{
  "id": 13532992,
  "title": "When fever, dizziness point to something more",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/when-fever-dizziness-point-to-something-more",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-10T21:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/when-fever-dizziness-point-to-something-more"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tan Zi Ting and Louisa Lim are two individuals who experienced unusual health conditions beginning in their early lives. Tan, who was only six months old, started experiencing repeated episodes of intestinal obstruction and other issues like feeding difficulties and constipation. Over the years, her symptoms expanded to include nausea, vomiting, and high fevers. Louisa Lim, on the other hand, began experiencing a persistent fever shortly after getting married in 2021, which was diagnosed as pyrexia of unknown origin. This was accompanied by other symptoms like pain, dizziness, and a burning sensation across her back.\n\nBoth Tan and Lim were initially treated at KK Women's and Children's Hospital. However, after their symptoms became more severe, they decided to seek further treatment at National University Hospital. There, their conditions were diagnosed as small fibre neuropathy (SFN), a form of peripheral neuropathy where the nerves beyond the brain and spinal cord are damaged or dysfunctional. Symptoms can vary and include painful tingling or burning sensations in the hands and feet, heart palpitations, and numbness. SFN is often hard to diagnose due to its varied symptoms and the fact that tests for large nerve fibres or the central nervous system may appear normal.\n\nSFN is believed to affect up to 50 per 100,000 people, though its prevalence has been on the rise since the Covid-19 pandemic. Some studies suggest that up to 25% to 50% of those with long Covid may have SFN. The high prevalence could be due to the immune system going into overdrive when responding to an infectious disease and attacking the small nerve fibres as a result. Despite the diagnosis, both Tan and Lim have faced challenges in managing their conditions. Lim, for instance, had to stop working due to the disruptive nature of her treatments and brain fog, which made it difficult for her to concentrate. Tan, meanwhile, continues to work closely with her doctors and researchers to better understand and manage her condition. Both doctors are also actively involved in research on SFN to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients like Tan and Lim.",
  "summary": "Some studies show small fibre neuropathy cases have spiked since the Covid-19 pandemic.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}