Fever

Fever is an increase in body temperature. The normal value is about 37 degrees Celsius. The body temperature rises to more than 38 degrees Celsius, is spoken by fever. High fever occurs from a temperature of 39 degrees Celsius. A temperature over 42.6 ° C is usually fatal. Typical symptoms of fever are in addition to the increased body temperature:

  • Fatigue,
  • Weakness,
  • Drowsiness,
  • Feeling of illness,
  • Limbs and joints,
  • Headache
  • Loss of appetite.

If the fever, chills and chills are added. The fever decreases you sweat. Fever is still characterised by warm, reddened skin and dry lips. You can measure (rectal), (axillary) fever in the rectum under the tongue (sublingual) or in the armpit. The rectal temperature turns out about 0.4 degrees Celsius higher than the temperature measured in the other mentioned places. It meets the core body temperature and is therefore most meaningful.

Other application fields relevant in this context:

  • Eye infections by bacteria
  • Respiratory diseases with mucilage
  • Allergy
  • Colds
  • Inflammation of the mouth and throat area
  • Inflammation
  • Flu
  • Cough in cold
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Infections due to streptococci
  • Pneumonia
  • Cirrhosis of the liver
  • Otitis media
  • Malaria
  • Tonsillitis
  • Runny nose, sinus infection
  • Tuberculosis
  • Graft rejection
  • increased sweating
  • Cytomegalovirus

When to the doctor?

If the body temperature above 39 degrees Celsius rise or even slight fever for no discernible reason lasts a few days, a doctor should be sought on necessarily. A visit to the doctor is also advisable when:

Fever of unexplained cause, especially in cases of suspected appendicitis (abdominal pain), or otitis media (ear pain).

Fever after a trip to the tropics.

schubhaftem occurrence of fever with alternating fever and fieberfreier time.

Infants and young children with febrile seizures or appropriate inclination.

Infants and young children, when other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, ear pain and rash are added.

Infants with fever.

Causes

Fever is not an independent disease, but an immune reaction of the body to external or internal influences. External influences that can cause fever, are less common with fungi, mostly infections with viruses, bacteria or parasites. A typical example is an influenzal infection by viruses. The body fights the invaders and produces messengers, which should increase the body temperature. In the brain, the hypothalamus (a nonfunctional) gives the signal for fever. Metabolic processes are accelerated by the rise in temperature, this supports the immune reaction of the body. Fever so helps to combat pathogens in the body. Slight fever should be reduced therefore also not equal. Medicines can promote the development of fever. Examples include some antibiotics, Antiepileptics, and ACE inhibitors, among others. Fever may also occur in non-infectious diseases. Internal organic changes, some as a result of an operation, can increase the body temperature, as well as malignant tumours (in cancer) or a hyperthyroidism.

The most common causes of fever include:

  • Common cold and bronchitis
  • Kidney and bladder infections
  • Gastro intestinal infections
  • Breast infections (particularly in breastfeeding women)
  • Blood poisoning (sepsis: severe malaise, chills, high fever)
  • Rheumatism
  • Malaria
  • In infants: Teething, fluid loss, three-day fever
  • in infants and children: croup, infectious diseases in childhood, such as mumps, measles, Scarlet fever, and others

The doctor can do that

Since fever can have many causes, the doctor must first request, which further complaints the patient has or whether it takes a certain drugs. Also abroad are of interest because they may indicate an infection with certain pathogens such as malaria.

Basically, the doctor will try to eliminate the cause of the fever. For example, a bacterial infection, is he can handle co-trimoxazol these using the antibiotic. The fever associated with a Erkältungskrankheit occurs is, for example, the combination of the active ingredients from Diphenylpyralin-HCl + Metamfepramon-HCl + acetylsalicylic acid available. An increased body temperature due to inflammatory diseases can be treated with diazepam.

Is no underlying disease is found, the fever can be with the mentioned means of aspirin and ibuprofen (for adults) and acetaminophen (for children) lower. As additional agents, the doctor can prescribe Phenazone, naproxen and diclofenac.

In special cases, the doctor can prescribe the antipyretic and analgesic Metamizole. Because of the side effects, these funds should be only for use if safer drugs have brought no success.

With children there is an increased willingness to febrile seizures, the drug diazepam can be administered krampf inhibiting at the beginning of an episode of fever.

You can do that

In fever, it is very important not to leave the bed and treat yourself plenty of rest. Since the body strongly sweats, the fluid loss through ample drinking is to compensate. It is also helpful to wrap the calves in cooling envelopes, such as a towel. This Wadenwickel help the body heat dissipation (so-called Verdunstungswärme). Children should not too warm are packed with fever, otherwise there could be a build-up of heat. Various over-the-counter medicines can help with fever, which, however, all should be used only two or three days without consulting with a doctor:

As antipyretic and analgesic agent, following active ingredients available are: acetylsalicylic acid (individually and in combination), ibuprofen, naproxen, Phenazone, or Gala gant root. In children, it is advisable to only the use of paracetamol. Give children under 14 years old in no way aspirin!

Lime blossom and elderflower are febrifuge against colds. Also extracts from active plant ingredients can have calms, for example blueberries, blackberries, quince, Borage, Menyanthes, yellow gentian, achillea Millefolium, downy skullcap and large.

The fever together with flammable rheumatic disease occurs, the use of willow bark can be successful.

Fever at 38.5 ° C must not be treated except for children prone to febrile seizures or elderly and immune-compromised persons. Everyone should have a medical thermometer. The accurate measurement of temperature is very important, because it decides on the further necessary measures. Digital thermometers are suitable for children. Compared to conventional fever thermometers, digital thermometers have the advantage of very short measuring time (less than 1 minute). In addition they contain no mercury (mercury is toxic) and often are equipped with flexible tips. This significantly facilitates the insertion and the risk of injury, just in strampelnden children is very low.

Over-the-counter medicines that can be fever in the area used

When to the doctor?

If the body temperature above 39 degrees Celsius rise or even slight fever for no discernible reason lasts a few days, a doctor should be sought on necessarily. A visit to the doctor is also advisable when:

Fever of unexplained cause, especially in cases of suspected appendicitis (abdominal pain), or otitis media (ear pain).

Fever after a trip to the tropics.

schubhaftem occurrence of fever with alternating fever and fieberfreier time.

Infants and young children with febrile seizures or appropriate inclination.

Infants and young children, when other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, ear pain and rash are added.

Infants with fever.

 
 

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