Kernig and Brudzinski signs are classic indicators of which condition?

• A. Meningitis
• B. Stroke
• C. Migraine
• D. Brain tumor

Answer: (A)

Kernig and Brudzinski signs reflect irritation of the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningismus). When the meninges are inflamed, as in meningitis, movement that stretches those membranes causes pain and protective reflexes.

Brudzinski’s sign appears when you passively flex the patient’s neck and the hips and knees automatically flex in response. Kernig’s sign appears when the hip is flexed to 90 degrees and you try to straighten the knee; pain or resistance with knee extension indicates a positive sign. A positive result on either test suggests meningeal irritation, which in the right clinical context strongly points toward meningitis and warrants urgent evaluation and treatment.

These signs are not typically used to diagnose stroke, migraine, or brain tumors, which present with different neurologic findings.