Fever
Fever is a term that describes the abnormal elevation of a body’s temperature. Often, these temperature increases happen because the body is trying to combat illness. However, it can also be due to a severe condition, especially if the temperature is too high. While the body’s average temperature can vary, it’s usually around the 37°C. It can also fluctuate depending on the time of the day, engaging in intense exercises, or having premenstrual cycles.
Many things can force the body’s temperature to rise. Some of the triggers for a fever are infections like pneumonia and the flu, specific immunizations, teething for infants, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, blood clots, extreme sunburn, food poisoning, and certain antibiotics. The accompanying symptoms will depend on the fever’s cause. However, it’s common to experience sweating, shivering, headaches, muscle aches, appetite loss, and dehydration.
The severity of the symptoms is what determines treatment. For low-grade fevers and minimal symptoms, rest and hydration are often enough. If there’s some pain, it’s possible to take some ibuprofen. However, if the fever is too high, presents severe symptoms, or persists for more than a few days, you should see a doctor.
