What could be the cause for severe back pain, fever, and headache?

Question

Hello doctor,

I started feeling tired and experiencing body aches, particularly in my lower back and hips for five days. The next day, things got worse. I had really bad lower back pain, chills, fever, nausea, headache, and extreme fatigue. After two days, my fever went up to 103 degrees Fahrenheit even after taking Tylenol, and my lower back pain got even worse. The next day fever and nausea went down, but the back pain kept getting worse. On the following day I woke up with terrible pain and stiffness in my upper back and neck, along with a continued headache. I noticed two red areas on my body that looked like patches of sunburn, one on my chest and one on my upper back. Today, the spots have stayed and grown slightly, and the back and neck pain is still there. The headache is not as bad as before but still remains, with sharp shooting pains in my lower neck, back of my head, and left ear. I am not sure what is causing all these symptoms. Are things getting better since the symptoms are improving?

Just to give you some background, I am a 31-year-old woman with no major health issues and I do not take any medications. To manage the constant pain, I have been using Tylenol and Advil. I recently had some blood tests done, and while most of the results were normal, a few things were slightly low, like my creatine, platelets, and alkaline phosphatase levels. Please give your valuable suggestions.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Here are some suggestions. I would like to give you based on your situation, and also I would like to know:

Do you smoke cigarettes?
Do you consume alcohol regularly?
Do you eat non-vegetarian food?
Are you currently taking any medications for blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, heart problems, or high cholesterol?
Did the red blotches improve after taking Advil (please mention the composition of Advil)?
Do you experience any itching on the red patches?
When you press the red patches, do they disappear and reappear when you release the pressure?
Can you remember when your last menstrual period was?
Are you experiencing any constipation?
Is the back pain localized, or does it extend to your hips, thighs, and legs?

I suggest the following:

Keep monitoring your temperature and maintain a record of it.
Check your blood pressure.
Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Make sure you are not dehydrated.
Limit your screen time (time spent on electronic devices).
Get your eyesight tested to rule out any vision problems.
Take rest and give your body time to recover.
Avoid stress, strain, heavy lifting, and intense exercise.
Let us know if you have any allergies to medications.
We should rule out cervical spondylitis, so I recommend getting an X-ray of your cervical spine.
Use a low cotton pillow when sleeping.
Lie straight without placing your arm under your head.
Stick to a light and easily digestible home-cooked diet.
We need to rule out gastritis, so avoid milk, tea, coffee, fried and oily foods, junk food, alcohol, and spicy foods or drinks for some time.
Maintain a good posture throughout the day.
I suggest getting a fever profile test done to rule out any infections.

Although you mentioned that all your reports were normal two weeks ago, it may be helpful to either repeat the tests or undergo a physical examination. I hope these explanations are clear, and please get back if you have any more queries.

Regards.

What could be the cause for severe back pain, fever, and headache?

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