Differential Diagnosis for "Feels fever but no fever"
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Dehydration: This is a common condition where the body loses more fluids than it takes in, leading to symptoms such as feeling hot or feverish without an actual elevated body temperature.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Anxiety or stress: These conditions can cause physical symptoms, including feeling hot or feverish, due to the body's "fight or flight" response.
- Menopause or perimenopause: Hormonal changes during this time can lead to hot flashes, which may be perceived as a fever.
- Medication side effects: Certain medications, such as antidepressants or blood pressure medications, can cause feelings of warmth or feverishness as a side effect.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Sepsis: Although the patient does not have a fever, sepsis can present with hypothermia or normal body temperature, especially in the elderly or immunocompromised.
- Thyroid storm: A life-threatening condition that occurs in people with hyperthyroidism, characterized by symptoms such as fever, tachycardia, and agitation, but can sometimes present with a normal body temperature.
- Malignant hyperthermia: A rare but life-threatening condition that can occur in response to certain medications, characterized by a rapid rise in body temperature, but can sometimes present with a normal body temperature initially.
- Rare diagnoses
- Factitious disorder: A psychological condition where a person intentionally produces or feigns symptoms, including feeling feverish, without any underlying medical condition.
- Neurological disorders: Certain conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or neuropathy, can cause abnormal sensations, including feeling hot or feverish, without an actual elevated body temperature.