Pyrexia
Pyrexia, or a fever, refers to the abnormal rise of the body’s internal temperature. It generally indicates the presence of a health condition, such as an infection. While the body’s temperature can vary, anything above 38°C or 100.4°F is considered a fever. Although unpleasant, fevers by themselves aren’t things to be worried about. However, if they present in infants, people with existing health conditions, or older adults, it’s recommended to be checked by a healthcare professional.
A fever isn’t necessarily a problem in itself. Often, it’s a sign of another issue, indicating something is wrong with the body. It enables the body to combat infections, elevating the anticancer interferon and antiviral content in your blood. Thus, it makes it much harder for viruses and bacteria to replicate. Various conditions, infections, and illnesses can trigger fevers, including influenza, the flu, malaria, HIV, arthritis, lupus, IBS, and gout, to name a few.
While fevers are typical symptoms, they also have their fair share of symptoms, such as high temperatures, shivering and chills, excessive or intermittent sweating, skin flushing, palpitations, and weakness. A fever can also come with feelings of lethargy, depression, sleepiness, dizziness, and low appetite.
