Fever - Common Causes and 10 Alert Pointers and Accurate Assessment

Fever is when the body temperature is higher than the normal average temperature – usually 100.0 F (37.8 C), and treated when over 100.4 F (38 C). Fever is not an illness but a symptom (the body feels warm) that indicates the activation of the immune system as part of the body’s normal response to fighting an infection or illness.

Associated symptoms may include slight shivering or feeling cold and on-and-off sweating, body ache, headache fatigue, palpitation, and a lack of appetite. Depending on the cause, there may be additional signs and symptoms of the underlying condition.

COMMON CAUSES

Infections

Fever is usually caused by an infection, with viral infections being the most common. Some of the common infections causing fever are:

• Common Cold and Flu
• Ear Infections
• Sore throat
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• COVID
• Mosquito-borne Fevers
• Water-borne Diseases
• Some Skin Infections
• Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
• Gynecological Infections
• Viral Exanthems

Non-Infectious causes

Fever may also present in the following conditions:

• Reaction to certain medications.
• Vaccinations.
• Autoimmune disorders.
• Cancer.

Treatment is home remedies like rest, soft nutritious diet, plenty of fluids and good hydration, luke-warm baths, and medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen. It is important to diagnose the underlying condition and give suitable treatment for the same.

10 ALERT POINTERS 

The indicators below should alert one to seek medical opinion immediately.

1. High-grade fever with chills or sweats
2. Severe weakness, inability or difficulty in fluid/food intake
3. Severe headache, pain in/below/behind the eyes, ear pain, or neck stiffness
4. Nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
5. Joint pains, swelling or stiffness
6. Breathlessness, chest pain, wheezing or wet cough with phlegm
7. Rashes or bleeding spots on the body or nose bleeds
8. Reduced urination, or cold extremities
9. Neurological signs – confusion, loss of orientation, delirium, or convulsions
10. Fever beyond five days or returning after a few days of being absent

High-risk patient groups– (have more chances of complications).

• Children below 2 years of age,
• Pregnant women
• Elderly>70 years
• Those suffering from diabetes, or conditions affecting liver, lungs, heart or kidney.
• Those having immune-suppressive conditions, or on medicines or treatments

GRADING

Taking the temperature accurately is important for documenting and grading fever.

Read on:

Temperature and Fever – Accurate Measurement and Interpretation

Note – Fever with sore throat, cough, and breathlessness may be due to Coronavirus (COVID-19 Pandemic)

Reference: ICMR Guidelines