A member asked:
I've had a bad cold with fever but the fevers gone.. my neck has been hurting and my head is just stopped up. it couldn't be meningitis could it?
3 doctors weighed in across 3 answers
Unlikely: Meningitis is most often associated with fevers, neck stiffness, light sensitivity and headaches. Just a painful neck and head congestion is not suggestive of meningitis though it doesn't rule out an atypical presentation.
Answered 1/10/2014
5.3k views
Meningitis: No. You are having residuals from a cold virus. With meningitis you would have a rapid downhill progression of symptoms with continued fever, severe neck stiffness (nuchal rigidity), photophobia (light sensitivity) and other severe symptoms. See your doctor if you are continued to be worried.
Answered 1/30/2013
5.3k views
Unlikely: Not my area of expertise, but here is what i think: you passed through a viral infection (it is the flu season), it is normal to experience neck lymph node swelling and of course to be congested. A definite diagnosis could only be obtained by a spinal tap (cerebral spinal fluid). An old timers rule of thumb is: can you bend your neck so as to touch your chin to chest? If so, fine. & u are mending!
Answered 1/10/2014
5.3k views
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