Do I have meningitis?

Resolved question:

I have had sinusitis since Thursday at 6pm. (dull and achy back and legs and headache with fever) and have not been able to call my doctor since its after office hours and they don't open until tomorrow. Most of my symptoms are gone except the sore throat and yellowness on my tongue. I took a shower yesterday around 4pm and as the water hit me my skin turned red and was itchy all of a sudden. I am scared because I heard the horror stories of meningitis and that a rash similar to this is seen in patients who have it.

Submitted: 4 Days
Category: Community

Expert:  Dr. John Monheit replied 4 Days.

Hello, I understand your concerns. Inflammation of the sinus is known as sinusitis. Common cold, deviated septum, rhinitis, and nasal polyps can cause this. There are two types of sinusitis:

a) Acute sinusitis: inflammation of the tissues lining the sinus that usually lasts less than three weeks.

b) Chronic sinusitis: Inflammation of the sinus that is chronic in nature lasting more than three weeks.

Such patients usually present with runny nose, facial fullness, nasal congestion, fever, and cough. In regard to your question, the yellowness in your tongue may be suggestive of a condition known as jaundice. Here the conjunctiva of the eye, palms, and tongue become yellow. This can be best evaluated by getting a complete blood test, liver function test to check the bilirubin levels. Doing warm gargles and taking a course of antibiotics can ease the sore throat. The rashes over the body may be due to an allergic reaction. Your condition does not look like a case of meningitis. It can be ruled out by getting a lumbar puncture done. I would recommend you to consult your doctor for a complete evaluation. Thank you.

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