Pia mater
The pia mater forms the innermost layer of the meninges. It lies directly against the brain tissue and also follows its twists and turns. It forms a layer of connective tissue around the blood vessels entering the nerve tissue and thus accompanies them to the inside of the brain.
Innervation and blood supply of the meninges
The blood supply to the meninges is provided by the arteria meningea anterior, which supplies the front part, the arteria meningea media, which supplies the middle part, and the arteria meningea posterior, which is responsible for the rear part. All three arteries are branches of the external carotid artery. The brain itself is supplied by branches of the internal carotid artery.
The cerebral membrane is innervated mainly by the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve, which is also responsible for the sensitivity (pain and pressure sensitivity) of the face. A small posterior portion is supplied by the vagus nerve. In contrast to the brain, all three meninges are extremely sensitive to pain.
Pain
The meninges play a decisive role in the development of pain in the head. Since the brain itself has no pain receptors, it is insensitive to pain. The meninges, on the other hand, have many such receptors and are therefore particularly sensitive to external pain stimuli. Pain is often caused by excessive pressure on the meninges, as occurs when the brain is bleeding. However, inflammation of the meninges (meningitis) can also lead to severe pain.
Bracing
Tension in the upper back and/or neck area is a common cause of headaches. Tension in the chewing muscles can also cause this. In extreme cases, these tensions can cause blood vessels or nerves to become trapped. If this causes circulatory disorders of the brain or meninges, the pain can be very severe. Long-lasting or very severe tensions should therefore be treated by a physiotherapist or osteopath, especially if they cause severe symptoms.
Meningitis
The meningitis is called meningitis in the technical language. It is an inflammation that can be triggered by various pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria or fungi. These can reach the meninges through the blood and cause an infection, especially in people with a weakened immune system.
In most cases, meningitis is caused by viruses. Bacterial meningitis is not as common, but it is much more dangerous. It can become life-threatening within a few hours.
It is usually triggered by meningococcus or pneumococcus. The so-called TBE is a special form of meningococcal inflammation, in which the brain is also affected. It is triggered by ticks.
At the beginning, the meningitis often manifests itself in sudden flu symptoms. Those affected complain of headaches, fever, aching limbs and chills. However, neck stiffness and pain in the neck are added when the head is moved towards the chest.
This is because this movement causes the meninges to become tense, which leads to severe pain. Photophobia can also occur. If these symptoms occur, a doctor should be consulted immediately.
Children often have small bleedings in the skin (petechiae).Meningitis is often observed in children in connection with a viral disease such as mumps, chickenpox or measles. Since meningitis can be life-threatening, it is very important to get children sufficiently vaccinated. Especially since the disease often has a severe course, especially in infants and children.
This is mainly due to the not yet fully developed immune system. It is very important that the doctor quickly finds out which trigger caused the meningitis. Only then can an appropriate therapy be started promptly.
Blood sampling and a lumbar puncture (removal of cerebrospinal fluid) are important diagnostic steps. In this way it can be determined whether the pathogens are bacterial or viral. Computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide information about the current state of the brain.
In the case of meningitis, the patient is admitted to hospital as an inpatient. Depending on the pathogen, he is treated with antibiotics (in the case of bacteria) or only symptom-oriented if it is a viral meningitis. If there is a bacterial infection, all contact persons of the patient are also treated with antibiotics as a precaution.
If therapy is started in time, meningitis usually heals without consequences. In some cases, however, neurological damage may occur. These can manifest themselves as hearing damage, paralysis or even behavioral changes. Consequential damage often occurs when the meningitis has already spread to the brain.
