By Morain Khan
The human body is usually maintaining a constant temperature in the body, and the phenomenon is called homeostasis, which is regulated by thermoregulation.
Maintaining the body's temperature is the job of the hypothalamus, which is a part of the brain, and there are times when the brain recognizes any infection of bacteria or viruses trying to invade the body. When the brain recognizes this invasion, it signals the hypothalamus to increase the body's temperature as a way to fight the illness, infection, or some other causes.
When the hypothalamus starts to dial up the body heat, you might begin to feel cold and start shivering or even add some layers of clothes to increase body heat.
If the temperature exceeds 104°C, then it's best to consult with a doctor as there might be other complications that can arise due to the high temperatures.
There are many reasons why this thermoregulation in the body might be disturbed, and they are:
- Common cold
- Flu or pneumonia
- Viral causes
- Infection of Lungs, kidney or bladder
- Inflammation
- Side effects of drugs
- Hormone disturbance
- Food poisoning
- Autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis
- Blood clots
- Teething (in babies)
Fever is just proof that the body is fighting some illness, and several other symptoms like sore throat, headache, vomiting, etc. accompany the fever, so it's best not to take any risks and find a nearby doctor to diagnose and treat whatever the problem might be.
Treatment
Hospitals always warn people to never to self medicate with the medicines available over the counters, always check with a doctor. If you don't have the time to leave physically and search for a good doctor in the area, then search for the best doctors online.
Depending on the severity of the fever, the doctors might prescribe different kinds of medicine like:
- Drink plenty of fluids for the beginning stages of the illness to stay hydrated to fight the infection.
- Take lukewarm water baths for mild cases to cool down the body without drastically reducing the temperature of the water.
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), like Advil, used to help relieve the pain caused by the high body temperatures.
- Doctors prescribe Antibiotics if the cause of the fever is a bacterial infection.
If a baby or child has a high fever, then that has to be handled with extra care, and you definitely shouldn't give them over the counter drugs like Advil.
It's best to find doctors online, and this way, you can find the best possible choice for you and your baby without leaving the house.
To make things much easier for yourself and your children, it's best to book appointments online with doctors to avoid the usual long lines associated with conventional doctors' visits and get immediate appointments with experienced doctors to get checked up.
It's best to keep yourself healthy and prevent fevers which can be done by:
- Scrub your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer for a minimum of 30 seconds.
- Avoiding touching your eyes, mouth, or nose as these are the vulnerable points through which bacteria or viruses can enter.
- Avoid drinking water from unclean sources and sharing utensils with other people.
About The Author:
Morain is a Medical student and content writer working with Dorays – A healthcare startup as a full-time content writer. He loves to write on health, wellness and yoga.
