Do you ever find yourself experiencing severe back pain? Many adults who experience serious back discomfort end up visiting a doctor to find a way to relieve the pain. For years doctors have recommended epidural steroid treatments as a remedy for chronic back pain, which is a medication that is injected straight into the spine. These steroid injections however, seem to be linked to state outbreaks of fungal meningitis. Studies show that out of these patients receiving this steroid treatment, more than 105 people have become ill and eight others have died. These contaminated injections have been administered since May 21, 2012 and there are severe facilities who received these from the manufacturer, The Sahara Surgery Center in Las Vegas being one of them.
Luckily, they have since found the source of the outbreak and the manufacturing company of the injection, the New England Compounding Center (NECC), has been ordered to recall the product. All the fungal meningitis outbreaks may not have risen to the surface yet because meningitis has an incubation period of one month, so there could be more potential future cases to be reported. The CDC, or Center for Disease Control, will be conducting investigations throughout several states and will observe all the meningitis patients who were recipients of the epidural steroid injections. In many cases, the meningitis was caused by an onset fungus infection of the spine, which can be very difficult to treat.
Symptoms of Fungal Meningitis
With this disease, many of the signs and side effects will not appear immediately, it is more of a gradual process that starts out in mild form and progresses over time. In order to recognize fungal meningitis, doctors typically look for some of the following symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Swelling or redness around injection site
- Fever
- Weak or numbing feelings
- Pain
- Stiff neck
- Persistent headaches
- Sensitivity to light
- Muddled cognitive status
In more severe cases of fungal meningitis, some patients suffered strokes or even lost their lives as a result of the infection.
Your Right to Compensation
If you or a loved one has received the spinal steroid injections which you believe resulted in a fungal infection of meningitis, then you may have a right to pursue monetary compensation for any damages. The law provides claims for people who are injured due to defective products, dangerous drugs, negligence, medical malpractice or misrepresentation. By filing a claim/lawsuit, we may be able to help you recover restitution for your pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of earnings and mental/physical anguish. There are already a number of class actions and individual lawsuits being reviewed in several different states. If you would like to know if you have a valid claim, please do not hesitate to contact an Atlanta medical malpractice attorney from our firm today. We offer a free initial case evaluation!