Which sign is a classic indicator of meningeal irritation in meningitis?

Which sign is a classic indicator of meningeal irritation in meningitis?

• A. Romberg sign
• B. Kernig sign
• C. Babinski sign
• D. Brudzinski sign

Answer: (B)

Meningeal irritation from meningitis causes signs that come from stretching the protective coverings of the brain and spinal cord. The most classic bedside indicator is the Kernig sign. To test it, the patient lies on their back with the hip flexed to 90 degrees and the knee bent; then you straighten the leg. If straightening the knee produces pain and a marked resistance due to hamstring spasm, that’s a positive Kernig sign, signaling meningismus. Brudzinski sign is another indicator of meningeal irritation—neck flexion can cause involuntary bending of the hips and knees—but Kernig is the one most often highlighted as the classic test for meningitis in many clinical contexts. Romberg sign relates to balance and proprioception, not meningitis, and a Babinski sign is an upper motor neuron finding, not a sign of meningeal irritation.

Meningeal irritation from meningitis causes signs that come from stretching the protective coverings of the brain and spinal cord. The most classic bedside indicator is the Kernig sign. To test it, the patient lies on their back with the hip flexed to 90 degrees and the knee bent; then you straighten the leg. If straightening the knee produces pain and a marked resistance due to hamstring spasm, that’s a positive Kernig sign, signaling meningismus. Brudzinski sign is another indicator of meningeal irritation—neck flexion can cause involuntary bending of the hips and knees—but Kernig is the one most often highlighted as the classic test for meningitis in many clinical contexts. Romberg sign relates to balance and proprioception, not meningitis, and a Babinski sign is an upper motor neuron finding, not a sign of meningeal irritation.