A 19-year-old college student is brought to the emergency department with a severe headache he describes as, "Like nothing I've ever had before." His temperature is 40 ° C, and he has a stiff neck
The nurse looks for other signs and symptoms of which problem?
a.
Head injury
b.
Cluster headache
c.
Migraine headache
d.
Meningeal inflammation
ANS: D
The acute onset of neck stiffness and pain along with headache and fever occurs with meningeal inflammation. A severe headache in an adult or child who has never had it before is a red flag. Head injury and cluster or migraine headaches are not associated with a fever or stiff neck.
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