Fever

Causes and symptoms of fever

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What is a fever?

Fever is a rise in body temperature above 37 degrees Celsius. Most often, the fever is one of the symptoms of infectious diseases of various origins and is accompanied by flushing of the skin, headache, thirst, confusion, etc.

Causes of fever

In most cases, the body temperature rises during the flow of the infectious process in the body caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites. Also the cause of the fever may be injury, heat stroke, dehydration, recurrences of certain chronic diseases.

The temperature increase may be associated with intoxication on the background of hyperthyroidism or worsening of some chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease. Symptoms of fever may accompany a myocardial infarction, diseases of the abdominal cavity, occurring acutely, some types of cancer, such as lymphoma.

Symptoms of fever

Fever accompanied by flushing of the skin, headache, feeling aches in the bones, euphoria. In addition, patients are disturbed by tremors, chills, increased sweating, thirst. The patient's breathing becomes frequent, loses his appetite, you may experience confusion, to start nonsense. In paediatric practice in children marked irritability, crying, problems with feeding.

In the case of aggravation of chronic diseases to the above manifestations of fever can be symptoms related to the characteristics of the course of recurrent disease. Calling a doctor is necessary in case of fever in a child the first three months of life is above 37.5 degrees Celsius or in the case when the fever persists for two days. At the age of 6 months to 6 years fever may be accompanied by seizures, which require immediate specialist advice. In addition, the pediatric emergency medical care is required when increase in body temperature that occurs with stiff neck, abdominal pain and skin rash, especially if it has a dark red color or takes the form of large blisters.

Adult medical care is needed if fever is accompanied by swelling, pain in the joints, rashes on the skin. Also examination by a specialist when the temperature required for pregnant women and patients dealingcough with yellowish or greenish sputum, acute headache, pain in ears, throat or stomach, dry mouth, vomiting, pain during urination. Necessary doctor's visit and patients with tangled consciousness, rash, increased irritability.

Treatment of fever

Treatment of fever at home primarily focused on restoration of water-salt balance, maintaining the vitality of the body, control of body temperature. The patient required bed rest and light food, they should drink more fluids, not to dress warmly, not to take a bath and measure the temperature of the body 4-6 times a day. If the temperature rises above 38 degrees, the patient is prescribed antipyretic drugs.

For the normalization of body temperature in pediatric patients used paracetamol in the age doses, ibuprofen or nimesulide. Prohibited for use in pediatric practice aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) as it can cause the development of Reye's syndrome, a life-threatening child.

In the framework of a medical examination established the cause of rise in body temperature of the patient and assigns the appropriate treatment. In some cases the patient may need hospitalization or further investigation in an outpatient setting.