Fever is a mild fever that is characterized by a rise in body temperature in humans or other warm-blooded animals. What are the causes and symptoms of low fever? When should you start worrying about a fever?

The fever is a slight feverish state: the body temperature then exceeds 37,5 degrees (knowing that its normal temperature varies between 36 and 37,5 degrees). A mild fever is a temperature that does not exceed 37,9 degrees. From 38 degrees, it is a real fever, whether in children, babies or adults.

Of course, this temperature must be taken into account in the absence of physical activity and being normally covered.

The temperature is measured away from meals and after 20 minutes of rest, using a thermometer.

By rectal, buccal, in the ear or under the armpit, each option is possible. For the last three measurement modes, we usually add 0,5 degrees to the value read on the thermometer. New, more modern thermometers have appeared, especially since the coronavirus health crisis: be careful to choose a model of sufficient quality, in pharmacies, otherwise the measurement will lack reliability.

We will thus distinguish acute fevers, less than five days, most often infectious, chronic fevers lasting more than 20 days. The latter usually have a non-infectious origin, and are not necessarily strong. They may correspond to a state of fever.

Other symptoms accompany this fever: fatigue, headache, chills, lack of appetite, sweating.

It is not a bad sign to have a fever, especially if it is mild; however, this state should be watched. It is an immune response of the body, a defense mechanism against infections, bacterial or viral.

When foreign bodies such as microbes or viruses are found in the body, the body detects them and will trigger a chain of biochemical reactions, as well as the production of immune defenses (white blood cells) designed to fight foreign microorganisms.

It is the release into the blood of cytokines, these immune cells, which will cause fever, thus giving a signal to the hypothalamus, the body’s thermostat, to raise the temperature.

This increase in body temperature will allow reactions between white blood cells and foreign microorganisms to take place more quickly. This increase does not serve to destroy foreign bodies, but it improves the efficiency of the immune system.

You can also contract a slight fever after a day too much exposure to the sun, inflammation, hyperthyroidism or even a reaction to a vaccine.

Other more well-known diseases are a source of fever, from mild to severe:

• ear infection and tonsillitis (often in children);
• urinary tract infection;
• bronchitis ;
• flu ;
• COVID-19 ;
• food poisoning ;
• cold or nasopharyngitis.

With simple actions, we can act on mild fever and reduce it:

• drink plenty of water or liquids (herbal teas, drinks) to fight against dehydration;
• do not cover up too much: neither a warm blanket nor overloaded clothes;
• take a lukewarm water bath or shower;
• do not heat the room above 18 ° C.

You can also take medicines to lower fever: paracetamol (or antipyretics in general, such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is the ideal medicine to treat fever. Be careful, however, to respect the prescribed doses:

• for an adult over 65 kg, it is advisable to take 1 gram of paracetamol every 6 hours;
• for an adult weighing less than 65 kg, it is advisable to space out the catches by 8 hours;
• for a baby or a child: 60 mg per kg per day, i.e. 15 mg per kg every 6 hours or 10 mg per kg every 4 hours. It is necessary to follow the recommendations of your pharmacist or your doctor or to follow the following dosages given as an indication;
• If you are pregnant, call your midwife or doctor before taking paracetamol for self-medication.

Paracetamol can be toxic to the liver. It is therefore strongly recommended not to exceed the prescribed doses.

Of course, even in case of mild fever, if it is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• vomiting and nausea;
• diarrhea;
• difficulty in breathing;
• convulsions, malaise;
• stomach or chest pain;
• difficulty in eating and drinking;
• a doctor should be consulted promptly.

Public at risk

The elderly, young and very young children, pregnant women, and patients with chronic illnesses should consult quickly in the event of fever, even if it is slightly prolonged and mild, and especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms mentioned above. .

By monitoring the evolution of the fever, with rest and the simple actions to observe described above, it is not necessary to necessarily consult if the patient tolerates the low fever well.