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Suggest Treatment For Intermittent Low Grade Fever In The Evenings And Tenderness In The Arm And Left Hand
Question: I have been having a low grade fever off and on in the evenings for about 3 weeks. My skin is tender to the touch on my back and arms and left hand. My neck has been hurting and I have had headaches. No running nose or sneezing. I have been married for almost 30 years and have ran fever only about 5 times in this amount of time. When I got fever 3 weeks ago I thought I must have the flu. I never felt that bad and thought it must be because I took the flu shot. I am really tired but still able to push through. This just isn't normal for me to be running fever and to be so tender. Any thoughts?
Brief Answer:
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
If the tender/painful skin is all on one side I would say this may be a prodrome for shingles, which can start with a low grade fever. But it sounds as though it is on both arms, so that would be unlikely.
I highly recommend you go in to your doctor to have an exam and a complete blood count (CBC) with differential or peripheral smear. This will give an idea of if there is an infection and point to other possible causes/abnormalities.
Did your symptoms start within a few days of getting the influenza shot?
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
If the tender/painful skin is all on one side I would say this may be a prodrome for shingles, which can start with a low grade fever. But it sounds as though it is on both arms, so that would be unlikely.
I highly recommend you go in to your doctor to have an exam and a complete blood count (CBC) with differential or peripheral smear. This will give an idea of if there is an infection and point to other possible causes/abnormalities.
Did your symptoms start within a few days of getting the influenza shot?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your response.
My symptoms did not start with the flu shot.
My right shoulder is hurting as well as my left arm and left hand and back. So hopefully I can rule out shingles. I have heard that is very painful.
I have been under a lot of stress.
I went about a month ago and had blood work done for a routine physical and all came out fine.
I have been having blood in my stool which I believe comes from hemorrhoids. I have self diagnosed myself with IBS. Some days I am constipated and next diarrea. I haven't been having flare ups lately though.
What do you think the chances of this being shingles? I don't have a deductible and really don't want to go to the doctor again. It is so expensive. If I do go to the doctor what kind would I go to?
My symptoms did not start with the flu shot.
My right shoulder is hurting as well as my left arm and left hand and back. So hopefully I can rule out shingles. I have heard that is very painful.
I have been under a lot of stress.
I went about a month ago and had blood work done for a routine physical and all came out fine.
I have been having blood in my stool which I believe comes from hemorrhoids. I have self diagnosed myself with IBS. Some days I am constipated and next diarrea. I haven't been having flare ups lately though.
What do you think the chances of this being shingles? I don't have a deductible and really don't want to go to the doctor again. It is so expensive. If I do go to the doctor what kind would I go to?
Brief Answer:
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Given that your pain is on both sides it is highly unlikely that this is shingles. Shingles classically comes out on one side of the body, rarely crosses the midline, and would be unlikely to be in both the right shoulder and left arm. So I think we can cross that off the list.
IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning other problems need to be ruled out before calling it that.
If you have hemorrhoids that are causing you pain, and the blood is mostly on the toilet paper when you wipe rather than in the stool, and your anorectal tissues feel irritated (such as after wiping a lot) then yes, the most likely cause for the bleeding is from irritation/inflammation of those tissues. Otherwise, if a person has blood in the stool, and no recent colonoscopy, it is time to have a look.
I recommend you go to a primary care doctor, either internal medicine or family medicine, and make sure it is not an NP or PA that the receptionsit assigns you to (ask specifically for an MD only). Given the gastrointestinal symptoms, in addition to a CBC with differential, I recommend an autoimmune/antibody panel too, unless during the exam the doctor is able to sort this out without it. With the exam, the doctor can do a rectal exam and check for blood in the stool too.
It's good that you had normal blood work 1 month ago, but since then, something has happened, either infectious or inflammatory in origin, and needs to be sorted out.
I understand about the deductible/insurance but your symptoms of fever, headache, inflammation (skin pain), and blood in the stool are not ok. The blood in the stool may be from hemorrhoids and rectal irritation from IBS, but you need to be checked to confirm. I wish I could tell you exactly what the problem is here but it will take sorting out.
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Given that your pain is on both sides it is highly unlikely that this is shingles. Shingles classically comes out on one side of the body, rarely crosses the midline, and would be unlikely to be in both the right shoulder and left arm. So I think we can cross that off the list.
IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning other problems need to be ruled out before calling it that.
If you have hemorrhoids that are causing you pain, and the blood is mostly on the toilet paper when you wipe rather than in the stool, and your anorectal tissues feel irritated (such as after wiping a lot) then yes, the most likely cause for the bleeding is from irritation/inflammation of those tissues. Otherwise, if a person has blood in the stool, and no recent colonoscopy, it is time to have a look.
I recommend you go to a primary care doctor, either internal medicine or family medicine, and make sure it is not an NP or PA that the receptionsit assigns you to (ask specifically for an MD only). Given the gastrointestinal symptoms, in addition to a CBC with differential, I recommend an autoimmune/antibody panel too, unless during the exam the doctor is able to sort this out without it. With the exam, the doctor can do a rectal exam and check for blood in the stool too.
It's good that you had normal blood work 1 month ago, but since then, something has happened, either infectious or inflammatory in origin, and needs to be sorted out.
I understand about the deductible/insurance but your symptoms of fever, headache, inflammation (skin pain), and blood in the stool are not ok. The blood in the stool may be from hemorrhoids and rectal irritation from IBS, but you need to be checked to confirm. I wish I could tell you exactly what the problem is here but it will take sorting out.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you very much.
Brief Answer:
Your welcome!
Detailed Answer:
Your welcome, and I hope you are feeling better soon.
Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD
Your welcome!
Detailed Answer:
Your welcome, and I hope you are feeling better soon.
Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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