Temperature 40 in an adult without symptoms
Not always a high temperature is a reason to sound the alarm. But if the thermometer shows 40, this is a clear signal: something is wrong! Together with expert Aigul Kharisova, we discussed what a temperature of 40 without other symptoms indicates, and why it is dangerous

Doctors distinguish four types of fever:

  • subfebrile (37-37,9 degrees),
  • febrile or moderate (38-39,9),
  • high (40-40,9)
  • hyperpyrexia (from 41)1.

High temperature is an immune response to internal and external stimuli. Most often, such irritants are viruses, bacteria and the toxins they produce.

When irritants enter the body, the process of producing protein substances – cytokines, which our immune system produces in response to infection, starts. They act on the hypothalamus, an area of ​​the brain that is responsible for thermoregulation.2. As a result, heat production in the body increases. A temperature of up to 38,5 is considered a normal reaction to the invasion of the infection and helps to neutralize it.

But a temperature increase of more than 38,5 is quite dangerous for the body. Dehydration occurs, blood viscosity increases, and blood pressure rises. The load on the lungs, heart, blood vessels and kidneys increases. With an increase in body temperature to 40 degrees and above, the immune response is suppressed.3. In addition, organ overload can lead to respiratory, cardiovascular, and renal failure.

Causes of a temperature of 40 in an adult

Hyperthermia (high temperature) can be a symptom of various diseases, so you can’t do without consulting a specialist.

The main causes of a temperature of 40 degrees in adults:

  • endocrine emergencies – thyrotoxic crisis, pheochromocytoma;
  • heatstroke;
  • traumatic brain injury and stroke;
  • oncological diseases;
  • autoimmune pathologies – rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus;
  • purulent processes in the abdominal cavity;
  • taking certain medications;
  • inflammation of a bacterial nature: sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia;
  • infectious diseases: Lyme disease, tuberculosis, typhoid, HIV.

In addition to fever, a person may also experience other unpleasant symptoms: chills, headache, weakness, muscle and joint pain, and tinnitus. All of them are associated with intoxication, metabolic disorders and heat transfer in the body. But in some cases the temperature is 40 °C in adults is observed without the presence of other symptoms.

What to do if the temperature is 40 in an adult

Not every rise in temperature requires churning. But if the thermometer shows 40, you definitely need to take action.

At home, you can use antipyretic drugs, such as paracetamol or NSAIDs, most often ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac. All other medicines can be used only as directed by a doctor.

Cool down the body

Often, when the temperature in adults rises above 40, hypothermia is used – lowering the temperature.

Hypothermia can be external (external) and internal4. Internal hypothermia is performed by doctors using special tools. At home, it is possible to apply only external cooling methods.

How is external cooling carried out? It is necessary to remove excess clothing from a person, apply cold to the head and the area of ​​uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe main vessels (neck, groin, armpits), wipe the body with a damp sponge (towel).

Prevent dehydration

Everyone knows that the human body consists of water. With dehydration, there is a loss of fluid, while the acid-base balance changes, and the work of many internal organs is disrupted. It is believed that the loss of 20% of water can be fatal. Therefore, it is extremely important to prevent dehydration.

For this, the patient is given water-salt solutions, which can be prepared independently or bought at a pharmacy. The amount of water is calculated based on body weight.

Call a doctor

Independently at home, the correct diagnosis cannot be made. Especially if the adult has a temperature of 40, but there are no other symptoms. Therefore, after first aid measures, you need to consult a doctor. The main thing is to act immediately.

Before the arrival of the doctor, the patient must be put to bed, having previously changed into light clothes. Do not forget to give plenty of drink – the best is ordinary water, weak tea, rosehip broth at room temperature. You can wipe the patient with a slightly warm towel, starting with the face and forehead, ending with the legs.

Popular questions and answers

Fever under 40, and even without accompanying symptoms, is an infrequent phenomenon. It is not surprising that everyone can be frightened and confused at the sight of such numbers on a thermometer. The most popular questions are answered by our expert, doctor-therapist and ultrasound Aigul Kharisova.

What is the danger of a temperature of 40 in an adult?

High fever is a very dangerous symptom for both adults and children. Especially when the thermometer reads 40 C and above. Such a fever leads to dehydration, disruption of the internal organs, irreversible changes in the nervous system. Sometimes at this temperature hallucinations and convulsions appear.

Therefore, with such a fever, you should not self-medicate, but you should consult a doctor or call an ambulance.

When to call a doctor at a temperature of 40?

– Be sure to call a doctor if:

• high temperature has risen for no apparent reason;

• fever lasts more than 5 days, during treatment the temperature decreases, and then rises again;

• the patient has a strong thirst, a parched mouth, dizziness, urination has stopped;

• convulsions appeared, the person has confused consciousness, he is not oriented in space.

What can not be done at a temperature of 40?

– When the temperature is high, do not wrap up. On the contrary, the patient should be dressed in light clothes. In addition, you should not take a hot shower, go to the sauna. Doing alcohol compresses is also not recommended: the temperature decreases only for a while, then rises again.

With hyperthermia, it is also impossible to put mustard plasters on the legs and chest, the temperature from such measures can rise even higher. You can not drink alcoholic beverages, wipe with vinegar. All these methods can be harmful to health: there is a risk of burns.

Why does the temperature stay at 40 for a long time?

– The period of maintaining the temperature at a high level depends on the cause of hyperthermia, on the treatment and the state of the body. Usually, the high temperature lasts up to 3-5 days, in severe forms of the disease it can last longer. With some infections (tuberculosis, bronchitis), the high temperature lasts for a long time.

Temperature fluctuations during the day are different: by 17-19 hours the temperature values ​​are the highest. By morning, the temperature usually drops.

The so-called debilitating fever is very dangerous, which is characterized by sharp temperature fluctuations (with a rapid rise and fall), sometimes repeated two or three times during the day. There is such a fever, for example, with sepsis.

Sources of:

  1. Differential diagnosis of infectious diseases. Guide for doctors. A.P. Kazantsev, T.M. Zubik, K.S. Ivanov, V.A. Kazantsev. Medical news agency. M, 1999. http://dissers.ru/1/12482-1-scanned-shtrumpel-kazancev-zubik-ivanov-kazancev-differencialnaya-diagnostika-infekcionnih-bolezney.php
  2. Differential diagnosis of febrile conditions in the emergency hospital. A.V. Budnevsky, I.E. Esaulenko, V.I. Grechkin, B.B. Romashov. Clinical medicine. 2016(94). https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/differentsialnaya-diagnostika-lihoradochnyh-sostoyaniy-v-bolnitse-skoroy-meditsinskoy-pomoschi/viewer
  3. Temperature management in intensive care: topical issues. K.A. Popugaev, A.A. Solodov, V.S. Suryakhin, I.N. Tyurin, S.S. Petrikov. Anesthesiology and resuscitation. 2019. №3. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/upravlenie-temperaturoy-v-intensivnoy-terapii-aktualnye-voprosy/viewer
  4. Hyperthermia and antipyretic therapy in cerebral infarction. D.V. Sadchikov, S.N. Kotov. Bulletin of anesthesiology and resuscitation. 2013. Volume 10. No. 1. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/gipertermiya-i-antipireticheskaya-terapiya-pri-infarkte-mozga/viewer

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