What is Fever?
Fever is also known as hyperthermia is elevated or body temperature. Normal body temperature varies from person to person, but it is usually around 98.6 F. It is really dangerous if it goes beyond 105 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the fever will stop at around 103 degrees or rarely goes over 104 degrees. A fever is simply an immune system response to an infection or toxicity in the blood.
Fever is not hazardous because it is your body’s primary defence mechanism that fights the infection. It stimulates the immune system present in your body and escalates the heat to where the organisms cannot survive. Fever is actually a health and wellness sign that can benefit you in many ways, including:
- Creating more antibodies
- Produces more white blood cells which can invade microbes
- Produces interferon which prevents the spreading of viruses to healthy cells
Classification Of Fever
A fever can be classified as:
- Low grade, from 98.6°F-100.4°F
- Moderate, from 102.2°F – 104.0°F
- High, from 104.0°F – 105.98 °F
- Hyperpyrexia, above 106.0°F
However, a fever lasting,
- Less than 7 days is called acute
- Less than 14 days is called subacute
- More than 14 days is called chronic
Types Of Fever:
The following are several types of fever:
Intermittent Fever:
In this type of fever, you may have a temperature for some hours of the day and the rest of the time is normal. The temperature increases suddenly and is classically seen during parasitic or bacterial infection. Examples of intermittent fever include Malaria and Septicemia.
Continuous Fever:
In this type of fever, your body temperature does not touch the minimum line and remains above normal throughout the day. The difference that is seen between the maximum and minimum temperature in 24 hours will be less than 1°C.
Remittent Fever:
The temperature will be above normal throughout the day and varies by 2 degree Celsius in 24 hours. The examples of remittent fever include infective endocarditis and few bacterial infections like Brucellosis. Remittent fever can be seen in patients with typhoid fever and infective endocarditis.
Pel Ebstein Fever:
In this type of fever, there will be a consistent alternation of the recurrent degree of fever and febrile periods. The temperature may take 3 days of time to rise and remain high for 3 days and then remits gradually.
Neutropenic Fever (febrile neutropenia):
Neutropenic Fever frequently attacks the immunocompromised people like who undergoes chemotherapy, dialysis or an organ translated patient, because of inadequate necrophiliacs to fight against forge in bodies.
Rheumatic Fever:
Rheumatic Fever can be a result of streptococcal bacteria. This causes severe throat infection followed by painful fever.
Special Types Of Fever
Here are some special types of fever:
Fever with Rigors
- Malaria
- Kala azar
- Filariasis
- Urinary tract infection
- Cholangitis
- Septicemia
- Infective endocarditis
Fever with Herpes Labialis
- Pneumonia
- Malaria
- Meningitis
- Streptococcal infection
Fever with Rash
- Chickenpox
- Smallpox
- Measles
- Rubella
- Typhus
- Allergy
Fever with Throat Membrane
- Diphtheria
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Agranulocytosis
- Moniliasis
- Vincent’s angina
Fever with Delirium
- Encephalitis
- Typhoid state
- Meningitis
- Pneumonia
Causes Of Fever
Fever usually occurs whenever pyrogens are released into your body.
- The side effect of a medication
- Vaccines
- Any infection including bacterial, viral, rickettsial, fungal or parasitic
- Hypernephroma and lymphoproliferative malignancies
- Carcinoma of pancreas, lung and bone and hepatoma
- Acute myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and pontine haemorrhage
- Massive crush injury results in pyrexia
- Diseases like collagen disorders, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis
- Drug fever and serum sickness
- Thyrotoxicosis and Addison’s disease
- Metabolic diseases including Gout, porphyria or haematological conditions.
Symptoms Of Fever:
Fever is nothing but a symptom but it also has own symptoms and other symptoms
- A high temperature
- Shivering chills and shaking
- Intermittent or excessive sweating
- Skin flushing
- Palpitations
- Feeling weak, dizzy, or faint
- Feeling cold when nobody else does
- Shivering
- Lack of appetite
- Dehydration problem is preventable if the person drinks plenty of fluids
- Sleepiness
- Sweating
Depending on the measurements of body temperature, your doctors may look for other signs of sickness that can accompany fever.
These include:
- Lethargy
- Depression
- Low appetite
- Sleepiness
- Increased pain sensitivity
- Inability to concentrate
You may also experience extreme irritability, confusion, delirium and seizures, in case of extreme body temperature.
Conclusion
A mild fever can be typically treated at home. However, in some cases, it might need prompt medical attention. A fever is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, requires immediate medical care:
- A severe headache
- Throat swelling
- A skin rash, that gets worse
- Sensitivity to bright light
- A stiff neck and neck pain
- Persistent vomiting
- Listlessness or irritability
- Abdominal pain
- Pain when urinating
- Muscle weakness
Your doctor will perform the diagnosis and determine the effective course of treatment. Fever will be treated for the sake of comfort, but it is not a medical necessity. Fever isn’t dangerous, it is the way of fighting infections.
About The Hospital:
Sai Siva Children’s Hospital, Chanda Nagar, is a full-fledged medical facility specially designed for pediatric patients as well as young adults. The hospital was started in the year 2008, with the aim of reaching out to schools and villages to educate the middle and high school students about health & hygiene. Sai Siva Children’s Hospital is one of the most sought-after children’s hospitals in Hyderabad with a team of experienced doctors and skilled staff who aim to help your child have healthy growth and development. We believe that children today are the future of our world, and must have good health to make the world a better place to live in.