Do I Have Glandular Fever Or Am I Just Totally Exhausted?

Let's say you survived university without coming down with glandular fever —the dreaded 'kissing disease.' Congrats!

Well maybe don't celebrate just yet, because it's still possible to get glandular fever as a fully fledged adult, and if you do, you can count on it sucking...a lot. So if you're wondering, 'Do I have glandular fever?!' here's what you should know about this common disease.

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What exactly is Glandular Fever?

Glandular fever is a highly contagious infection most often caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), though other viruses like hepatitis A, B, or C, and HIV can trigger glandular fever, too.

While, yes, Glandular fever is typically seen in teenagers and young adults, anyone can get it—that's because most people will be exposed to EBV in their lifetimes (the virus is usually spread through bodily fluids), and one out of four of those people will develop glandular fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Glandular fever symptoms don't usually show up until four to six weeks after you've been infected with the virus (oh, great)—and while feeling tired is the primary symptom, it's not the only one. If you notice any of the symptoms below, it's possible that you're dealing with glandular fever, and should see your doctor ASAP.

7 Glandular Fever symptoms

1/ Exhaustion

Fatigue is probably the most well-known symptom of glandular fever. 'It feels like your body is moving in slow motion,' says Dr. Shanna Levine, an internist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Basically, with glandular fever, your immune system gets so busy trying to fight off the infection that your body doesn't have the energy to perform even simple, daily activities.

That fatigue also takes a long time to go away: Most people recover from other glandular fever symptoms in about month, but according to the CDC, the fatigue can linger for weeks or even months after that.

2/ Swollen, tender lymph nodes

Your lymph nodes are a critical part of your immune system—they help detect and fight off infections, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and they become swollen or enlarged when you're sick (you can feel them in your neck, groin, or armpits).

With glandular fever, your swollen lymph nodes will be big enough that you can actually see them sticking out of the sides your neck—or even in your armpits, according to the CDC. They’ll be tender to the touch too, says Levine. 'A classic sign of glandular fever is having swollen lymph nodes on the back of the neck too, which you don’t typically see with other viruses.'

A quick test: Feel the base of your skull at the back of your neck—those are your occipital lymph nodes; if they’re sore, it’s likely glandular fever and you should go to the doctor. Also important to note: Your glands will be more swollen when you’re most contagious, notes Levine.

3/ A rash on your chest or in your mouth

Glandular fever can cause a rash of little red bumps on the skin, often on the chest or in the mouth, says Levine. It won’t be like blisters or insect bites, but simply skin irritation, she says. It's an inflammatory response that shows up on the skin as a result of your body fighting off the virus.

In some cases, glandular fever can be misdiagnosed as a bacterial infection (it's actually a viral infection). If that happens, and your doctor prescribes you a dose of antibiotics, that rash can actually get worse, says Levine—and it can also be an indicator that you do, in fact, have glandular fever. While rashes are a potential side effect of antibiotics, people who have viral infections like glandular fever experience the rashy side effect to a much greater degree, according to research published in Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology.

4/ Head and body aches that won't quit

Getting headaches for days on end can be a symptom of glandular fever, according to the National Headache Foundation. These tend to be achy, tension-type headaches, which could be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus' potential inflammatory impact on the brain and nervous system, per the CDC. 'When you have a fever and you're fighting an illness, your brain doesn't get the same level of hydration or fuel supply,' says Levine. 'Headaches are a sign of that stressor on the body.'

Body aches come into play here too, as your entire body tries to fight off the infection. If you have a nasty headache (and/or body aches) that doesn't go away within a day or two, it doesn't hurt to call up your doctor.

5/ A low-grade fever

Glandular fever doesn’t typically bring on a major spike in temperature, but low-grade fevers—somewhere between 37 and 38 degrees celsius—are common with glandular fever, says Levine. Your body uses fevers as a way to help fight infection; higher temperatures trigger antiviral compounds in the blood. Fever also means you’re in the more contagious stage of glandular fever, so take caution to keep your coughs to yourself.

6/ A swollen, sore tummy

Glandular fever can cause your spleen and liver to swell or have inflammation, says Levine, as these organs may be working overtime to fight glandular fever. Since the infection causes your body to produce a ton of white blood cells, your spleen, which helps filter these as they fight infection, can be especially taxed.

You'll have to protect your tummy from contact during glandular fever, too (no contact sport for you); a blow to your abdomen could cause your spleen or liver to rupture.

It's also possible for your spleen or liver to remain enlarged even after you stop feeling that familiar glandular fever fatigue—so take it easy, even after you're feeling better.

7/ Sore throat

Not everyone experiences a sore throat and swollen tonsils with glandular fever, but they are less-common symptoms that, in combination with other glandular fever symptoms, can help tip off your doctor to what's going on.

Levine explains that your tonsils are actually a type of lymph node and, as they work to move white blood cells and fight infection, they swell. Also, when adults get glandular fever, they tend to have more throat symptoms than when younger people get it, she says.

If you do have glandular fever, there's a bit of bad news: There's not necessarily a quick-fix cure for it (you'll be in store for lots of R&R and some over the counter medication to help with the symptoms). Fortunately, glandular fever typically only lasts two to four weeks, according to the CDC, though it may take up to six months for some people to feel 100 percent.

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Kristin Canning

Kristin Canning is the features director at Women's Health, where she assigns, edits and reports long-form features on emerging health research and technology, women's health conditions, psychology, sexuality, mental health, reproductive justice, wellness entrepreneurs, women athletes, and the intersection of health, fitness, and culture for both the magazine and the website. She's worked in health media for seven years, holding prior positions at Health, SELF, and Men's Health. When she's not writing and editing, you can find her running, hiking, biking, dancing, listening to podcasts, or planning her next outdoor adventure.