What serious condition is associated with a combination of headache, fever, and nuchal rigidity?

The presence of a combination of headache, fever, and nuchal rigidity is indicative of meningitis, a serious medical condition that involves inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms are characteristic of this condition: a headache that may be severe and persistent, fever suggesting an infectious process, and nuchal rigidity referring to stiffness in the neck, which often makes it difficult for the patient to touch their chin to their chest.

In meningitis, these symptoms can develop rapidly and may be accompanied by other signs such as sensitivity to light (photophobia), altered mental status, and possibly a rash, depending on the underlying cause (bacterial, viral, or fungal). Recognizing these symptoms is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment, which can be life-saving.

Other conditions listed may produce headache but typically do not present with the full triad of symptoms observed in meningitis. For instance, migraines usually do not cause fever or neck stiffness, tension headaches are generally not associated with systemic symptoms like fever, and subarachnoid hemorrhage often presents with a sudden onset of a severe headache but does not typically cause fever or nuchal rigidity in the same way as meningitis does. Hence, among the options provided, meningitis