One of the most common ways of determining whether a rash is meningitis or not is The Glass Test.

This method can often show whether a rash on the skin has been caused by septicaemia, linked to meningitis, or whether it’s related to something else.

The idea is that if the rash doesn’t fade under pressure then it’s likely to be a sign of meningitis. The easiest way to do this is to press a clear glass onto the rash and look through the glass to see whether it disappears or not under the pressure.

The septicaemic rash typically appears as tiny pin pricks which develop into purple bruising.

A rash that does not fade under pressure should be considered a medical emergency, and medical attention should be sought immediately.

A rash does not always appear as a symptom of meningitis, so if someone is getting worse quickly it would be better to trust your instincts and seek medical attention, it would not be advised to wait for a rash.

All medical advice in this post has been obtained through the Meningitis Now website.

 

Featured image credit: Denkhenk