Fever Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

Fever is a condition in which your body temperature rises above normal range. It is also known as pyrexia or hyperthermia. The word pyrexia is derived from Greek word pyr that means fire. It is a sensation of heat or cold. The degree of heat or cold depends upon the temperature. Normal body temperature is around 37°C or 98.6°F.  The normal temperature of the body changes depending on the time of the day. Temperature may also fluctuate during menstrual cycle or extreme exercise. There is a balance between the temperature of the body and atmosphere. When this balance is disturbed, the body temperature may fall or increase. In case, temperature falls below the normal range, then it is hypothermia otherwise it is fever. It also occurs as a result of illness, weakness and infection.

Grades Of Fever

There are three grades of fever depending upon the severity of fever,

1. Low grade fever : 37.1°C -38.2°C (98.6°F -100.6°F)

2. High grade fever : 38.2°C-40.5°C(100.6°F -104.9°F)

3. Hyperpyrexia : >40.5°C(>104.9°F)

Symptoms

The major sign and symptoms of fever are,

•  Hot dry skin
•  Headache
•  Anorexia
•  Body aches
•  Nausea
•  Vomiting
•  Constipation
•  Sometimes diarrhea
•  Shivering
•  Irritability
•  Weakness
•  Flushed face
•  Chills
•  Dark colored urine
•  Increase in heart rate or respiratory rate
•  Sweating

Causes

When there is a disturbance in the regulation of body temperature, it results in fever. This disturbance may be due to any abnormality in the brain or any other substance that has the ability to affect the temperature regulating centre. Fever also develops as a result of infections such as viruses or bacteria. Another reason behind fever is heat stroke, hot environment, intense exercise or hypothalamus injury. If the caffeine or cocaine are directly injected into the bloodstream, then it may result in high body temperature. Inflammatory conditions, infectious diseases and hemorrhage can also cause temperature. Due to excessive use of antipsychotics or narcoleptic agents such as tricyclic antidepressants,monoamine oxidase inhibitors can induce hyperthermia.

Treatment

There are different treatment approaches depending upon the temperature range. If there is a small increase in temperature, then it is cured by taking some rest or hydration. You should try to facilitate the loss of heat from the body by using wet clothes. The medicines prescribed for the treatment of fevers include aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen and indomethacin. For patients with hyperthermia, meperidine, morphine sulphate and chlorpromazine are prescribed. Antiviral or antibacterial are also prescribed if the causative agent is virus or bacteria. If the patient is feeling extreme chills, then try to give sufficient heat. The first approach in fever is to balance the body temperature by giving the required heat or cold press. You should take a soft diet enriched with nutrients.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the complications of fever?

High grade fever or hyperthermia can cause serious or severe damage to the body organs.

What are the risk factors of fever?

Hay fever, bronchitis and rhinitis are the major risk factors of fever.