FEVER Expert in Perumbakkam
Your Trusted Partner in Fever
Fever is an elevated body temperature, typically above 100.4°F (38°C), resulting from the body’s natural response to infections, inflammation, or other medical conditions. We are here to provide you with top-notch care and guidance to tackle your problems.
Understanding Fever
Causes of Fever
Fever is an elevated body temperature, typically above 100.4°F (38°C), resulting from the body’s natural response to infections, inflammation, or other medical conditions. It serves as a defense mechanism to help the immune system combat the underlying cause.
Fever or elevated body temperature might be caused by:
-
- A viral infection
- A bacterial infection
- Heat exhaustion
- Certain inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis — inflammation of the lining of your joints (synovium)
- A cancerous (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), pneumococcal or COVID vaccine.
Symptoms of Fever:
- Sweating
- Chills and shivering
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Irritability
- Dehydration
- General weakness
When to see a doctor
Fevers by themselves may not be a cause for alarm — or a reason to call a doctor. Yet there are some circumstances when you should seek medical advice for your baby, your child or yourself.
A fever is a particular cause for concern in infants and toddlers. Call your baby’s health care provider if your child is:
- Younger than 3 months old and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 F (38 C) or higher.
- Between 3 and 6 months old and has a rectal temperature higher than 102 F (38.9 C) or has a lower temperature but seems unusually irritable, sluggish or uncomfortable.
- Between 7 and 24 months old and has a rectal temperature higher than 102 F (38.9 C) that lasts longer than one day but shows no other symptoms. If your child also has other signs and symptoms, such as a runny nose, cough or diarrhea, you can call sooner.
Children
There’s probably no cause for alarm if your child has a fever but is responsive. This means your child makes eye contact with you and responds to your facial expressions and to your voice. Your child may also be drinking fluids and playing.
Call your child’s health care provider if your child:
- Is listless, confused or has poor eye contact with you.
- Is irritable, vomits repeatedly, has a severe headache, sore throat, stomachache or other symptoms causing a lot of discomfort.
- Has a fever after being left in a hot car. Seek medical care immediately.
- Has a fever that lasts longer than three days.
- Has a seizure associated with the fever. Call 911 if the seizure lasts more than five minutes or your child doesn’t recover quickly.
Ask your child’s health care provider for guidance in special circumstances, such as a child with immune system problems or with a preexisting illness.
Adults
Call your health care provider if your temperature is 103 F (39.4 C) or higher. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these signs or symptoms accompanies a fever:
- Severe headache
- Rash
- Unusual sensitivity to bright light
- Stiff neck and pain when you bend your head forward
- Mental confusion, strange behavior or altered speech
- Persistent vomiting
- Difficulty breathing or chest pain
- Abdominal pain
- Pain when urinating
- Convulsions or seizures
Prevention
- Get vaccinated as recommended for infectious diseases, such as influenza and COVID-19.
- Follow public health guidelines for wearing masks and social distancing.
- Wash your hands often and teach your children to do the same, especially before eating, after using the toilet, after spending time in a crowd or around someone who’s sick, after petting animals, and during travel on public transportation.
- Show your children how to wash their hands thoroughly, covering both the front and back of each hand with soap and rinsing completely under running water.
- Carry hand sanitizer with you for times when you don’t have access to soap and water.
- Try to avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes, as these are the main ways that viruses and bacteria can enter your body and cause infection.
- Cover your mouth when you cough and your nose when you sneeze, and teach your children to do the same. Whenever possible, turn away from others and cough or sneeze into your elbow to avoid passing germs along to them.
- Avoid sharing cups, water bottles and utensils with your child or children.
Treatment
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, such as water, clear broths, and herbal teas, to prevent dehydration, which can be a risk when you have a fever.
Rest: Get adequate rest to help your body recover and fight off the underlying cause of the fever.
Fever-Reducing Medications: Over-the-counter fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or aspirin, can help lower body temperature and provide relief from discomfort. Follow the dosing instructions on the medication label, and consult with a healthcare provider, especially if the fever persists or worsens.
Cool Compresses: Applying a cool, damp cloth to your forehead, neck, and body can help lower your body temperature and provide temporary relief.
Sponge Bath: In cases of very high fever, especially in children, a sponge bath with lukewarm water can be used to reduce body temperature. Avoid using cold water, as it can cause shivering and potentially raise the fever.
Wear Lightweight Clothing: Dress in lightweight and breathable clothing to help regulate body temperature.
Room Temperature: Keep the room at a comfortable, moderate temperature. Avoid excessive heating or cooling.
Identify and Treat Underlying Cause: If the fever is a symptom of an underlying condition, such as an infection, seek medical attention to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment. Antibiotics may be necessary for bacterial infections, and antiviral medications may be needed for viral infections.
Frequently Asked Question on Fever
Rest and drink plenty of fluids. Medication isn’t needed. Call the doctor if the fever is accompanied by a severe headache, stiff neck, shortness of breath, or other unusual signs or symptoms. If you’re uncomfortable, take acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or aspirin.
Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Dress in lightweight clothing.
Use a light blanket if you feel chilled, until the chills end.
Take acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Follow the directions on the label.
In the case of a high fever or a fever that causes discomfort, your care provider may recommend nonprescription medication, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Use these medications according to the label instructions or as recommended by your health care provider.
Placing a cool, damp washcloth on your forehead and the back of your neck can help your fever symptoms feel better. You might also want to give yourself a sponge bath with cool water, focusing on high-heat areas like your armpits and groin. Normally, this method, known as tepid sponging, is done for about 5 minutes.
Paracetamol is a commonly used medicine that can help treat pain and reduce a high temperature (fever). It’s typically used to relieve mild or moderate pain, such as headaches, toothache or sprains, and reduce fevers caused by illnesses such as colds and flu.