Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Running Nose, Headache And Fever?
Question: I have had a headheach for about a week it started with body aches and fever, which I thought was the flu however there was no sneezing running nose or any other flu like symptons. The headach is in the back right side sharp pain and continues to front not as sharp. Feel good during the day after taking exedrin migrane but at night it comes back with fever about 99.5.
Brief Answer:
Headache causes and management
Detailed Answer:
Hi Jferna, thanks for asking from HCM.
I can understand your concern. You are suffering from fever with aches and headache. These symptoms, as you rightly thought, are mostly due to "Flu or viral fever". Flu is less likely because there is no running nose. But viral fever can be the cause as the symptoms are generalised, not focal.
Headache in viral fever can be due to raised temperature, dehydration, stress. You also noticed that fever occurs with rise in temperature. Thus the cause is "viral fever".
Still we need to rule out few things
- Hypertension - Kindly check your blood pressure. Hypertension can cause headache at the back of head.
- Right side neck muscle spasm - It can occur due to sleeping in bad posture, weakness, ache due to fever. It can be suspected if there is tenderness over neck, more pain during neck movement.
These are close differential diagnosis. To get relief, you can follow few steps
- Take tablet Paracetamol whenever you are having fever, after prescription. A 60kg person can take 500mg tablet 4 times a day.
- If fever still persists, you can use cold sponging.
- Avoid bright light like TV/mobile/sun light. It will help in preventing eye muscle spasm.
- Hydrate yourself with at least 2.5-3 litre of water/fresh juice.
- You can ask somebody to massage your neck and head at pain site. It helps a lot in getting relief.
- For headache, continue taking Exedrin Migraine. It is giving you relief. With subsidence of fever, your headache should disappear.
Hope it will help you. If you have any doubts, do let me know.
Thanks. Take care.
Headache causes and management
Detailed Answer:
Hi Jferna, thanks for asking from HCM.
I can understand your concern. You are suffering from fever with aches and headache. These symptoms, as you rightly thought, are mostly due to "Flu or viral fever". Flu is less likely because there is no running nose. But viral fever can be the cause as the symptoms are generalised, not focal.
Headache in viral fever can be due to raised temperature, dehydration, stress. You also noticed that fever occurs with rise in temperature. Thus the cause is "viral fever".
Still we need to rule out few things
- Hypertension - Kindly check your blood pressure. Hypertension can cause headache at the back of head.
- Right side neck muscle spasm - It can occur due to sleeping in bad posture, weakness, ache due to fever. It can be suspected if there is tenderness over neck, more pain during neck movement.
These are close differential diagnosis. To get relief, you can follow few steps
- Take tablet Paracetamol whenever you are having fever, after prescription. A 60kg person can take 500mg tablet 4 times a day.
- If fever still persists, you can use cold sponging.
- Avoid bright light like TV/mobile/sun light. It will help in preventing eye muscle spasm.
- Hydrate yourself with at least 2.5-3 litre of water/fresh juice.
- You can ask somebody to massage your neck and head at pain site. It helps a lot in getting relief.
- For headache, continue taking Exedrin Migraine. It is giving you relief. With subsidence of fever, your headache should disappear.
Hope it will help you. If you have any doubts, do let me know.
Thanks. Take care.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
