Acute stage of encephalitis, complications? Teach you how to deal with them

In the sudden health storm of encephalitis, acute complications are like "little demons" hiding in the dark. They may appear silently and add many obstacles to the patient's recovery. But don't worry, today we will take a "situation-based" science tour to help you easily deal with the complications of encephalitis in the acute stage and protect your health!

1. Understanding the complications of acute encephalitis: Unveiling the mystery of the "little devil"

The acute stage of encephalitis is the most dangerous stage of the disease. At this stage, due to the attack of inflammation on the central nervous system, patients may develop a series of complications. These complications are varied, ranging from common headaches and vomiting to severe epilepsy and brain herniation, each of which may become a stumbling block on the road to recovery.

But don’t worry, although these “little devils” are cunning, we have magic weapons! Next, we will dismantle the tricks of these complications one by one and teach you how to counter them.

2. Have a splitting headache? Here are some tips to deal with it easily!

Headache is one of the most common complications of acute encephalitis. It may be like a tight ring, making you feel miserable. But don't worry, we have a few tips to help you deal with it easily.

1. Rest in bed : When a headache strikes, the most direct way to deal with it is to rest in bed. Find a quiet and comfortable environment, lie down and relax, so that your body can get enough rest and recovery.

2. Physical cooling : Fever is one of the important causes of headaches. Therefore, physical cooling is an effective way to relieve headaches. You can apply a wet towel to your forehead or gently massage your temples with an ice pack, both of which can have a good effect.

3. Drug treatment : If the headache is really unbearable, you can use painkillers under the guidance of a doctor. But remember, do not abuse drugs at will to avoid causing unnecessary harm to the body.

3. Vomiting continues? Adjusting your diet is the key!

Vomiting is another common complication during the acute phase of encephalitis. It not only makes you feel uncomfortable, but may also affect your appetite and nutritional intake. So, how to deal with vomiting? Adjusting your diet is the key!

1. Eat a light diet: During vomiting, avoid eating greasy, spicy, and irritating foods. Choose light, easily digestible foods, such as porridge, noodles, vegetable soup, etc., to reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract.

2. Eat small meals frequently : After vomiting, do not rush to eat a large amount of food. You can eat small meals frequently, eat a small amount of food each time, to avoid vomiting again due to excessive intake at one time.

3. Replenish water : Vomiting will cause the body to lose water, so it is necessary to replenish water in time. You can choose to drink warm water, light salt water, etc. to maintain the body's water and electrolyte balance.

4. Epilepsy strikes? Seek medical attention immediately and don’t panic!

Epilepsy is one of the more serious complications of acute encephalitis. It may manifest as sudden loss of consciousness, convulsions, foaming at the mouth, etc. When epilepsy strikes, don't panic, timely medical treatment is the key!

1. Protect the patient's safety : When an epileptic seizure occurs, quickly move the patient to a safe place to avoid falling or injury. At the same time, loosen the patient's collar and belt to keep the airway open.

2. Do not forcefully press : During an epileptic seizure, do not forcefully press the patient's limbs or restrict their movements. Doing so may cause secondary injuries such as fractures or joint dislocations.

3. Seek medical attention promptly : After an epileptic seizure, the patient should be sent to a doctor immediately. The doctor will develop a personalized treatment plan based on the patient's specific situation to control epileptic seizures and reduce recurrences.

5. Be alert to brain hernia and protect your lifeline!

Brain herniation is one of the most serious complications of acute encephalitis. It may cause brain tissue displacement due to increased intracranial pressure, which in turn compresses important structures such as the brain stem, leading to serious consequences such as respiratory and circulatory failure. Therefore, it is crucial to be vigilant against brain herniation and protect the lifeline!

1. Closely observe changes in the condition : During the acute stage of encephalitis, closely observe changes in the patient's condition. If severe headache, vomiting, impaired consciousness and other symptoms worsen, seek medical attention immediately.

2. Reduce intracranial pressure : Reducing intracranial pressure is one of the important measures to prevent brain herniation. Dehydrating agents, diuretics and other drugs can be used to reduce intracranial pressure and relieve pressure on brain tissue.

3. Surgical treatment : For patients with severe conditions, surgery may be required to eliminate the threat of brain herniation. Surgical methods include decompressive craniectomy and ventricular drainage, etc. The specific choice depends on the patient's specific situation.

6. Adjust your psychology and regain confidence in life!

In addition to physical complications, the acute phase of encephalitis may also cause psychological distress to patients. Emotional problems such as anxiety and depression may make patients feel helpless and hopeless. Therefore, psychological adjustment is also an indispensable part of the recovery process.

1. Face the disease positively : Maintain an optimistic attitude and face the disease positively. Believe in the doctor's treatment plan and believe that you can overcome the disease.

2. Seek psychological support : You can seek psychological support from family, friends or psychologists. Share your feelings and confusion with them and get their understanding and encouragement.

3. Cultivate hobbies : During the rehabilitation period, you can cultivate some hobbies to divert attention and relieve psychological pressure. For example, listening to music, reading, painting, etc. can all play a good role.

7. Conclusion: Counterattack with tactics and protect your health!

In this battle with the complications of acute encephalitis, we learned how to deal with each challenge. From splitting headaches to vomiting, from epilepsy to the need to be vigilant about brain hernia, we dealt with each "little devil" one by one. At the same time, we also learned how to adjust our psychology and regained our confidence in life.

Finally, we must remember that although encephalitis is terrible, as long as we seek medical treatment in time and actively cooperate with the doctor's treatment and monitoring, we will be able to defeat it and regain health. Let us work together to protect the health line!

This project is funded by the Shanghai Rehabilitation Medicine Association Science and Technology Innovation Project (2024KJCX05).