Fever: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Fever is defined as the abnormal elevation of body temperature, 37 degrees C is the normal body temperature. Anything above this level is considered as a fever.

Fever is nothing but a body’s immune response to allergens and bacterial or viral infections.

The Hypothalamus is an organ in the brain which controls the body temperature of the body. The major difference between Hyperthermia and Fever is that, fever is controlled by the hypothalamus, On other Hand Hyperthermia is independent of hypothalamus intervention.

Issue of concern

Usually Fever is not considered serious until the body temperature reaches to 103 F (39.4 C) or higher.

It is clinically important to make the differentiation between fever and hyperthermia to take appropriate treatment.

Causes of fever

Fever can be caused by any of the following:

• Viral infection
• Bacterial infection
• Immunisation
• Inflammatory diseases (arthritis, trauma)
• Cancer conditions

Fever can also be caused by various other diseases like:

• Flu
• Tonsillitis
• Kidney or UTI
• Respiratory tract infection
• Acute otitis media

Symptoms of fever

Rise in the temperature is a common symptom of fever. Other symptoms can vary according to the underlying causes of fever. Common symptoms of fever are as follows:

• Sweating
• Chills and shivering
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Loss of appetite
• Irritability
• Dehydration
• General weakness

Prevention of fever

You can follow our prevention instruction to prevent fever from happening.

• Wash your hands – it is important to wash your hand often to make sure you wash off the bacteria that you are carrying on hands.
• Use hand sanitizer – always carry hand sanitizer to keep your hands clean when you are traveling.
• Avoid touching your face – do not touch your face with your hands often, as bacteria on your hands can easily travel through your nose to cause infection.
• Avoid sharing of cups and bottle with other peoples.
• Always wear mask to avoid inhalation of contaminants.
• Cover your head in rain, dry your hairs immediately after taking a shower.

Treatment of fever

Minor fever usually goes away on own and do not need special treatment. In case of severe fever your doctor may give you over the counter medicines.

• Acetaminophen
• Ibuprofen
• Aspirin
• Naproxen

Use these medications according to the label instructions or as recommended by your doctor. Be careful to avoid taking too much.