What is a fever?
Fever is an increase in body temperature above 37 °C. Most often, fever becomes one of the symptoms of infectious diseases of various origins and is accompanied by flushing of the skin, headache, thirst, and confusion.
Causes of fever
In most cases, body temperature rises during an infectious process in the body caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites. Also, the cause of fever can be trauma, heat stroke, dehydration, relapses of certain chronic diseases.
An increase in temperature may be associated with intoxication of the body against the background of thyrotoxicosis or with an exacerbation of certain chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease. Symptoms of fever may accompany myocardial infarction, acute abdominal diseases, and some types of cancer, such as lymphoma.
Fever symptoms
The feverish state is accompanied by hyperemia (blood overflow) of the skin, headache, a feeling of aching bones, euphoria. In addition, the patient is disturbed by trembling, chills, increased sweating, thirst. The patient’s breathing becomes frequent, his appetite disappears, confusion may occur, delirium begins. In pediatric practice, children have increased irritability, crying, and feeding problems.
In the case of an exacerbation of chronic diseases, symptoms related to the characteristics of the course of recurrent pathology can be added to the above manifestations of fever. A doctor’s call to the house is necessary in case of an increase in body temperature in a child of the first three months of life above 37,5 ° C or in the case when the elevated temperature persists for two days.
Fever may be accompanied by convulsions, which also requires immediate consultation with a specialist. In addition, medical attention is needed for fever that occurs with neck stiffness, abdominal pain, and a skin rash, especially if it is dark red or takes the form of large blisters.
For an adult, medical assistance is necessary if the fever is accompanied by swelling, pain in the joints, and rashes on the skin. Also, an examination by a specialist with an increase in temperature is necessary for pregnant women and patients who are tormented by a cough with yellowish or greenish sputum, acute headache, pain in the ears, throat or abdomen, dry mouth, vomiting, pain during urination. A visit to the doctor is also necessary for patients with confused consciousness, rash, increased irritability.
Fever treatment
Treatment of fever at home is primarily aimed at replenishing the water-salt balance, preserving the vitality of the body, and controlling body temperature. The patient needs bed rest and light food, he should drink more fluids, do not dress warmly, do not take a bath and measure body temperature 4-6 times a day. If the temperature rises above 38 ° C Celsius, the patient is prescribed antipyretic drugs.
To normalize body temperature, as a rule, paracetamol is used in age dosages, ibuprofen or nimesulide.
It is not recommended (forbidden in pediatric practice) to use aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), as it can cause the development of hepatocerebral syndrome.
As part of a medical examination, the cause of the increase in the patient’s body temperature is established and appropriate treatment is prescribed. In some cases, the patient may need hospitalization or an additional examination on an outpatient basis.