Individually, fever and chest pain are often a sign that you should see your doctor. But if you experience fever and chest pain at the same time, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention.
When to see a doctor for a fever
As an adult, you should call your doctor if your fever reaches 103°F or higher. You should get immediate medical care if your fever is accompanied by:
- chest pain
- severe headache
- unusual, worsening rash
- mental confusion
- neck pain
- abdominal pain
- persistent vomiting
- pain when urinating
- seizures or convulsions
When to see a doctor for chest pain
New or unexplained chest pain can raise the concern of a heart attack. If you feel that you’re having a heart attack, immediately seek medical help. Your chances of surviving a heart attack are greater the sooner emergency medical treatment starts.
According to the
Women may experience other symptoms of a heart attack, including unexplained or unusual:
- fatigue
- nausea
- vomiting
There are a number of health conditions that may cause both fever and chest pain, including:
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness that can be mild, severe, or even fatal. It’s caused by the influenza virus infecting the nose, throat, and lungs.
According to the
- Symptoms: headache, muscle ache, cough, stuffy nose, fatigue, chills, sore throat, pressure or pain in chest or abdomen, fever (not everyone with the flu will have a fever)
- Treatment: rest, fluids, antiviral drugs
Bronchitis is an infection of the mucous membrane that lines the bronchial tubes that carry air to and from your lungs.
- Symptoms: cough, slight fever, chest discomfort, fatigue, mucus production, chills, shortness of breath
- Treatment: cough medicine, inhaler, antibiotics (if bacterial), humidifier
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
- Symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, nausea, chills
- Treatment: over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, fluids, humidifier, rest, antibiotics (if bacterial), oxygen therapy
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle.
- Symptoms: chest pain, fatigue, fluid retention, arrhythmias, shortness of breath, headache, fever, joint pain, sore throat
- Treatment: beta-blockers (metoprolol, carvedilol), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (enalapril, lisinopril), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) (valsartan, losartan), diuretics
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the sac that surrounds the heart.
- Symptoms: chest pain (center or left side), pain traveling to shoulder and neck, heart palpitations, fatigue, low grade fever, cough, swelling (leg or abdomen)
- Treatment: OTC medications such as ibuprofen or aspirin, colchicine, corticosteroids
Infectious esophagitis is irritation and swelling of the esophagus, the tube connecting your throat to your stomach. It’s caused by a virus, bacteria, or a fungus.
- Symptoms: difficulty swallowing, pain when swallowing, chest pain, fever, nausea
- Treatment: antifungal medication (fluconazole) for fungal esophagitis, antiviral medication (acyclovir) for viral esophagitis, antibiotics for bacterial esophagitis
Individually, fever and chest pain are a reason for concern and a visit with your doctor.
If you have fever and chest pain at the same time, seek immediate medical care. It could be a sign of a serious health condition.