Fever

Overview

A fever is a common indicator of many different types of diseases and disorders. Being inflicted with fever without any other signs and symptoms is generally nothing to lose sleep about. However, a persistently high fever should be considered an emergency and treated with urgent care.

Fevers can be classified into three types based on severity. It is termed as low if it reads from 99" F to 100.4" F. The fever is moderate if the temperature range from 100.5" F to 104" F or higher. It is high when the thermometer reads higher than 106" F. If the body temperature crosses this mark, it will cause unconsciousness and result in permanent brain damage, when not treated immediately. Intermittent fever is characterized by daily temperature fluctuation and is generally accompanied by chills and sweating. Sustained fever is characterized by persistent elevated temperature that last for a longer time. Many fevers are brief, which last less than three weeks, or it can be prolonged. Fevers are also accompanied by fatigue or pain.

Fevers that arise out of allergic reactions to various mediums such as antibiotics and various drugs can cause rashes. Some drugs may impair the sweating mechanism, which will cause a rise in the body temperature. Strenuous exercises or increased stress may also induce the fever in some individuals. In children, diseases such as mumps, croup, dehydration, measles, and tonsillitis can cause fever. Prolonged fevers, however, are of unknown origins. In many cases, fever may follow radiographic tests or tests that use a contrast medium.

Blood test, urine analysis, sputum culture, spinal tap and x-ray of the chest are some of the tests done to diagnose fever.

Treatment

To keep track of temperature fluctuations, some people monitor and jot down the temperature on a chart for easy reference. Increasing fluid intake as well as maintaining a nutritionally balanced diet may help reduce most fevers. In addition, maintaining a stable room temperature, environment, and choosing appropriate clothing may also relieve some fevers. Infants and young children exhibit a higher and a longer lasting fever and a greater increase in temperature than adults. Seizures could also be exhibited as a result of such extremely high fevers;therefore, it is wise for parents to not give aspirin to a child with flu-like symptoms. If they did, they would be running the risk of causing Reye's syndrome.

If the child exhibits moderate fever for more than two days, it is suggested that the child should be taken to a pediatrician, just as a precautionary measure. Even adults who run a temperature for more than a few days should take the required measures and schedule a visit to the doctor at the earliest. It is better to not take chances with fever, especially when it is accompanied by aches and pains and other flu-like symptoms that do not dissipate within a few days.