Free Practice Question of the Week [12]

David is consulting you to help determine what condition he has. Yesterday, he was perfectly healthy, but today he has a sudden onset of fever, chills and muscle aches. He has a cough, but it is non-productive. He does not have any sneezing or stuffy nose. What is his most likely reason for his symptoms?

a) Influenza
b) Sinusitis
c) Common cold
d) Allergies

Scroll down for the answer!

(A) is the answer.

Rule out options first. Lack of sneezing and stuff nose symptoms may help to rule out sinusitis and allergies. The most important part is to differentiate between influenza and the common cold. The sudden onset of symptoms, as well as muscle aches and fever, are characteristic of an influenza infection.

If you liked this question, you should subscribe for our comprehensive question bank which covers all nine NAPRA competencies! Test your knowledge and application with our case-based questions.