A 23-year-old Australian fitness influencer was rushed to intensive care in Bali after a sudden, severe headache turned out to be meningitis, according to video updates she posted on TikTok.
Khiana Smith, a fitness coach, said she first knew something was seriously wrong when she woke up with what she called the “worst headache” of her life, along with extreme sensitivity to light.
“I couldn’t even get out of bed,” Smith said. “It was so intense I couldn’t even open my eyes properly. I was really sensitive to light. I couldn’t stand up without falling over.”
She initially hoped the symptoms would pass, but said she woke up the next morning feeling “10 times worse.” She was taken to a hospital in Bali by ambulance, where testing confirmed meningitis.
Doctors were initially unsure whether the infection was bacterial or viral, Smith said, so she was treated for the bacterial form as a precaution while results came back.
Dr. Alfred Joshua, a California-based emergency room physician and former chief medical officer, told Fox News Digital that Smith’s reported symptoms followed a concerning pattern. “She started having symptoms of severe headache, having difficulty with light,” Joshua said. “And then she started having difficulty walking, and then eventually slurred speech.”
A Serious and Sometimes Fast-Moving Illness
Meningitis occurs when the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord become inflamed. Common symptoms include headache, fever, a stiff neck and light sensitivity, Joshua said. Trouble walking or speaking, confusion and extreme fatigue are more serious warning signs that call for immediate medical care.
Joshua said the severity often depends on the cause. Viral meningitis frequently resolves on its own, while bacterial meningitis can worsen quickly and requires urgent antibiotic treatment. “Certain strains over a couple of hours [can cause] the person [to] get really, really sick,” he said.
Smith’s condition appeared to improve enough that she was moved out of the ICU, but she said she had to return after her headache, light sensitivity and slurred speech returned. She also reported memory loss and said swelling in her brain was preventing her from flying home to Australia.
To pin down the cause, Joshua said doctors typically rely on blood tests, brain imaging and a lumbar puncture.
A Warning for Travelers
Smith’s ordeal has drawn attention to the risks travelers face when they fall seriously ill far from home, particularly in a popular tourist destination like Bali. Joshua noted that vaccines can protect against some forms of bacterial meningitis, and he urged travelers to consider insurance that covers medical evacuation.
Smith’s mother separately emphasized the value of travel insurance, saying her daughter’s hospital costs in Bali were covered because she had purchased a policy before leaving Australia.
Joshua said anyone experiencing worsening symptoms, especially changes in speech, walking or other neurological function, should not wait to see if things improve on their own. “When symptoms are progressing in a more complicated manner with neurological dysfunction, do not wait and try to see this out,” he said. “Go and seek prompt emergency treatment.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Smith for comment.
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