Meningitis symptoms in adults
A visual list of meningitis symptoms in adults
Signs and symptoms of meningitis
Meningitis and septicaemia* can happen together. Be aware of all the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, and if anybody that you know has any of them be sure to seek urgent medical help
Common signs of meningitis and septicaemia.
Meningitis symptoms can appear in any order. Some may not appear at all. Common symptoms of meningitis can include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Muscle pain
- Stomach cramps
- Fever with cold hands and feet
This is a list of the common symptoms of meningitis, for more age specific symptoms please see our pages for babies and toddlers, children and adults. DO NOT wait for a rash. If someone is ill and getting worse, get medical help immediately.
*Many medical experts now use the term sepsis instead of septicaemia.
Find out more about meningitis, as well as the symptoms in this short video:
Early symptoms of meningitis can include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Muscle pain
- Stomach cramps
- Fever with cold hands and feet
Someone with meningitis or septicaemia can get a lot worse very quickly. Keep checking them.
Trust your instincts - Get medical help immediately
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Meningitis symptoms in children
A visual guide to meningitis symptoms in children
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Meningitis signs and symptoms in babies and toddlers
See our quick visual reference of signs and symptoms
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Glass test
A rash that does not fade under pressure is a sign of meningococcal septicaemia, do the glass test
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Emergency information
If you're worried about meningitis, don't waste time. Trust your instincts and get medical help immediately
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Signs and symptoms videos
What is meningitis? What are the main signs and symptoms? Find out in these short videos
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Hajj and Umrah pilgrims
There are increased risks of meningitis to pilgrims