Dengue fever or sinusitis? How to stop a recurrent infection?
September 24, 2006 8:25 PM Subscribe
Dengue fever or sinusitis? How to stop a recurrent infection?
In August 2004 I visited Bangkok. Seven days later I developed a high fever. Symptoms included: an intense pain across forehead/scalp which throbbed acutely when raising head or sitting upright; photophobia; continuous pain behind eyes; confusion; visibly swollen neck glands. The illness lasted for 7 days, although symptoms would return suddenly and with intensity when I drank alcohol (it was 18 months until I could do so again.)
Upon return to the UK my doctor tentatively shared my initial suspicion of dengue fever (I was bitten by mosquitoes in the proximity of stagnant canal water.) Two years later, symptoms are much less severe but alcohol, caffeine and orgasm still trigger dull frontal headaches, confusion and swollen lymph nodes in my neck. My teeth were and are in poor condition and I have since had 10 fillings and two impacted wisdom teeth removed. Is oral infection a more plausible cause? What can I do for a long-term solution?
In August 2004 I visited Bangkok. Seven days later I developed a high fever. Symptoms included: an intense pain across forehead/scalp which throbbed acutely when raising head or sitting upright; photophobia; continuous pain behind eyes; confusion; visibly swollen neck glands. The illness lasted for 7 days, although symptoms would return suddenly and with intensity when I drank alcohol (it was 18 months until I could do so again.)
Upon return to the UK my doctor tentatively shared my initial suspicion of dengue fever (I was bitten by mosquitoes in the proximity of stagnant canal water.) Two years later, symptoms are much less severe but alcohol, caffeine and orgasm still trigger dull frontal headaches, confusion and swollen lymph nodes in my neck. My teeth were and are in poor condition and I have since had 10 fillings and two impacted wisdom teeth removed. Is oral infection a more plausible cause? What can I do for a long-term solution?
Response by poster: I was alone on one of Thailand's smaller islands for the duration of the fever. There were no clinics or doctors available.
My doctor referred me to my dentist and my dentist referred me back to my doctor, who prescribed antibiotics (which were ineffective) and suggested I simply avoid any triggers. I visited another doctor with much the same result.
I wondered if anyone who has experienced dengue fever in the past, or a debilitating sinus infection, has had similar ongoing symptoms.
posted by Black Spring at 4:32 AM on September 25, 2006
My doctor referred me to my dentist and my dentist referred me back to my doctor, who prescribed antibiotics (which were ineffective) and suggested I simply avoid any triggers. I visited another doctor with much the same result.
I wondered if anyone who has experienced dengue fever in the past, or a debilitating sinus infection, has had similar ongoing symptoms.
posted by Black Spring at 4:32 AM on September 25, 2006
I've had some pretty bad sinus infections in the past, but have never had swollen lymph nodes in my neck or any real confusion as a symptom.
There are two symptoms nearly universal to sinus infections:
1. Green or yellow nasal discharge.
2. Painful pressure in between the eyes and nose.
If you don't have those, you almost certainly don't have a sinus infection. I can't speak for dengue fever at all, I'm glad to say.
posted by cerebus19 at 6:02 AM on September 25, 2006
There are two symptoms nearly universal to sinus infections:
1. Green or yellow nasal discharge.
2. Painful pressure in between the eyes and nose.
If you don't have those, you almost certainly don't have a sinus infection. I can't speak for dengue fever at all, I'm glad to say.
posted by cerebus19 at 6:02 AM on September 25, 2006
IANAD, but I have some thoughts that you could consider and maybe share with your doctor.
How sure are you that the initial infection was dengue fever? Some of your symptoms are classic, especially the pain behind the eyes, but you don't mention a rash or severe joint pain, which are two other hallmarks of the disease. Also, based on Google and two pieces of anecdotal evidence, dengue fever is not known to have long-lasting effects like the ones you describe.
HOWEVER, malaria is also mosquito-borne and has some similar initial symptoms. You could have recovered from the initial infection without medication, but the protozoan would still be in your body, lying dormant in your liver and spleen. People who get malaria and are never treated for it can relapse periodically, sometimes for years, until the protozoan is eradicated.
There are tests available for dengue fever and malaria; I'm surprised your doctor hasn't already had you tested for dengue fever---as I understand it, the test would still work even years after the infection, since it looks for (permanent) antibodies to the virus and not the virus itself.
FWIW, your symptoms don't sound like chronic sinusitis or chronic oral infection to me, but again, IANAD.
posted by slenderloris at 8:55 AM on September 25, 2006
How sure are you that the initial infection was dengue fever? Some of your symptoms are classic, especially the pain behind the eyes, but you don't mention a rash or severe joint pain, which are two other hallmarks of the disease. Also, based on Google and two pieces of anecdotal evidence, dengue fever is not known to have long-lasting effects like the ones you describe.
HOWEVER, malaria is also mosquito-borne and has some similar initial symptoms. You could have recovered from the initial infection without medication, but the protozoan would still be in your body, lying dormant in your liver and spleen. People who get malaria and are never treated for it can relapse periodically, sometimes for years, until the protozoan is eradicated.
There are tests available for dengue fever and malaria; I'm surprised your doctor hasn't already had you tested for dengue fever---as I understand it, the test would still work even years after the infection, since it looks for (permanent) antibodies to the virus and not the virus itself.
FWIW, your symptoms don't sound like chronic sinusitis or chronic oral infection to me, but again, IANAD.
posted by slenderloris at 8:55 AM on September 25, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
Why weren't you tested for dengue fever, incidentally? It's my understanding there's a simple blood test that will confirm/disprove it.
Not to be too obvious, but to get a long-term solution, you first need to figure out what it is you've got. It's possible you've got some kind of infection, which may be viral (as dengue fever is) or bacterial, in which case you ought to be on antibiotics. Whatever it is could easily get worse without warning, so I advise you to get it checked out before that happens.
posted by cerebus19 at 9:48 PM on September 24, 2006