An Overview of Fever and its effects in the body

A fever is your body’s own way of combating an illness and disease. It is commonly known as one of the best indicators for showcasing any signs of ailments within the body by raising the body’s temperature above what it usually is, getting rid of any illnesses in a slow yet effective manner. And although it has little to no effect on your body in the long-run, it is still not meant to be ignored at all by mistakenly thinking that the rising temperatures will outright stop the disease from spreading, and you must be undertaking some form of medication to ensure it is treated properly.

 

What exactly is a Fever?

A fever is basically your body “fighting back” against potential diseases, illnesses, and viruses by raising the body’s internal temperature. A human body’s normal temperature would be around 98 degrees Fahrenheit or roughly 37 degrees Celsius. A fever is only registered once the body’s temperature exceeds 100 Degrees Fahrenheit or about Degrees Celsius.

From dengue to typhoid, this guide covers 12 fever types common in India.

 

Common Symptoms during a Fever

 

• Asides from the very apparent rise in temperature during a fever, there are also plenty of other symptoms that can occur at the time.
• You may also experience a lot of shivering and even chills as you try to get used to the rising temperatures.
• Excessive sweating is also a telling sign for fever.
• A massive and unrelenting headache always accompanies fever.
• You may experience some form of sore muscles as well as muscle cramps.
• Loss of appetite is also a giveaway for an upcoming fever.
• Fatigue and weakness is a common attribute for a fever.
• Irritability is a very common factor that especially affects children during a fever.
• Experiencing dehydration can also lead to a bout of fever at times.
• The rise in body temperature can also lead to your skin feeling very warm and uncomfortable as well as having an entirely flushed face at the same time.
• There are also some very serious symptoms that come along with temperatures exceeding 103 degrees Fahrenheit or 39 Degrees Celsius.
• Frantic confusion is a common symptom for high temperature fevers.
• There are also cases where patients experienced seizures while going through intense bouts of high fever.
• Lastly, some cases have also met with certain hallucinations due to the potency of the fever at hand.

 

The Different Types of Fever

Fevers have always had different types of intensity behind them, ranging from barely noticeable to bed-ridden with medication.

Low-Grade Fever

This is the bare-minimum amount of concern when it comes to having a fever, as the only noticeable difference is the temperature barely scratching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Other than that, the patient is completely fine.

Moderate Fever

This type of fever is a bit more noticeable by both the patient and people around them. The most important aspect of this particular type of fever is its noticeable increase in temperature from 98 Degrees Fahrenheit to 102 Degrees Fahrenheit. This also comes from extremely common viral infections.

High-Grade Fever

This type of fever is where very noticeable changes occur in the body and out the body. The temperature now exceeds 102 Degrees Fahrenheit, and is often accompanied by a serious infection or condition that affects your body in a harsh manner. Unexplained high fever? Check if it’s a malaria symptom here.

Acute Fever

This specific type of fever only has a lifespan of around 1 week, sometimes even less than that. This is due to a minor infection causing it. Due to the little significance it has in the body, the timespan is very short but has the body raise its temperature extremely fast in a very small period of time.

Chronic or Persistent Fever

This particular type of fever lasts roughly 2 weeks but has very little symptoms to pinpoint exactly what might be wrong with it, which is labeled as persistent due to the amount of time it takes to get rid of what illness is taking refuge in your body.

Intermittent Fever

This is a very unique type of fever where it essentially enters your body for some time before leaving it for a short while before coming back again, causing fluctuations between intervals. This type of fever also only occurs from medical conditions like Malaria and other specific illnesses.

Common Causes for Fevers to Occur

Fever in on itself is a symptom, it is never classified as any type of illness or disease as it only appears when a medical condition that brings along fever as a side-effect occurs. There are several ways in which a fever can happen.

 

 

Through Infections

Some viral infections such as The Flu, Covid-19, and even potentially deadly infections such as Dengue have been known to have a fever as one of their main attributes when the infection happens. There are also cases of bacterial infections that have been known to harbor severe cases of fever from Tonsillitis, UTI and even life-altering bacterial infections such as Pneumonia. Lastly, there are also cases of parasitic infections that bring along multiple cases of high fever, such as Malaria.

Inflammatory Conditions

Having an inflammatory condition has led to some extremely terrible cases of fever. Some of the most painful and uncomfortable fevers come from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The amount of inflammation these two conditions can bring leads to some of the worst fevers possible, with the possibility of being bed-ridden for weeks on end one of the many options that are presented.

Heat-Related Issues

The chances of having a fever from the intense heat are also highly plausible. This mainly happens because of overexposure to the sun, leading to heat-stroke and even sunstroke at times.

Immunization

Chances of getting fever from vaccinations are also very possible, especially if a young child has received it, as they are much more susceptible to actually getting any type of infection, even if it is a very mild one.

Cancer

Last but certainly not least, cancer has also shown to have prolonged effects in fever, mostly with people who have been diagnosed with Leukemia and Lymphoma, as they have showcased very severe cases of fever that go on for a long period of time. Know more about how fast cancer can spread in hindi.

 

How to Diagnose a Fever?

 

Body Temperature Measurements

This way to get a diagnosis for the fever requires the usage of a thermometer, and applying in the mouth, in the rectum, inside the ears and on the forehead.

Taking note of any Medical History Symptoms

In case you have taken a trip recently, make sure to take notes of any irregularities in the body in the form of insect bites, particular vaccinations, or even potential contact with sick individuals.

Physical Examinations from Professionals

Physicians who take an examination of the body must be able to notice any sign of infection, inflammation or even rashes, ensuring a much better quality of life check moving forward.

If Necessary, Lab Tests

Certain blood tests to figure out what might be wrong with the patient,  such as checking for potential infections and inflammatory symptoms. Other important lab tests include a Urine Test, Chest-X-Rays, and even Malaria, Typhoid, and Dysentery.
Wondering what your blood says during a fever? Understand CBC Test in Hindi.

 

When is the correct time to see a Doctor?

The correct time to confront a doctor would actually depend upon if the fever has been on a continuous spree of around 3 or more days without any sign of it slowing down or even stopping. If the body’s temperature also exceeds 103 Degrees Fahrenheit and doesn’t go down, you have a bit of constant rashes and stiff necks as well as difficulty to breath and irritability from children. Lastly, the immune system might be failing to uphold itself, causing several illnesses and infections to sprout up and cause a bit of intense fever every now and then. Fever due to changing weather? इन्फ्लूएंजा से जुड़ी जानकारी यहाँ पढ़ें.

 

Conclusion

 

Having a fever is actually a good thing to have, believe it or not, as it is proof that your body is actively fighting against potential intruders within your body. Almost all fevers are considered harmless and automatically move away on their own after a couple of days at max. However, there are still some fevers that have been extremely persistent and almost unavoidable through natural causes, and sometimes need intervention with a medical professional who is much more knowledgeable in the subject matter. Through a nearly diagnosis for the potential issues through the type and kind of fever you have received, you might be able to reduce complications and immediately get the proper treatment regarding the type of fever it might be.

 

Medical Disclaimer – The information that has been written is only to be used for educational purposes. There has been no information presented by this website, be it tests, images and graphics, which should be taken as professional medical advice. Always consult with your doctor regarding any medical advice that may relate to your condition.