WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Australian fitness coach Khiana Smith, 23, was hospitalized in Bali after developing a severe headache, light sensitivity and difficulty standing.
  • Smith said she was diagnosed with meningitis and later returned to the ICU because of continuing neurological symptoms.
  • Dr. Alfred Joshua said trouble walking, speaking, confusion and extreme tiredness should prompt immediate medical attention.
  • Smith reported memory loss and brain swelling that prevented her from flying home to Australia.

A vacation in Bali became a medical emergency for Australian fitness coach Khiana Smith, 23, after a severe headache and sensitivity to light preceded a meningitis diagnosis. Smith described the frightening progression in TikTok videos, including an ambulance trip to a hospital and care in an ICU.

Smith said she knew something was seriously wrong when she woke with what she described as the "worst headache." The pain came with intense light sensitivity and such profound instability that she could not stand without falling.

"I couldn't even get out of bed," Smith said in the TikTok video. "It was so intense I couldn't even open my eyes properly."

"I was really sensitive to light," Smith continued. "I couldn't stand up without falling over."

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Smith initially waited to see whether her condition would improve. Instead, she said she woke the following morning feeling "10 times worse," and she was eventually transported to a hospital by ambulance.

Testing revealed the infection, and Smith later said in another video that she had been diagnosed with meningitis. Her account showed how rapidly a vacation illness developed into a serious medical crisis far from her home in Australia.

Dr. Alfred Joshua, a California based, board certified emergency room physician and former chief medical officer, told Fox News Digital that the symptoms Smith reported included several warning signs. He said those signs should be taken seriously.

Joshua summarized the progression this way: "She started having symptoms of severe headache, having difficulty with light." He added, "And then she started having difficulty walking, and then eventually slurred speech."

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Meningitis occurs when the protective layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord become inflamed, Joshua explained. Symptoms can include headache, fever, a stiff neck and sensitivity to light.

More serious signs include confusion, extreme tiredness and difficulty walking or speaking. Joshua said such neurological problems should prompt immediate medical attention rather than an attempt to wait for the illness to pass.

The seriousness of meningitis can also vary depending on its cause. Joshua said viral meningitis often resolves on its own, while bacterial meningitis can progress rapidly and requires prompt treatment with antibiotics.

"Certain strains over a couple of hours [can cause] the person [to] get really, really sick," Joshua said. The speed of that decline makes it important for doctors to determine what kind of infection is involved.

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According to Smith, doctors initially did not know whether her meningitis was bacterial or viral. She therefore received treatment for the bacterial form as a precaution while her medical team worked to identify the cause.

Smith’s condition later appeared to improve enough for her to leave the ICU. She said she had to return, however, after continuing to experience head pain, sensitivity to light and slurred speech.

She also reported memory loss and said swelling in her brain was preventing her from flying home. Her continued symptoms extended the medical ordeal and left her unable to return to Australia.

When meningitis is suspected, Joshua said doctors can use blood tests, brain imaging and a lumbar puncture. Those procedures can help determine whether an infection is bacterial, viral or caused by something else.

Smith’s experience also drew attention to the difficulties travelers can face when they become seriously ill overseas. Her mother emphasized the importance of travel insurance, saying Smith’s hospital expenses were covered because she had purchased a policy before leaving Australia.

Fox News Digital reached out to Smith for comment. Her videos remained the basis for the account of her diagnosis, treatment, symptoms and return to the ICU.

Joshua warned that changes in speech, walking or other brain functions should never be dismissed when symptoms are worsening. "When symptoms are progressing in a more complicated manner with neurological dysfunction, do not wait and try to see this out," he said.

His message was direct for anyone facing a similar escalation in symptoms: "Go and seek prompt emergency treatment ."

Are you feeling overwhelmed or hopeless right now? Have you been withdrawing from people or activities you usually enjoy? Are you having thoughts about hurting yourself, or feeling like things will never improve?

You do not have to handle those feelings alone. Support is available, and talking to someone can make a difference. You can reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or by chatting online at 988lifeline.org. Trained counselors are available 24 hours a day to listen and help.

If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call emergency services right away. Even a small step, like reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or professional, can help create a path forward.