Sterile meningitis
Treatment is needed for fungal or mycobacterial causes of aseptic meningitis. Herpesvirus or varicella (chicken pox) virus may be treated with antiviral medicines. Treatment for non-infectious causes consists of pain medications and management of complications, if they occur.
No specific treatment is available for enteroviral aseptic meningitis.
Aseptic meningitis caused by a virus is usually a harmless disease. People usually recover fully 5 - 14 days after symptoms start.
Fatigue and light-headedness may last longer in some people.
An infection of the brain (encephalitis) may develop, though this is rare. The infection may last much longer in a person with a depressed immune system.
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of aseptic meningitis.
Swartz MN. Meningitis: bacterial, viral, and other. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsever; 2007: chap 437.