List of Diseases > FEVER

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A fever is a temporary increase in your body temperature, often due to an illness. Having a fever is a sign that something out of the ordinary is going on in your body.

For an adult, a fever may be uncomfortable, but usually isn't a cause for concern unless it reaches 103 F (39.4 C) or higher. For infants and toddlers, a slightly elevated temperature may indicate a serious infection.

Fevers generally go away within a few days. A number of over-the-counter medications lower a fever, but sometimes it's better left untreated. Fever seems to play a key role in helping your body fight off a number of infections.

Causes-- Fever occurs when an area in your brain called the hypothalamus  also known as your body's "thermostat" — shifts the set point of your normal body temperature upward. When this happens, you may feel chilled and add layers of clothing or wrap up in a blanket, or you may shiver to generate more body heat, eventually resulting in an elevated body temperature.

Normal body temperature varies throughout the day — it's lower in the morning and higher in the late afternoon and evening. Although most people consider 98.6 F (37 C) normal, your body temperature can vary by a degree or more — from about 97 F (36.1 C) to 99 F (37.2 C) — and still be considered normal. Factors such as your menstrual cycle or heavy exercise can affect your temperature.

Fever or elevated body temperature might be caused by:

·        A virus

·        A bacterial infection

·        Heat exhaustion

·        Extreme sunburn

·        Certain inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis — inflammation of the lining of your joints (synovium)

·        A malignant tumor

·        Some medications, such as antibiotics and drugs used to treat high blood pressure or seizures

·        Some immunizations, such as the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) or pneumococcal vaccine

Sometimes the cause of a fever can't be identified. If you have a temperature of 101 F (38.3 C) or higher for more than three weeks and your doctor isn't able to find the cause after extensive evaluation, the diagnosis may be fever of unknown origin.

Symptoms-- You have a fever when your temperature rises above its normal range. What's normal for you may be a little higher or lower than the average normal temperature of 98.6 F (37 C).

Depending on what's causing your fever, additional fever signs and symptoms may include:

·        Sweating

·        Shivering

·        Headache

·        Muscle aches

·        Loss of appetite

·        Dehydration

·        General weakness

High fevers between 103 F (39.4 C) and 106 F (41.1 C) may cause:

·        Hallucinations

·        Confusion

·        Irritability

·        Convulsions

·        Dehydration

Complications- Complications of a fever may include:

·        Severe dehydration

·        Hallucinations

·        Fever-induced seizure (febrile seizure), in a small number of children ages 6 months to 5 years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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