Running a fever is not necessarily a bad thing. It is not an illness. Quite the contrary, a fever is an indication that there is something else wrong and your body is putting up a fight. It is a symptom of an underlying cause, usually an infection of some kind and running a temperature is the human body\’s way of burning it off. When you are not sick, your normal temperature will vary throughout the day, depending on what you are doing. It is lower in the morning than it is at any other time of the day barring unusual circumstances. However, circumstances can affect your temperature, such as…

– Changes in hormones during menstruation
– After we eat
– Smoking a cigarette affects body temperature
– Wearing excessive clothing.

Normal Range Is 98 To 99

While the normal temperature is considered 98.6, this can vary slightly from person to person. Anything above the temperature of 99.5 is considered running a fever because of that slight variance. If taking the temperature rectally, anything above 100.4 is considered a fever. A low grade fever is around 101.0 and anything higher is considered to be a high grade fever. Any fever that goes to 105.0 and above is considered dangerous and must be lowered. A fever, also known as pyrexia is a kind of controlled hypothermia. The body\’s immune system will generate a controlled amount of fever to try to kill a virus or bacteria. This is an amazing natural process that we are only beginning to understand.

The Body On Defense

When our body\’s immune systems recognize a virus or bacterium, it turns up the heat and we begin to shiver. The body knows what temperature it is trying to reach. When that temperature is attained, we stop shivering and experience a feeling of being warm. If left alone and untreated, studies show that most people will eventually return to normal on their own with no adverse affects. Once the body has done its job, we get better. This is not without its discomfort, however and most people will treat a fever as if it were a disease. They will take medication that is designed to reduce a fever. Symptoms caused by a fever are…

– The feeling of being either hot or cold
– Shivering
– A headache
– Pain in the joints
– Achy muscles
– General malaise-an uncomfortable weariness

The Emergency Temperature

In very rare cases, a fever will reach the critical temperature of 106.7 degrees. It is a condition known as Hyperpyrexia. This temperature is considered to be a medical emergency and steps should be taken to reduce the body\’s temperature. The most common cause of a fever becoming that high is an intracranial hemorrhage. If you are giving emergency treatment to someone with that high of a temperature, you should contact emergency services. Even if the patient is far from home, pertinent information about their health can be transmitted via cloud while still protecting their privacy thanks to the HIPAA Security Rule. Bathing the feverish person with warm water can help reduce the fever. Never use alcohol or cold water to do this. Anything above 106.7 can destroy brain cells and can be fatal. Keep the person cool and calm until help arrives. Survival rate increases if temperature is brought down to 102. Infants cannot tell us when they have a fever and should be watched closely if they feel hot and are unusually sleepy, cry inconsolably, and show signs of diminished activity.

Author Bio: For more information please visit our HIPAA Compliance website.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: emergency treatment ,immune systems ,infection,temperature,illness,Fever