Breaking down a fever: What you need to know

Being overheated in this hot and humid weather can cause an elevated body temperature. Usually a fever is the result that your immune system is working well and fighting off bacteria or viruses. But fever can be very severe in some cases, especially in children. 

The body temperature can differ from person to person. Generally adults has the body temperature between 98 to 100℉ or 36 to 37℃, a body temperature above this may consider as a fever. 

While children has the body temperature of 98.6℉ in morning, which may elevate to 100.3℉ later at the day. A reading more than this temperature is considered a fever in children. 

What are the causes of a fever? 

Several reasons can cause an elevated body temperature. The most common causes of a fever are:

• The common cold

• Immunization

• Covid-19

• Heatstroke or sunburn

• Bacterial infection 

• Skin infection

• Urinary tract infection

• Gastrointestinal infection

• Side effects of certain medications

• Food poisoning

• Alcohol withdrawal

• Silicosis

Most importantly, you need to understand that fever can be an early symptom of a disease or infection. Hence, having a chronic health condition such as meningitis, may cause fever as well. Some autoimmune diseases can also cause fever, including rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and lupus. 

A fever can also occur, if there is a blood clot in the veins. However, along with fever, the person may also feel swelling, localized pain, and swelling. 

Usually, a fever recovers within the span of 2 weeks. However, if a fever lasts more than 2 or several weeks then it might indicate some serious health conditions, such as Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.      

When should you see a doctor? 

One should see a doctor if they face the following mentioned events: 

• If he body temperature rises above the reading of 105℉

• If a person has a weakened immune system which is common in HIV, cancer and autoimmune condition patients    

• If the fever lasts more than a few days, after having proper rest and home treatments

• If rashes appear on the body along with a fever

• Along with the fever, if you experience pain in any particular body area

• If there are signs of dehydration along with fever

• If the person experiences confusion, shortness of breath, and stiff neck accompanied with a fever  

After having a complete knowledge about your health history and symptoms, your doctor would suggest you take a fever profile test. A fever profile panel test will help the doctors to understand the exact cause of the fever. Fever profile test price is very reasonable in thyrocare, and you can avail the home sample collection facility there.      

When should children with a fever need medical care?         

• If a child is under three months

• If a child has an impaired immune system

• If a child has seizures for the first time

• If a seizures lasts more than 5 minutes

• If the child urinating less than 3 times a day

• If the child experiences dark urine 

• If the child loses consciousness   

How to break down fever at home? 

There are several treatments available to treat a fever. Similarly, there are multiple types of over the counter medicines available to consume at home. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen and aspirin are generally used to bring down a fever at home. 

However, these types of medicines do have certain side effects as well. Aspirin is not recommended for children and teenegers. This medication can cause Reye’s syndrome in younger children, and it is rare in teenegers.

This is why it will be wiser to use medicines that are only prescribed by the doctors. Apart from the over the counter medicines, you can bring down the fever by certain ways. Some well known and effective ways are: 

• Make sure to not add many layers of clothes even if it is too cold. 

• Make sure to set the room temperature to normal.  

• To bring down a fever, it is important to stay well hydrated, this is why it is crucial to drink plenty of water. Prefer drinking only plain or electrolytes water. Guardians should avoid giving sweetened drinks in large quantities to the children at this time. 

• Give cool presses on the forehead of the patient. 

• Having a lot of rest at this time is extremely crucial. So, make sure to avoid going to work or school and have complete rest at home. This is also important because some fevers can be contagious, so staying at home at this time will help to stop further transmission. 

The symptoms may vary from person to person, it can be mild for some people while can be severe to some. No matter how much the severity is, the symptoms can be very discomforting. This is why it is important to take things lightly at this time to feel better.