Symptoms, causes, and treatments for
Fever
Fever isn’t a condition by itself, but rather a symptom of a variety of different illnesses.
A fever is defined as a body temperature above 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, because the body’s temperature can vary when it’s checked orally, rectally, or in the armpit, the medical definition of a fever is a sustained temperature above 99 degrees Fahrenheit.
Note that babies experience extra symptoms when they have a fever, including:
Common causes of a fever include:
ZOOM+Care sees all types of underlying causes of fever each year, but typical causes include colds, flu, strep throat, and sinus infections.
The hypothalamus is responsible for regulating your body temperature. When your body battles an infection, the hypothalamus takes action and raises your temperature to help the overall fight.
Because so many types of illnesses and infections affect the body and force the hypothalamus to raise your temperature, it can be hard to self-diagnose the underlying cause of a fever.
Most of us have had a fever at some point in our lives, and in many cases fevers don’t need treatment.
However, adults should see a doctor immediately if any of the following symptoms appear with a fever:
Children also get fevers from time to time, which shouldn’t raise any alarms. Instead, be aware of the following severe fever symptoms and seek immediate medical attention for your child in these specific cases:
Fever
Prevention Tips:
Because fevers are a symptom of an infection and not an illness themselves, your best bet to prevent a fever is through common preventative methods of avoiding illness like washing your hands.
However, here are some tips to soothe an ongoing fever before you or your child need to see a doctor:
