Temperature without signs of a cold: possible causes. How is fatigue expressed? Causes of elevated body temperature

Illness always takes us by surprise. It is especially unpleasant when the temperature rises, and especially when it occurs in children. So what causes temperature?

The reason for the rise in temperature

High temperatures usually cause us fear and panic. Not knowing what the temperature could be from, we call a doctor, start drinking various pills, we are afraid that the rising temperature will harm the body.

In fact, high fever is our body's natural response to infection. When pathogenic microbes and viruses enter our body, they are met by leukocytes, which immediately begin to actively fight the infection. As a result of this, the hypothalamus, which is a kind of thermostat in our body, gives the command to raise the body temperature. At elevated temperature

Often a high temperature is a sign of a serious illness, and if you are not a doctor, then you should not self-diagnose and self-medicate. This is fraught with serious consequences.

Many people know what to drink from the temperature. Paracetamol is usually used. It relieves temperature well and anesthetizes, but it is worth noting that it is only necessary to bring it down when it rises above 38.5. Knocking down a lower temperature, you do not allow the body to fight the infection.

What causes high fever?

1. Flu. This is a viral disease, accompanied by fever, aching joints, muscle pain, general weakness and catarrhal phenomena.
2. Angina is accompanied by fever and acute pain in the throat.
3. Pneumonia, in addition to high fever, is characterized by pain in the chest, aggravated by inhalation.
4. Acute pyelonephritis occurs with pain in the kidney area, protein appears in the urine, temperature and blood pressure rise, and edema appears.
5. Hemorrhagic fever or "mouse disease" is characterized by a very high temperature, complete absence of urination in the first days of illness, muscle pain and redness of the skin.
6. Gastroenterocolitis (dysentery, salmonellosis, cholera, paratyphoid fever, etc.) are accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, acute abdominal pain, and fever.
7. Meningitis and encephalitis are characterized by high fever, rash, blurred vision, tension in the neck muscles.
8. Viral hepatitis A or jaundice - high fever, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.

Too high body temperature is dangerous for the body, especially for children, moreover, it can be a sign of a serious illness. Therefore, it is extremely important to call an ambulance doctor in time to exclude the possibility of a disease or take the patient to a hospital for timely assistance and treatment.

There are cases of misunderstanding of what keeps the temperature of 37 degrees for a long time. In this case, it is also recommended to consult a doctor to prescribe tests to find out what keeps the temperature from. This condition may be a sign of certain diseases.

Diseases with prolonged fever

• Diseases of the urinary system
• Viral hepatitis
• Syphilis, toxoplasmosis, mycoplasmosis
• Tuberculosis
• HIV infection
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and helminthic invasion
• Thyroid diseases
• Pneumonia
• Myocarditis, pericarditis, endocarditis

Many of these diseases do not manifest themselves in anything for a long time, except for subfebrile temperature and some weakness. People do not pay attention to this state of their body, which is fundamentally wrong. Everyone knows that it is easier to treat a disease at an early stage than in its advanced form.

Temperature in children

In young children, many diseases can be accompanied by fever, especially during teething, and many mothers know why a child has a fever if he does not have a cold and nothing hurts him.

What to give the child from the temperature should be decided by the pediatrician, and parents know which remedy is suitable for their baby. Often these are drugs based on paracetamol or ibuprofen in suppositories, tablets or suspensions. The dosage and frequency of administration should be chosen according to age, it is indicated in the instructions for the medicine.

In general, temperature is a serious matter and you should not just “treat” it with antipyretics. Of course, we do not have the opportunity to run to the doctor with every SARS, but still you should be more attentive to your body. If suddenly you notice any pain or condition that is not characteristic of a cold, then, of course, you should consult a specialist.

In itself, this condition does not pose a threat, but is almost always an indicator of problems in the body.

Temperatures above 38 degrees are typical for colds and viral diseases, such as acute respiratory infections, influenza, tonsillitis, bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia. In this case, we are talking about the so-called pyrogenic reaction, as a result of which the human hypothalamus receives a signal about the "necessary defense".

As you know, at high temperatures, ours begins to intensively produce white blood cells that fight viruses. In addition, it itself prevents the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. But, as practice shows, not always an increase in temperature is associated with infection or inflammation. There are many reasons why a fever can start. Let's consider some of them.

Overheating of the body

At the beginning of the summer season, one cannot but recall such a problem as sunburn. Against their background, diseases may well arise. In this case, you can use an antipyretic, since the temperature increase is in no way connected with the reaction of the immune system. An aspirin tablet will relieve the condition and reduce pain. Additionally, you can use an anti-burn spray with an anesthetic effect.

Infants on hot summer days suffer no less. Parents, fearing drafts, wrap up the baby too much, not taking into account the fact that, unlike an adult, he will not be able to get rid of excess clothes if necessary. Remember that in infants in the first months of life, the body's thermoregulation system is very imperfect, so they endure heat even harder than hypothermia. In this case, a high temperature without symptoms of any disease can occur precisely as a result of overheating.

Vaccination

Often parents have to deal with the fact that the baby's temperature jumps after a routine vaccination. I must say that in this case, a high temperature without symptoms of a cold is a completely normal and acceptable phenomenon. For example, the measles vaccine often causes a slight rise in temperature 3 to 5 days after vaccination. In fact, such a reaction of the body is caused by the penetration of foreign bodies, in this case, gamma globulin.

Of course, parents should learn more about the effect of each individual vaccination from a pediatrician. If, after vaccination, a high temperature has risen without symptoms of inflammation or a cold, and the child as a whole feels normal, it is better not to use it for at least a day. Of course, we are talking about a temperature no higher than thirty-nine degrees.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia

VVD is a fairly common disease that occurs in both adults and children. Experts believe that the main cause of this disease is stressful conditions, high nervous stress, and an unfavorable state of the environment. In adolescence, VVD symptoms can manifest themselves against the background of a hormonal surge and a lag in the development of the cardiovascular system from the total muscle mass of the body. Temperature jumps are typical for patients with a diagnosis of VVD according to the asthenic type. In this case, the temperature can rise to 38 - 39 C, although this is not typical for the general clinical picture of VVD.

Growth problems

An elevated temperature in a teenager without symptoms of any disease may be due to an increase. In girls, an increase in temperature often accompanies the process of ovulation. According to experts, children and adolescents are more sensitive to stress, and their temperature above the norm may well rise against the background of unrest and worries. For example, on the eve of an important exam.

Body temperature is an individual value and the generally accepted value is not an unconditional norm for everyone. This is just an average and may fluctuate. Body temperature at rest is usually lower than after active movement. Toward evening, the thermometer readings may change upwards. It happens that the temperature rises as a result of natural physiological processes in girls and women. Even against the background of strong excitement, a significant increase in the thermometer readings can be observed. Therefore, keep in mind that the numbers themselves are not yet a reason to panic. If elevated body temperature is not accompanied by other symptoms of diseases, perhaps this indicator is the norm for you.

Body temperature- one of the main physiological constants of the body, providing the optimal level of biological processes. Slightly low or high body temperature - how to treat it? How to treat high or low temperature and should it be done at all?

How to measure body temperature correctly

To find out the exact temperature, you need to measure the rectal temperature. In this case, the measurement error is the lowest. When the patient already has a temperature, the results of a measurement elsewhere will be very different from the actual temperature.

The usual normal body temperature is not very easy to determine. Significant individual fluctuations can occur during the day. On average, the temperature fluctuates between 36 and 37.5 degrees. If a person is physically active, he is warm; in the evening, the temperature is usually slightly higher than in the morning.

What is the best thermometer to measure body temperature

The old mercury-in-glass thermometers found in most households are now obsolete. In addition, they are quite dangerous in the hands of a child.

Today there are modern temperature meters: digital, or contact, and infrared. While a digital thermometer can be placed in the mouth, rectum, or armpit, infrared thermometers are placed in the ear or on the forehead.

normal body temperature

We all know that the normal body temperature is 36.6 C. In fact, this indicator varies in the same person at different periods of life. For example, a thermometer gives different numbers during the month, even with full health. This is typical mainly for girls. Their body temperature usually rises slightly during ovulation and normalizes with the onset of menstruation. But fluctuations in body temperature can occur within one day.

In the morning, immediately after waking up, the temperature is minimal, and by the evening it usually rises by 0.5 C.

contribute to a slightly elevated body temperature can:

• stress;
• physical activity;
• taking a bath;
• the use of hot (as well as strong) drinks;
• stay on the beach;
• too warm clothes;
• emotional outburst.

And then there are people for whom the normal value of body temperature is not 36.6, but 37 C or even a little higher. As a rule, this applies to young men and women of the asthenic type of physique, who, in addition to the graceful physique, still have a vulnerable mental organization.

Fever is not uncommon, especially in children. According to statistics, it is typical for every fourth child aged 10 to 15 years. Usually such children are somewhat closed and slow, apathetic or, conversely, anxious and irritable. But in adults, this phenomenon is not unique.

However, it is not worth blaming everything on the characteristics of the body. Therefore, if the usual body temperature has always been normal and suddenly suddenly became elevated for a long time and at different times of the day, this is a cause for concern.

Causes of elevated body temperature

The cause of elevated body temperature may be inflammation or infection. But sometimes the thermometer readings remain above the norm even after recovery. And the elevated body temperature can last for several months. This is how the syndrome of post-viral asthenia often manifests itself. Doctors in this case use the term "temperature tail".

A slightly elevated body temperature caused by the consequences of an infection is not accompanied by changes in the analyzes and passes on its own. However, there is a danger of confusing asthenia with incomplete recovery, when an elevated temperature indicates that the disease, which had subsided for a while, began to develop again. Therefore, just in case, it is better to take a blood test and find out if the white blood cells are normal. If everything is in order, you can calm down, the temperature will jump, jump and eventually “come to your senses”.

Another common cause of elevated body temperature is experienced stress. There is even a special term - psychogenic temperature. At the same time, fever is accompanied by symptoms such as feeling unwell, shortness of breath and dizziness. Well, if in the foreseeable past you have not endured any stress or infectious diseases, and your body temperature is elevated, then it is better to be examined. After all, dangerous diseases can be the cause of a prolonged increase in body temperature.

At elevated body temperature, the first step is to exclude all suspicions of inflammatory, infectious and other serious diseases. First you need to contact a therapist who will draw up an individual examination plan. As a rule, if there is an organic cause of elevated body temperature, there are other characteristic symptoms:

• pain in different parts of the body;
• weight loss;
• lethargy;
• increased fatigue;
• sweating.

When probing, an enlarged spleen or lymph nodes may be detected. Usually, finding out the causes of fever begins with the following examinations:

• general and biochemical analyzes of urine and blood;
• x-ray of the lungs;
• Ultrasound of internal organs.

Then, if necessary, more detailed studies are prescribed - for example, blood tests for rheumatoid factor or thyroid hormones. In the presence of pain of unknown origin, and especially with a sharp decrease in body weight, consultation with an oncologist is necessary.

If examinations have shown that there are no organic reasons for elevated body temperature, it is too early to relax, because there is still cause for concern.

Where does the elevated temperature come from, even if there are no organic causes?

It appears not at all because the body accumulates too much heat, but because it gives it poorly to the environment. Violation of the thermoregulation system at the physical level can be explained by a spasm of superficial vessels located in the skin of the upper and lower extremities. Also, in the body of people with elevated body temperature, malfunctions in the endocrine system can also occur (the causes may be impaired function of the adrenal cortex and metabolism).

Doctors consider this condition as a manifestation of the syndrome of vegetovascular dystonia and even gave it a name - thermoneurosis.

And although this is not a disease in its purest form, because no organic changes occur, it is still not the norm. After all, prolonged fever is stress for the body. Therefore, this condition must be treated. Neurologists at elevated temperature in such cases recommend:

• massage; acupuncture (to normalize the tone of peripheral vessels);
• psychotherapy.

Greenhouse conditions do not help, but rather interfere with getting rid of thermoneurosis. Therefore, for those who suffer from this disorder, it is better to stop taking care of yourself, and begin to harden and strengthen the body. People with problematic thermoregulation need:

• correct daily routine;
• regular meals with an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits;
• taking vitamins;
• sufficient exposure to fresh air;
• physical training;
• hardening.

Diseases with high body temperature

The normal value of body temperature is maintained by two groups of processes: heat production and heat transfer. The thermometer will show higher numbers when heat production is activated:

Or if heat transfer deteriorates:

Pneumonia

If, in addition to a high temperature, you are worried about coughing, shortness of breath even at rest, and / or you cough up brown sputum - consult a doctor immediately! You may have a lung infection, such as pneumonia.

Inflammation of the lungs can be very severe, especially in the elderly and people with poor health. If the doctor confirms the diagnosis, he may prescribe fever medication and antibiotics. In addition, the specialist will refer you for a chest x-ray. Sometimes there is a need for inpatient treatment.

Acute bronchitis

If you are coughing up greyish-yellow sputum and/or are having difficulty breathing, you may have acute bronchitis (a respiratory infection). Drink plenty of fluids and try to keep your fever down. You can also take medicines that reduce coughing. If you develop shortness of breath or you do not feel better after 48 hours, by all means consult a doctor.

Flu

• headache;
• pain in the limbs;
• runny nose;
• a sore throat.

It is very likely that you have a common viral illness, such as the flu. Stay in bed and take aspirin or paracetamol to reduce fever and feel better. If you develop shortness of breath or do not feel better after 48 hours, see your doctor.

Meningitis

If you have one or more of the following symptoms:

• pain when tilting the head forward;
• nausea or vomiting;
• fear of bright light;
• drowsiness or confusion.

Contact your doctor. These symptoms may be caused by meningitis (inflammation of the meninges) caused by microbes or viruses entering the brain.

You will probably be hospitalized to clarify the diagnosis using a lumbar puncture. If you have bacterial meningitis, you will be given antibiotics, most likely intravenously. If you have viral meningitis, no special treatment is required, but you will be given pain medication and IV fluids. Recovery usually occurs within 2-3 weeks.

Acute infection of the kidneys or bladder

If you have one or more of the following symptoms:

• lower back pain;
• frequent urination;
• pain when urinating;
• pink or cloudy urine.

The cause of these symptoms may be an acute infection of the kidneys or bladder.

Seek immediate medical attention. The doctor will examine you, give you a referral for a urine test, and probably prescribe antibiotics. He will also refer you for a special x-ray examination of the kidneys to find out the cause of the disease. Further treatment depends on the results of the examination.

Being in the hot sun or in a stuffy room

Being in the hot sun or in a stuffy room can lead to an increase in body temperature. In most of these cases, the elevated temperature returns to normal after about an hour in a cool room. But call your doctor right away if your temperature continues to rise.

High fever associated with postpartum infection

Postpartum infection, although a rare disease in our time, can cause fever after the birth of a child. This usually happens when the uterus and/or vagina become infected after childbirth. If you have pain and redness of the breast, then it may be infected. If your doctor suspects you have a postpartum infection, they will send a sample of your vaginal discharge for analysis. Treatment includes a course of antibiotics.

Inflammation of the fallopian tubes

If, in addition to a high temperature, you feel pain in the lower abdomen and / or you have had abundant or foul-smelling discharge from the vagina. Inflammation of the fallopian tubes (sometimes referred to as salpingitis) is a possible cause of these symptoms. The doctor will conduct a vaginal examination and take the discharge for analysis. If the test results confirm the diagnosis, you will most likely be prescribed a course of antibiotics.

Fever may be a symptom of the following diseases

How to bring down the temperature

What temperature should be brought down?

This question has long been quite acute among doctors.

Both opinions have a place to be, because an increase in temperature can be caused by various factors: it can be an external manifestation of disorders of the nervous system, in which case taking antipyretic drugs may be powerless.

The temperature may rise slightly during the working day (overstrain, nervous shock), if there are no symptoms of colds, it should not be knocked down.

Should I bring down a low temperature if it lasts for several days?

It is possible that this is a sign of neurosis or traumatic brain injury, a hormonal disorder in the body. In this case, you first need to establish the cause, it makes no sense to bring down the temperature purposefully.

What drugs to bring down the temperature?

In the understanding of a person, a medicine is a kind of magic pill that must be drunk urgently. Undoubtedly, if the temperature really has risen sufficiently and the patient is ill, measures should be taken and a syrup or tablet should be given.

But before you bring down the temperature with the help of pharmaceutical preparations, try to do it with "natural" methods. First, give the patient hot tea or compote to drink. This will give the body the necessary amount of moisture. After a while, offer a drink again, but with raspberries. Raspberry helps to increase sweating, and it helps heat transfer.

• Provide cool air in the room.
• If possible, try not to wrap up the patient too much.
• Alcohol rubbing will quickly help bring down a very high temperature.

How to bring down the temperature if nothing helped?

Paracetamol suppositories work very well. It is through the walls of the intestine that the medicine is absorbed instantly. If there are no candles at hand, you can prepare an enema. To do this, dissolve the crushed antipyretic tablets in warm water and inject them into the patient.

Decreased body temperature

Often, many complain of an unreasonable decrease in temperature, while hands and feet freeze, there is general apathy and lethargy. Low body temperature occurs for a number of reasons:

• low hemoglobin;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
• decreased immunity;
• recent illness;
• prostration.

If you visited the doctor, passed the tests, and the low body temperature remained, then in order to increase the body temperature, try changing your lifestyle - go in for sports, follow the principles of a healthy diet, take more vitamins.

Causes of a decrease in body temperature

• decreased thyroid function;
• damage to the adrenal glands;
• violation of the normal functioning of the body after a chronic illness;
• overwork;
• the use of a large number of drugs;
• pregnancy;
• lack of vitamins of group C and much more.

Low body temperature - (i.e. body temperature below 36 ° C) is sometimes observed in healthy people in the morning, but even at this time it is usually not lower than 35.6 ° C.

Morning temperature decrease to values ​​of 35.6 - 35.9 ° C is often observed with a decrease in the function of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, with certain diseases of the brain, exhaustion as a result of starvation, sometimes with chronic bronchitis, and also after significant blood loss.

Decreased body temperature inevitably occurs during freezing (after the end of the stage of adaptive warming of the body due to chills) down to 20 ° C and below, when metabolic processes practically stop and death occurs.

A less pronounced, not life-threatening, decrease in body temperature is sometimes achieved by artificial cooling of the body (artificial hypothermia) in order to reduce the metabolic rate and the body's need for oxygen, in particular during long-term surgical operations using heart-lung machines.

The first signs of low body temperature

• weakness;
• drowsiness;
• general malaise;
• irritability;
• inhibition of thought processes.

If a child has a low body temperature, it must be shown to a doctor.

If, at a low body temperature, a person does not experience any unpleasant symptoms, is alert and efficient, the examinations did not reveal any pathology, and the temperature throughout life remains lower than usual in a healthy person, this can be regarded as a variant of the norm.

How to increase body temperature

There are life situations in which a person needs an artificial increase in body temperature. In this context, there are countless methodologies for achieving the desired indicators, both the most effective and the ones that are unstable.

Fever in a young child

If a child, especially a small one, has a fever, some parents are frightened and do not know how to act. The appearance of a high temperature signals an emerging disease. In the most critical moments, you should immediately call an ambulance, in other cases, you can cope with the temperature yourself.

What can not be done with a high temperature in a child?

What needs to be done?

Questions and answers on the topic "Body temperature"

Question:Can it be 37.2-37.3 in the evening and 35.2 in the morning with oncology.

Answer: Such jumps in temperature are possible, but not only in oncology.

Question:Tell me, low body temperature - is this normal? My life temperature is 35.4 - 35.6 (I feel good). I had an elevated temperature only a few times in childhood with serious illnesses, now (28 years old) I endure all diseases not just without a temperature, but on the contrary with a low one, now, for example, I have laryngitis, the temperature is 34.8! Stable. (feeling a little weak). What is the reason for this?

Answer: Low body temperature is not the norm! Check thyroid function for decreased function.

Question:How to measure the temperature of a child?

Answer: Experts recommend measuring the temperature of the baby at rest, and even better - when the baby is sleeping. The baby should be picked up or put on the side if he is sleeping. Place the thermometer on the opposite side of the mother. The setting of the thermometer consists in its complete placement between the arm and the body of the child, as if hiding it from the armpit to the elbow. For children over 4-5 years old, it is permissible to put a thermometer, like adults, perpendicular to the plane of the shoulder.

Question:How many days can you bring down the temperature? What if the temperature rises again and again?

Answer: In cases where you do not know what exactly is causing the temperature in you or your child, be sure to see a doctor if, 1 day after you got sick, you (or your child) do not feel better or if you develop some of the features described at the beginning of the article. As we said above, in such situations, it is much more important to identify the cause of the disease and begin treatment aimed at eliminating it than to bring down the temperature. If you know what is causing the temperature and it is not dangerous, you can bring down the temperature (and associated symptoms) for several days.

Question:What medicine for fever to choose?

Answer: Either paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen can be used to reduce high fever in children. Paracetamol (acetaminophen), ibuprofen, or aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) can be used to reduce high fever in adults.

Question:Hello! I am 25 years old, the temperature is 36.9 - 37.2 for more than half a year. It doesn't create any problems for me! I just don’t know if it’s possible to engage in heavy sports (barbell) at such a temperature? In training, it only throws in the heat once again, but it’s normal! Please tell me!

Answer: Hello. In a healthy person, body temperature can rise to 37.5 C, this is not dangerous. You can play sports if there are no other health problems.

Question:Hello! For four months now, the temperature has been 37.5 - 37.7. But only in a standing position, that is, it is worth lying down and the temperature returns to normal. Doctors say that this is a "violation of internal thermoregulation." I ask how to treat - they shrug their shoulders. I no longer know what to do and what to think. Help me please. Tell me something. To what doctor further to go, whether that.

Answer: Hello. Violation of thermoregulation is a variant of the norm, it does not need to be treated.

Question:Please tell me how many minutes it takes to measure the temperature with a mercury thermometer?

Answer: Hello! Body temperature is measured with a mercury thermometer for 7-10 minutes, while the armpit should tightly fix the device so that the result is as reliable as possible. In addition to mercury, there are also electronic contact thermometers. They take the temperature faster, usually within 30-60 seconds. however, many instruments have errors. The most convenient option for young children is non-contact thermometers that measure body temperature at the moment when you pass it over your forehead.

Question:Hello, we are 5 months old, our daughter has a temperature of 37-37.3 since birth, 2 weeks ago we had a general blood test and a general urine test, the pediatrician said that the indicators were normal. But the temperature is above 37 constantly. We also have swollen upper gums now, the lower 2 incisors have already erupted. Should I do an add-on or postpone? what to do with this body temperature? Whether to hand over in addition any analyses? Up to 5 months there was a neurology medical exemption, now the neurologist allowed the vaccination.

Answer: Hello! Often in children, this temperature is considered a variant of the norm, especially if no pathologies have been detected in the blood and urine. Regarding vaccination: I recommend that you consult with an immunologist in person, he gives permission for vaccination or draws up an individual schedule according to which you will vaccinate your baby. I strongly recommend that Viferon gel be applied to the child's nose before a visit to the doctor, now there is a lot of viral infection, the child must be protected.

Answer: Hello! You have a treatment for giardiasis, so you can treat and then control this moment with repeated tests. The child does not have a critical decrease in body temperature, so I do not see any reason for concern yet. You can take a general blood test and see the changes.

Question:A week ago, our temperature rose to 37.2. They called a doctor, examined her, said that her throat was red and hard breathing and her upper teeth were being cut, she diagnosed her with tracheitis, prescribed the antibiotic Lecoclar, and Ambraxol cough syrup. Passed tests. Analyzes are more or less normal, only leukocytes are lowered by 3.6. The rest is normal. We started treatment, the temperature subsided for three days, then rose again to 37.2. They took him to the doctor. She said that the throat is normal, the breath is clean. It's most likely teeth. Can this temperature be maintained during teething? What should I do?

Answer: Hello! The teeth themselves cannot be the cause of the fever. They can cause a temporary decrease in immunity and, as a result, infection with viruses or bacteria. Therefore, with an increase in body temperature, a qualitative examination by a doctor is recommended, plus the delivery of basic tests - a general blood test and a general urine test (if there are any inflammatory changes in them that are responsible for the increase in body temperature). You say that all tests are normal, except for a decrease in leukocytes (may be with a viral infection). I recommend that you start antiviral treatment, for example, with the effective and safe drug Viferon. However, before using it, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician in person.

An increase in body temperature is possible with various diseases in childhood. At the same time, the question of whether to shoot it down causes a lot of conflicting opinions.

Some of the parents have heard that with a fever, the body fights the disease more actively, and if the temperature is brought down, the duration of the disease will increase. Others have heard that both its elevated values ​​and the drugs against it are very dangerous and threaten serious health problems.

As a result, some parents are afraid to bring down the temperature even in cases where this is required, while others give medicine to the crumbs even with a slight increase. Let's see what really needs to be done in these cases, and whether this symptom is a sign of the disease.

How to measure the temperature correctly?

Measurement in the armpit area is the most accessible and simple, therefore it is the most common.

However, there are other ways to measure:

1. In the mouth (oral temperature is determined). For measurement, a special thermometer in the form of a dummy is usually used.
2. In the rectum (rectal temperature is determined). This method is used when the child is less than 5 months old, since children older than six months will resist the procedure. A thermometer (necessarily electronic) is treated with cream and inserted into the baby's anus by about two centimeters.
3. In the inguinal fold. The baby is laid on its side, the tip of the thermometer is placed in a fold of skin, after which the child's leg is held in a position pressed against the body.

It is important that the child has a separate thermometer, and before use it should be treated with alcohol or washed with soapy water.

It is now easy to measure in infants with a pacifier thermometer

Also, when measuring, you must be guided by the following rules:

• In a sick child, measurements should be taken at least three times a day.
• Do not take the temperature if the baby is very active, crying, has taken a bath, is warmly wrapped up, and also if the air temperature in the room is high.
• If you take oral temperature, it should be done 1 hour before eating and drinking, or 1 hour after, as drinks and food tend to raise oral temperatures.

Normal values

Features of temperature in infants are inconstancy and a rapid increase in any disease. In addition, in infants under one year old, it is normally slightly higher than in older children.

The normal temperature for a child younger than 12 months is considered to be less than +37.4°C, and for a child older than 12 months - less than +37°C. These are indicators of temperature measurement in the axillary region, as well as in the inguinal fold. For rectal measurements, less than +38°С is considered the norm, and less than +37.6°С for oral measurements.

The most reliable indicators are given by the use of a mercury thermometer, and electronic thermometers have a significant error. To find out how different the indicator of an electronic and mercury thermometer is, measure the temperature with two thermometers at once from any healthy family member.

Classification

Depending on the indicators, the temperature is called:

• Subfebrile. The indicator is up to +38 degrees. Usually, this temperature is not brought down, allowing the body to produce substances that protect it from viruses.
• Febrile. The increase is more than +38°С, but less than +39°С. Such a fever indicates the active struggle of the child's body with the infection, so the tactics of parents should take into account the condition of the child. If it is severely worsened, antipyretic drugs are indicated, and medicines can not be given to a vigorous and calm child.
• Pyretic. Indicators on the thermometer from + 39 ° С to + 41 ° С. This temperature is certainly recommended to be reduced with medications, since the risk of seizures increases.
• Hyperpyretic. The most dangerous temperature is over +41°С. Seeing such an indicator on the thermometer, you should immediately call an ambulance.

pros

• Allows you to quickly diagnose many diseases in the early period and start timely treatment.
• With the influenza virus, high temperature is important for high levels of interferon, which allows you to successfully overcome the infection.
• At elevated body temperature, microorganisms stop multiplying and become less resistant to antibacterial agents.
• Fever activates the baby's immune system, increasing phagocytosis and antibody production.
• A child with a fever stays in bed, due to which his forces are fully directed to fight the disease.

Minuses

• One of the complications is the appearance of seizures.
• With a fever, the load on the child's heart increases, which is especially dangerous if the crumbs have rhythm disturbances or heart defects.
• With an increase in temperature, the work of the brain, as well as the liver, stomach, kidneys and other internal organs, suffers.

stages

To start the mechanism for raising body temperature, foreign substances that enter the child's body - pyrogens - are usually needed. They can be various infectious agents, represented by unicellular, viruses, protozoa, fungi, bacteria. When ingested, pathogens are absorbed by white blood cells (leukocytes). At the same time, these cells begin to produce interleukins that enter the brain with blood.

Once they reach the center of body temperature regulation, located in the hypothalamus, these compounds change the perception of normal temperature. The baby's brain begins to define a temperature of 36.6-37 degrees as too low. It instructs the body to produce more heat and at the same time spasm the blood vessels to reduce heat transfer.

In this process, the following stages are distinguished:

1. Heat is produced in the baby's body in greater quantities, but heat transfer is not increased. Body temperature rises.
2. Heat output increases and a balance is established between heat production and its removal from the body. The temperature is decreasing, but not to the norm.
3. Heat production is reduced due to the death of infectious agents and a decrease in the production of interleukins. The heat output remains high, the child sweats and the temperature returns to normal.

It should be noted that the temperature can decrease lytically (gradually) or critically (dramatically). The second option is very dangerous with vasodilatation and a decrease in blood pressure.

Is immunity really developed?

Numerous studies have confirmed that in some infections, elevated temperature contributes to a faster recovery. It was also found that the use of antipyretics for some time prolongs both the time of the disease itself and the period of contagiousness. But, since these effects do not apply to all infections that occur with high fever, it is impossible to talk about the unambiguous benefits of fever.

Scientific studies have shown that active compounds produced at high temperature (among them interferon) in some cases help to recover faster, and in some diseases they have a negative effect on their course. In addition, for many children this is a very dangerous condition.

What will happen if you do not bring down the heat?

For a long time, high temperature was considered a factor that could disrupt blood clotting and cause overheating of the brain. Therefore, they were afraid of it and tried to reduce it in every possible way. However, modern scientific research has shown that it is not the high temperature itself that leads to health problems, but the disease that manifests itself as such a symptom.

At the same time, doctors note that fever is dangerous for children with chronic pathologies of internal organs, symptoms of dehydration, impaired physical development or diseases of the nervous system.

The danger of hyperthermia lies in the large expenditure of energy and nutrients to maintain a high temperature. Because of this, the internal organs overheat and their function is impaired.

Maximum allowable values

It is determined primarily by the age of the baby:

If you see numbers on the thermometer above those indicated in the table, this indicates a high probability of a serious illness, therefore it is extremely important to urgently call a doctor with such temperature measurement results.

When are antipyretics needed?

It is usually recommended to bring down the febrile temperature if the child does not tolerate this condition, however, there are situations when it is worth giving an antipyretic agent even with subfebrile indicators:

• If the child is less than 2 months old.
• When the baby has diseases of the cardiovascular system.
• In the past, the child had convulsions at a high temperature.
• If the child has diseases of the nervous system.
• When a child has hyperthermia caused by overheating.

Additional symptoms

High fever is rarely the only manifestation of a child's health problems. Other signs of disease join it.

red throat

Redness of the throat against the background of fever is characteristic of viral and bacterial infections affecting the nasopharynx. Such symptoms often appear with tonsillitis, scarlet fever and other childhood infections. The child complains of pain when swallowing, begins to cough, refuses food.

Runny nose

The combination of high fever and runny nose most often occurs with viral infections, when viruses infect the nasal mucosa. The child may also have symptoms such as weakness, refusal to eat, difficulty breathing through the nose, lethargy, sore throat, cough.

Cold feet and hands

The condition when, at an elevated temperature, the child has pale skin and its vessels are spasmodic, is called white fever. To the touch, the limbs of the baby with such a fever will be cold. The child usually has chills. This condition requires immediate medical attention. The child's body should be rubbed with the hands, but rubbing with water and other methods of physical cooling are prohibited. To relieve spasm of skin vessels, the doctor will recommend taking an antispasmodic, for example, No-shpu.

convulsions

Increased body temperature can cause seizures. For their association with fever, such convulsions are called febrile. They are diagnosed in children under 6 years of age with indicators above + 38 ° C, as well as in children with pathologies of the nervous system at any numbers.

During febrile convulsions, the child's muscles begin to twitch, the legs can straighten and the arms bend, the baby turns pale, does not react to the environment, it is possible to hold the breath and turn blue of the skin. It is important to immediately lay the baby on a flat surface with his head turned to the side, call an ambulance and not leave the baby for a minute.

Febrile seizures are very dangerous. You need to call a doctor immediately!

Vomiting and diarrhea

Such symptoms on the background of fever usually indicate the development of an intestinal infection, but they can also be caused by the consumption of certain foods by a small child. In babies younger than 3 years old, the intestines have not yet fully matured, so those foods that are normally tolerated by older children can cause dyspepsia and fever.

In addition, the combination of fever with vomiting can signal not only the gastrointestinal tract. Such symptoms are characteristic of meningitis and acetonemic syndrome. In children younger than 7 years of age, vomiting may occur at elevated body temperature and without damage to the brain or digestive system. It happens at the peak of the temperature increase, usually once.

Abdominal pain

The appearance of complaints of pain in the abdomen against the background of fever should alert parents and cause an ambulance call. Serious diseases requiring surgery (for example, appendicitis), kidney disease, and diseases of the digestive tract can also manifest themselves in this way. To clarify the cause, the child will be prescribed tests and additional examinations.

No additional symptoms

The absence of other signs of the disease often occurs during teething, as well as in situations where the disease is just beginning (other symptoms appear later). High fever, as the only symptom, is often noted with kidney infections. You can confirm the disease with urine tests and ultrasound examination.

Causes

Elevated temperature acts as a protective reaction of the child's body to the ingress of infectious agents into it, but can also be due to non-infectious causes.

Diseases

Infectious diseases are a very common cause of fever:

Since childhood, we know that the normal body temperature is 36.6 degrees. If the thermometer shows a higher figure, then we are sick. Does an elevated body temperature always indicate that a failure has occurred in the body, and why it rises, and also when you urgently need to see a doctor, AiF.ru tells osteopath, cranioposturologist Vladimir Zhivotov.

Why is the temperature rising?

Few people know that our body temperature tends to change slightly during the day. When a person wakes up, his body temperature may be below the established norm and be 35.5-36 degrees. And by the evening, on the contrary, our body can heat up by 0.5-1 degrees. Any higher figure is already a signal to start looking for the causes of elevated temperature.

Why is the temperature rising?

A high temperature for most people is a malaise, weakness, a broken state. And, of course, when we see numbers above 37 on the thermometer, we get upset. But in fact, the ability of the body to raise the temperature is an amazing gift that nature has given us. It is thanks to hyperthermia that our body is able to fight off foreign organisms on its own. An increase in body temperature in response to the introduction of viruses or bacteria is a protective reaction aimed at enhancing the immune response. At elevated temperatures, immune factors work most actively: the cells responsible for the antiviral and antibacterial response begin to perform their functions much faster and more efficiently, and immune responses become stronger.

Antibodies circulating in the blood associated with foreign antigens, as well as fragments of viruses and bacterial membranes, enter the hypothalamus with the blood flow, where the thermoregulation center is located, and cause an increase in temperature. Since this is a defensive reaction, you should not panic and try to immediately bring down the temperature with the help of antipyretics. With such actions, you will suppress the immune response and prevent the body from fighting infections, because some of them die at a body temperature of about 38 degrees. Not to mention that antipyretic drugs have certain side effects.

Reasons for the rise in temperature

The body is struggling with something unfavorable and foreign: bacteria, viruses, protozoa. Any inflammatory process in a single organ, whether it be stomatitis, lactostasis in lactating women, pyelonephritis, tonsillitis, inflammation of the appendages, and even caries, can lead to an increase in temperature.

Food poisoning or any other intoxication can also provoke a fever. Then the high temperature will be accompanied by a violation of the stool, vomiting, headache. High temperature is also provoked by various endocrine diseases. It is worth donating blood for hormones when elevated body temperature is combined with weight loss, irritability, tearfulness, and fatigue. These may be symptoms of increased thyroid function.

If the body temperature stays at 38 degrees for a long time and at the same time the person does not feel a cold, it is urgent to do a fluorography to exclude tuberculosis of the lungs. This study must be done every year for persons who have reached the age of 15.

Sometimes a slight increase in body temperature in women can be associated with the menstrual cycle: when ovulation begins, body temperature rises, but returns to normal with the onset of menstruation. In this case, there is no cause for concern.

But sometimes it happens that there are no apparent reasons for an increase in body temperature. Analyzes are normal, no symptoms of a cold are observed. However, in the body, nothing happens just like that. A prolonged rise in temperature (slightly above 37) can raise the suspicion of problems in the hypothalamus: the thermoregulatory center, which is responsible for the constancy of body temperature. This can happen at any age, but most often occurs either at the onset of puberty, or by the time the first menstruation appears and a little later. Along with elevated temperature, adolescents are worried about headaches, insomnia, fatigue and irritability, and signs of scoliosis are noted.

How to lower the temperature?

Firstly, there is no need to panic and seek to lower the temperature if it does not exceed 38 degrees. In this case, bed rest and plenty of fluids will suffice. If the temperature is above 38 degrees, you need to look at the state, because for each person the critical body temperature is different. The general recommendation is this: when the temperature is tolerated quite easily, it is better not to bring it down to 38.2-38.5. If at the same time your head hurts, you are worried about severe chills, or you “twist” your joints, you can take medicine. Regular aspirin has a good antipyretic effect. To avoid side effects, it must be crushed before taking, or simply chewed thoroughly and washed down with mineral water or milk.

Of course, if a child has convulsions with an increase in temperature, it must be lowered without waiting for 38. It should be noted that any case of febrile convulsions requires an in-depth examination by an epileptologist and the attention of an osteopath. If the mercury column has reached the level of 38, in any case, this is a reason to call the local doctor: it is necessary to examine the patient and find out the causes of the fever.

In order to alleviate the patient's condition without medication, you can make cold compresses on the forehead and wiping the body with warm water. And you need to wipe it so that droplets of liquid remain on the skin. It is their evaporation that causes the cooling of the body. If a child is sick, then it is better not to do a vodka-vinegar rubdown. A pungent odor can cause a spasm of the respiratory tract, and the components of such a solution can be absorbed through the skin and increase intoxication. You can wet woolen socks with warm water and put on the child. As the socks dry out, the body temperature will drop significantly. If the legs are cold, then you need to put on dry warm socks and massage the foot and fingers. This will help reduce vasospasm and lower the temperature.

As a drink at elevated body temperature, alkaline mineral water with a low percentage of mineralization and ordinary boiled water, as well as cranberry, currant, sea buckthorn and lingonberry fruit drinks are perfect. The latter, by the way, contains acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin).