personality changes the patient is experiencing.

Complications of Inflammation of the Brain

Most people with severe brain inflammation experience complications due to the inflammation that occurs. The risk of complications that may occur depends on several factors, namely the age of the patient, the cause of the infection, the severity, and the speed of treatment.

Brain damage caused by encephalitis can last for months or even forever. The location of the damage to the brain can also determine the type of complications that occur. Those complications include:

  • Paralysis
  • Speech and language disorders
  • Hearing and vision impairment
  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Memory loss or amnesia
  • Personality disorder
  • Epilepsy

In severe inflammation of the brain, sufferers can go into a coma, even death.

Prevention of Brain Inflammation

The main prevention of inflammation of the brain is through vaccination against the virus that causes it. One of the vaccines against the virus that causes encephalitis is the MMR vaccine. This vaccine provides protection against measles, mumps, and rubella, viral diseases that can cause inflammation of the brain.

In infants and toddlers, MMR immunization should be carried out twice, namely at the age of 15 months and 5 years. If you have never had the MMR vaccination, the vaccine can be given at any time.

The MMR vaccine is also given when you are going to travel to areas prone to infection. In this case, consult with your doctor again about the type of vaccine that is right for you.

In addition to immunization, there are some simple steps you can take to prevent transmission of the virus and lower the risk of encephalitis, namely:

  • Wash your hands regularly, especially before eating and after using the bathroom.
  • Do not share the use of cutlery with others.
  • Prevent mosquito bites, by wearing covered clothing or using mosquito repellent lotion.