Need a tentative diagnosis

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Specializes in OR,ICU,DR,Cancer,Pedia.

We were given this assignment to find the diagnosis of an illness with these symptoms. X_X (no idea where to get them)

Patient experienced the following:

-afternoon fever & chills

-back pain

-high fever @ 38

-Cough w/ discharges (hard cough causing abdominal pain)

-Wheezes noted upon auscultation of the right lung

-Had a night to put self on moderate high back rest to get some sleep

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

My first thoughts on this are that you have a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to chronic bronchitis. The wheezing and cough go with asthma which is the underlying cause of the chronic bronchitis. The back pain and having to sit up to sleep are due to the congested airways. These patients get very congested, hence all the coughing. Because of all the mucus and secretions they are prime candidates for respiratory infections, so you have the fever and chills.

The back pain, however, is a bit puzzling. At first I thought that it might be related to a pneumothorax from so much hard coughing, but since it isn't stated as being on one side or the other. . .leukemia? meningitis?

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Specializes in Emergency room, Flight, Pre-hospital.

Sounds alot like pneumonia to me, with the fever and all. Maybe and acute bronchitis, both have similar symptoms. The back pain is likley from the coughing.

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Specializes in Emergency room, Flight, Pre-hospital.

sorry posted twice

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Specializes in OR,ICU,DR,Cancer,Pedia.

Uhm.. Not tuberculosis?

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

I say pneumonia

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