High fever, defined as hyperthermia, refers to situations where body temperature rises above normal. High fever is a condition that can affect both children and adults. A short-term rise in fever occurs during the body's struggle with various ailments. However, constant high fever should be conscious as it can be a symptom of some important ailments. You can find the answers to your questions such as what should I do if my fever is very high, what should be considered after high fever, and what are the treatment methods for high fever that does not go away.
What is High Fever?
High fever can be found in the body of a person. temperature rises above 36-37 degrees, which is considered normal. This condition is usually caused by an underlying infectious condition. With a high fever, the person may feel increasingly cold. The feeling of chills usually continues until the fever begins to subside. After meals and physical activities, body temperature may fluctuate during sleep. When infection develops, fever occurs due to the fight of the immune system against the causative microorganism. High fever is a natural consequence of this struggle. High fever cases usually regress spontaneously. However, care should be taken as fever may be a sign of a serious infectious disease in some people.
How High Does Fever Get?
High fever is above body temperature of 37.2-37.5 degrees for adults. is defined as. High fever can be an uncomfortable situation and caution should be exercised as various complications may occur, especially at values of 39.4 and above.
What are the Symptoms of High Fever?
Detecting high fever but measuring it correctly possible with Normal body temperature is around 36-37 degrees on average. However, the normal value may differ for everyone. It is natural for body temperature to fluctuate throughout the day. The body temperature, which tends to be low during the day, continues to rise gradually in the afternoon and evening. At the same time, conditions such as menstrual period and excessive exercise can also cause fever. While measuring temperature by mouth, care should be taken to keep the thermometer under the tongue for at least 3 minutes. The thermometer can also be used for armpit measurements. In this method, temperature measurement is performed by placing the thermometer under the armpit and closing the arm. While measuring in this way, it is recommended to keep the thermometer under the armpit for 5 minutes before looking at the value. It should be noted that in addition to detecting the fever height by measurement, various other complaints may accompany high fever. These symptoms that may accompany can be briefly summarized as follows:
- Chilling, shivering in the person even though other people do not feel it,
- Sweating,
- Low appetite,
- Symptoms of fluid loss,
- Hypersensitivity to painful stimuli,
- Lack of energy and feeling sleepy,
- Difficulty concentrating.
What Causes High Fever?
Causes of high fever is quite diverse. High fever is a natural response of the body that occurs during the fight against diseases. Upper respiratory tract infections such as influenza are among the most common causes of fever. Apart from the flu complaint, drug use, inflammation, post-vaccine or various other factors are also among the causes of high fever. High fever is not usually a dangerous situation, but in the presence of high fever that continues for a long time and does not go away, the underlying cause should be investigated and treatment planned for the cause. Increasing body temperature slows down the division rate of these pathogens. As a result of the immune system's perception of any pathogen as foreign, it begins the production of various chemicals called pyrogens. Pyrogens reach special structures in the brain and trigger the synthesis of special chemical messengers called prostaglandins from this region. Prostaglandins produced are another part of the brain. reaches the hypothalamus, which is the region of the body, and causes the fever to rise by stimulating the center that controls the body temperature there. A moderate fever may develop after vaccinations. The reason for this is the presence of some pathogens in vaccines, even if they are dead or weakened. High fever after vaccination indicates that the vaccination triggers the immune system in the body. Inflammation (inflammatory conditions) occurs by the immune system as an important part of the healing processes in the body. In the process of inflammation, as in the case of infection, pyrogenic chemicals are synthesized and this situation triggers the increase in body temperature. The fever, which occurs in autoimmune diseases and other inflammatory disorders in which the immune system fights against its own tissues and organs, may increase during exacerbation periods, while it may decrease in other periods of time. Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis and familial Mediterranean fever are among the diseases that can cause the development of high fever for a long time. Sometimes, high fever can also occur as a symptom of various types of cancer. Blood cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia are among the cancer types that progress with high fever. Although the mechanism that causes fever in these diseases has not been fully elucidated, there are various theories on this subject. The fact that cancer stimulates inflammation in the body like other diseases or that cancer cells acquire the ability to synthesize pyrogen substances directly are among the existing theories as to why high fever occurs during these diseases. In addition to all these, liver diseases, atherosclerosis, clot development and obesity cause the development of high fever. Among other possible situations.
How to Reduce High Fever?
Various applications can be applied to reduce high fever. If the complaint of high fever is caused by infection and does not regress spontaneously, treatment can be planned for the pathogen that plays a role in the formation of the disease. Physicians, after applying to health institutions with a complaint of high fever, start various examinations in order to illuminate which factor causes this disease. they can apply. Antibiotic drugs can be prescribed in cases where the causative pathogen is detected as bacteria as a result of the tests, antivirals in viral diseases, and antifungal drugs in fungal diseases. It should be kept in mind that antibiotic drugs will be ineffective in cases where fever is due to viruses, and unnecessary drug use should be avoided. Various anti-inflammatory drugs can be beneficial for the complaints of fever in rheumatic diseases other than infectious diseases.
What to Do in High Fever?
In addition to the treatment of fever, the precautions that can be taken against the occurrence of this condition are also very important. It is recommended to give importance to hand hygiene in protection from infectious agents, to use disinfectant products, to avoid contact of hands with organs such as mouth, nose and eyes when outside the home, and to avoid common use of items such as personal glasses or glasses.
What is Good for High Fever? Income?
The treatment approach to high fever may vary according to the severity of the increase in body temperature. In some cases, fever may be a sign of serious health conditions. In mild fevers, increasing fluid intake and resting is usually sufficient. In addition to this application, applications such as setting the ambient temperature correctly and taking a warm shower are among the steps that can be taken against mild fever complaints.
What are the Harms of High Fever?
High fever It is usually a symptom of an infectious disease. Although the complaint of fever is not usually a concern by itself, care should be taken as the underlying causes of this condition may require medical attention. It is recommended to seek support from specialist physicians by applying to health institutions, especially in young and elderly individuals, those with weakened immune systems, and in cases where the complaints do not subside or increase. In addition, it is recommended to refer to the nearest emergency services in children with drowsiness, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, seizure development, hallucinations and inconsolable crying. In people with dry cough and fever complaints, the underlying disease It is recommended to apply to health institutions by taking necessary precautions, since it may be Covid-19.
Read: 53