Low-grade fever: why does a temperature of 37 last a week?

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Normal human body temperature, what is it?

It is generally accepted that a body temperature of 36.6 °C is normal for every person. But in fact, this indicator may change due to several factors. The biological rhythms of the body, the influence of climate, hormonal processes and some other factors cause a natural short-term increase in temperature to 37–37.2 °C.

In addition, the values ​​​​on the thermometer may change depending on where the temperature is measured - the axillary one will be lower, and the rectal, ear or oral will show higher numbers. However, the values ​​may differ when measured in the left and right axillary fossae.

In children, fluctuations occur over a wider range than in adults. This occurs due to insufficient thermoregulation. For example, in newborns the temperature drops to 35 – 35.5 °C on the first day, and during the week the indicators fluctuate between 36.0 – 37.3 °C. It should be taken into account that physiological fluctuations are considered to be the norm when the temperature rise occurs once and does not last long. (Editor’s note: N.V. Anisimova in the scientific article “Thermometry as a method of functional diagnostics” says that the normal human temperature is in the range of 35.5 – 37.2 ° C).

Treatment tactics

A reader of ogrippe.com wants to know what to do in case of high fever. When drawing up the correct treatment tactics, the reasons for which an increase in body temperature is observed become important. In newborns, a temperature of up to 37.3°C can be considered quite normal, if the baby continues to be active and is steadily gaining weight.

It should be remembered that temperature performs a protective function in the body - it destroys those foreign bacteria and viruses that have penetrated inside. Doctors do not recommend lowering the temperature with medications if it does not exceed 38-38.5°C. The patient should be patient while the body copes with the infection.

While the temperature persists, it is recommended to maintain a warm atmosphere in the room where the patient is located and give plenty of fluids. The patient must maintain the ability of his body to give off heat. This occurs through sweating and inhaling warm air.

A temperature of up to 38.5°C should not cause concern if it lasts less than 4 days. During this time, it is necessary to allow the body to fulfill its protective role. If the limit is passed and the temperature does not subside, you should consult a doctor. This is especially important when it comes to a child.

Once the 4-day period is reached, it is necessary to begin lowering the temperature, since in this case it will harm not only the infection, but also the human body. If at the same time cramps appear and the skin becomes pale, then this is a clear sign of the need to see a doctor.

Children should not reduce their temperature with aspirin. They are prescribed medications such as ibuprofen and paracetamol. However, antipyretics should be taken not as soon as the temperature appears, but after it has not subsided for a long time.

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Name the natural causes of a temperature of 37 °C.

A temperature of 37 °C may be normal for the body for a number of reasons:

• menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause in women;
• intense sports training, strenuous physical labor;
• overheating of the body for any reason;
• natural daily fluctuations in body temperature (in the evening it can increase by 0.2‒0.5°C);
• consumption of hot food, alcohol;
• psychogenic temperature - state of stress, anxiety, depression;
• drug fever caused by taking a new drug.

In addition to those mentioned above, there are other factors that cause a natural increase to 37‒37.5°C. For example, a child may have a fever after crying for a long time. In these cases, the phenomenon is due to the activation of the adaptive reactions of the human body.

Why does it remain from 38.5 to 39℃ for the fourth day?

A child can tolerate a temperature of 38.5 in different ways. If the baby is not very lethargic and drowsy, and feels relatively normal, then the upper phase of febrile temperature is not so scary in case of infection. This is an indicator of the active fight of the immune system against microbes and maximum production of interferon. But you should not allow an increase of one tenth above 39. If half an hour does not go away after taking antipyretics, urgently call a doctor or an ambulance. Do the same for any alarming symptom accompanying a temperature above 37.5.

Still the same ARVI

With ARVI, if on the fourth day it is above 38.5 and there is a cough, then a serious complication has begun, possibly bronchitis or pneumonia. You need to urgently call a pediatrician. If you have doubts that the doctor will come within an hour, call an ambulance. In such cases, hospitalization is usually suggested because injections or drips of antibiotics are necessary.

If the child is under 5 years old, there is a serious risk of dehydration. With such intense and prolonged heat, even adults can become dehydrated. Therefore, it is necessary to drink as much as possible.

Why else?

Other reasons why 38.5-39℃ may not be lost for more than 4 days:

• Fibrinous and phlegmonous tonsillitis . Severe forms may cause viral complications. Cellulitis requires surgical removal. Until the abscess is cut out, the temperature will remain.
• Drain or total pneumonia . Urgently go to the hospital, possibly to the intensive care unit. White fever is especially dangerous when a child has pale skin, cold hands and feet at a temperature of 38-39℃. This occurs due to internal spasms of blood vessels and should only be removed in a hospital.

Causes of fever with cough in a child for 4 days or longer

When is a temperature of 37 °C a symptom of a disease?

A stable increase in values ​​that continues for a long time is called low-grade fever. It is difficult even for a specialist to diagnose the cause of its appearance. This may require consultations with specialized doctors and a number of medical studies.

A low-grade fever indicates that the person's body is fighting an illness. Its presence should be perceived as a reaction of the immune system to a threat that has appeared in the body. Consultation with a physician is necessary when the temperature is accompanied by a runny nose, cough, general weakness, lack of appetite, headaches, increased fatigue, muscle pain or other alarming symptoms.

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It should also be taken into account that some diseases and sluggish pathological processes can occur in the body unnoticed and have virtually no effect on the patient’s well-being. Therefore, if the thermometer has been at 37 °C for more than a week, and the indicators do not change during the day, you should find out the reason for the appearance of this symptom.

Why does 37.5-38℃ with cough last 4 days?

Usually the causes of low-grade fever are a sluggish infection, a mild inflammatory or allergic process. If a cough occurs, then it would be logical to suspect inflammation of the upper or lower respiratory tract.

ARVI

Most often this is exactly what happens. But normally, during a viral infection, the temperature should decrease on the fourth day. If it does not go down, or after going down quickly increases again, this indicates a complicated course of the disease or the addition of another infection.

Other reasons

Keep from 37.5 to 38 and cough for more than 4 days:

• Catarrhal sore throat . This is the mildest form of inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa with the lowest temperature. Normally 38 lasts up to 3 days. If it does not decrease by the fourth level, it means it turns into a more severe form of sore throat or another complication.
• Allergic sore throat . It occurs as a reaction to cold, frosty air, especially if it is polluted. Sometimes terry or woolen fabric can provoke this form of sore throat. You need to teach your child to breathe through his nose.
• Uncomplicated bronchitis . The doctor must listen to the child. If wheezing is detected, antibiotics and expectorants are prescribed.
• Focal pneumonia . If it occurs with a cough, it means it developed as a complication of untreated or undetected bronchitis. Most often the culprit is streptococcus or another bacteria. Then you need antibiotics. But the cause can be fungi, chlamydia, and viruses.
• Fungal, viral or bacterial tracheitis . May be combined with allergic reactions. It is difficult for a child to clear his throat; he constantly tries to do it, but cannot.
• Whooping cough . Children are protected from this disease by universal DTP vaccination. But against the backdrop of refusal of vaccinations and weakened immunity in modern children, we hear about the disease more and more often. Sometimes it happens that even after vaccination a child becomes infected with whooping cough, but in this case the disease is much milder.

What to do if a child’s temperature rises to 37 °C?

It is especially important to find out the cause of the child’s elevated temperature. When the baby is capricious or lethargic, has sleep disturbances, lack of or decreased appetite, you should urgently consult a pediatrician. The doctor will make a diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment. But even if children do not show alarming symptoms, low-grade fever cannot be ignored. It can be symptoms of adenoiditis, helminthiasis, Crohn's disease, tonsillitis, allergic conditions and a number of other diseases that do not manifest clear symptoms.

An exception may be a stable increase in temperature in children 8–14 years old. During this period, the body is actively growing, and this phenomenon is observed quite often and is considered physiological. The appearance of low-grade fever in children under one year of age is in most cases associated with BCG vaccination.

When to get help

What should a baby's temperature be at 2 months?

A fever that persists in children for more than three days, if aggravating symptoms of the disease appear, should be a reason to call an ambulance at home. These symptoms include:

1. TT is above 39.5 degrees;
2. against the background of high TT, vomiting began, spasms of the muscles of the cervical spine appeared, a sharp headache that did not allow one to tilt the chin to the chest;
3. elevated temperature is accompanied by severe pain in the stomach;
4. barking dry cough, as a symptom of narrowing of the larynx;
5. the appearance of seizures.

If the thermometer reading is below 38 degrees, you should not give your child antipyretics. The body itself tries to cope with viruses and bacteria. If an elevated temperature causes discomfort, you can reduce or get rid of its symptoms in the following ways:

• applying wet compresses to the forehead, wrists and calves;
• wiping the body with water, a weak solution of vodka or vinegar;
• It is necessary to cool the body by removing excess clothing and blankets.

Helping a child with a high temperature

In conclusion, it should be noted that a temperature of 37 degrees in the absence of other symptoms of the disease is often observed in young children. Their body is still developing, so any foreign substance in it can cause an increase in temperature.

There are situations in which an asymptomatic increase in temperature above 37 degrees requires the use of antipyretic drugs. For example, in young children with congenital immune disorders, temperature reactions can worsen their condition and therefore require treatment. If a child has seizures during a fever, minor changes in health may cause another seizure. In such a situation, the doctor prescribes antipyretic drugs.

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And yet, what diseases can cause low-grade fever?

An increase in temperature to 37–37.5°C can be a symptom of a number of difficult to diagnose diseases. Here are some of them:

• sluggish local and general inflammatory processes in the body;
• pneumonia (pneumonia);
• chronic tonsillitis (inflammation of the palatine and pharyngeal tonsils);
• hepatitis;
• tuberculosis;
• HIV AIDS;
• chronic pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidneys);
• dysfunction of the cardiovascular system;
• ulcerative colitis, gastritis (inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract);

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• toxoplasmosis, herpes, other TORCH infections;
• allergic reactions;
• malignant tumors (oncology);
• thyrotoxicosis (increased production of thyroid hormones);
• helminthic infestations or the presence of other parasites in the body;
• anemia.

Diagnosing a disease when the only symptom is low-grade fever is difficult. (Editor’s note: in the scientific article “Fever of unknown origin,” a group of medical specialists explains in detail why it is difficult to establish a diagnosis and what studies may be required to determine the cause of an increase in temperature to 37‒37.5 ° C).

Cough when a child has a fever: friend or foe

Almost all parents consider a child’s cough to be one of their main enemies. Same as temperature. But it is worth remembering that a cough is simply a sharp reflex exhalation through the mouth. This is one of the most important protective reflexes of the body. This includes an increase in temperature after infection. During a sharp exhalation, sputum comes out of the respiratory tract along with dust and purulent contents. And pus is nothing more than leukocytes that died in the fight against microbes, as well as the microbes themselves and their toxins.

Our task is not to fight cough, but to make it productive. That is, turn from dry to wet. For this, expectorants and mucolytic drugs are usually used. But the guru of young mothers, Komarovsky, advises not to give children any cough medicine unless absolutely necessary. Mucolytics are especially dangerous for children under 2 years of age and for obstructive bronchitis. He advises thinning mucus in two safe ways:

• drinking plenty of warm drinks, which thins mucus and at the same time fights fever;
• breathe moist, cool and clean air.

Inhalations are not very effective, especially since this is a warming procedure and cannot be used at fever, just like mustard plasters. Komarovsky warns:

• inhalations are dangerous for children under 1 year of age, as swollen sputum can block the airways;
• Mustard plasters for cough treatment are absolutely useless.

What to do when the temperature on the thermometer is 37 °C?

A person cannot independently determine the cause of low-grade fever. Contact your therapist (pediatrician). If necessary, he will refer the patient to highly specialized specialists who will prescribe the necessary tests.

In itself, an increase in temperature to 37°C cannot harm the body, so the root cause that causes such a symptom should be dealt with. You should not take antibiotics or antipyretics on your own. They can harm the body and distort the clinical picture, which will complicate the diagnosis of the disease.

If you detect an increase in temperature to 37 ° C, check the readings at different times of the day for several days and write them down in a notebook. This will help the doctor build a temperature curve that will help determine whether such an increase is physiological or a symptom of a disease.

Do not ignore the temperature of 37 °C, do not take antipyretics, do not self-medicate, but see a doctor. Consultation with a specialist will help you figure out whether it is a physiological reaction of the body or an alarming symptom. Read also: Platelets: functions, norms, what they indicate

The article is for informational purposes only. Do not self-medicate. This may harm your health. For professional help, consult your doctor.

Temperature increase

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An increase in temperature is a protective reaction of the body. The thermoregulation center is located in the brain, in a special area called the hypothalamus.

Once a virus, bacterium or protozoa enters the human body, the hypothalamus receives a signal from the immune system. Changes occur in the thermoregulatory center, and body temperature rises.

This is especially important for acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, since the interferons necessary to fight viruses can only be produced in conditions of elevated temperature. This is why doctors do not recommend fighting fever during a cold.

Also, the activity of the thermoregulation center is disrupted when special substances called pyrogens are introduced into the body. These may be individual medications or vaccines and toxins that increase body temperature.

Other substances, on the contrary, are able to reduce body temperature due to their effect on the hypothalamus. These include antipyretic drugs.

However, first you need to figure out what exactly is considered normal and elevated body temperature.

Symptoms

The temperature of a child and an adult fluctuates for special reasons, which also cause other symptoms. During changes in the indicator, the patient may feel both sudden drowsiness and fatigue, and vigor.

Fluctuations in a child’s temperature are accompanied by additional characteristic signs of a deteriorated condition:

• headache;
• heaviness and discomfort in the heart area;
• the presence of rashes on the skin;
• dyspnea;
• dyspeptic manifestations.

In an adult, along with the indicated sign, other indicators also appear:

• irritability;
• weakness;
• headache;
• constant feeling of hunger;
• swelling of the limbs.

Changes can also be observed under the influence of climate, which leads to changes in the amount of hormones. This process is accompanied by a number of characteristic symptoms:

• hot flashes;
• increased sweat production;
• high blood pressure;
• disturbances in the functioning of the cardiac system.

Causes of low-grade fever

With a constant rise in temperature of 37-38°C for the third week or more, they talk about low-grade fever. In children of the first year of life, there are more reasons for this phenomenon; they are associated with the formation of the child’s body, diet, routine vaccinations, and dental growth. According to the observations of pediatricians, up to 1 year and from 8 to 14 years, low-grade fever (if the child has a temperature of 37 5 or slightly higher) is a common occurrence.

Overheat

If a child is teething - signs

Different types of overheating (sunstroke or heatstroke) are similar in nature, but there are significant differences. Children under one year old react to heatstroke:

• pain in the head;
• nausea;
• persistent increase in temperature (low-grade fever).

Babies have poor thermoregulation. After overheating, there is sometimes difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, loss of consciousness is possible. Possible appearance:

• lethargy;
• throwing back the head for no reason;
• eye rolling;
• increased tearfulness.

If the baby is in shock, pale and has weak breathing, he is transferred to the shade or a cool room. First aid in this case is that the child should breathe over the entire surface of the body. Undress him completely, cover him with a diaper, lift the baby's legs and give him plenty of water. Applying cold lotions to the area of ​​large vessels will provide relief. Calling an ambulance and further actions by personnel will help avoid further complications.

When the air temperature in the room is more than 18°C, the child does not need warm clothes over the vest and rompers. The optimal indoor temperature is 18-22 degrees.

Attention! You should not wrap your child up before going outside. The number of warm children's clothes should be correlated with adult clothing. Excessive wrapping, an extra pair of socks, or a hat will only harm the baby.

Vaccination

Typically, a rise in temperature is provoked by BCG and DTP vaccinations. This reaction is less common after vaccines against polio, mumps, rubella, and measles. There is a short-term increase after DPT and hepatitis vaccinations. From modern complex vaccine formulations, a rise in temperature is one of the usual symptoms. Along with this, there are:

• aches in muscles, joints;
• slight runny nose and cough;
• rash on the body;
• sore throat.

Vaccination calendar up to a year

If the child is not very bothered by the rise in body temperature, it does not need to be brought down. In complicated cases, it is recommended to give antipyretics: syrup or light a candle. Within 14 days after vaccination, the child’s condition must be carefully assessed. You can’t break the routine, you need to go for a walk and maintain a regular schedule.

Appearance of teeth

Teething is a difficult period for babies. Usually accompanied by various side effects:

• increased salivation;
• increased moodiness;
• loss of appetite;
• persistent increase in temperature.

If a child has a temperature of 37 or slightly higher at the time of teething, this is not always a cause for alarm. It's rare that a baby's mother accidentally discovers a new tooth while feeding. Low-grade fever is a common occurrence when incisors appear.

Teething

Attention! The body needs an increase in body temperature at this time. The interferon produced kills pathogenic bacteria and helps the baby cope with gum inflammation.

After the tooth comes to the surface, the baby’s well-being improves, there is no reason to worry. The active period associated with teething falls on the age of six months and older.

Protein complementary foods

At the age of 6 months, a variety of foods are consistently introduced into the infant’s diet, including proteins: dairy products, meat complementary foods. Protein is extremely necessary for the baby, but during the period of increased addition, a reaction due to dehydration is possible. A caring mother, rejoicing that the baby ate cottage cheese, meat puree, plus regular milk feeding, forgets to give him something to drink. This provokes protein fever in newborns.

It is not dangerous for a healthy baby. A reaction to an increase in protein in the diet is indicated by a decrease in the volume of food eaten per feeding or a small whim.

Diagnostics

Due to the fact that low-grade fever is considered a sign of many conditions and pathologies, there are no special methods for diagnosing it. To determine this condition, the temperature is measured every day using a thermometer in the armpit, orally or anally. To get rid of a constant fever, a sick person should visit a therapist. The doctor will conduct an examination and prescribe an examination of the patient, during which he will order blood, urine, stool tests, ultrasound and other necessary diagnostic measures.

For sore throat

One of the common diseases in which hyperthermia lasts more than 5 days is tonsillitis. The infectious nature of this disease indicates that sore throat should be treated with antibiotics; only a doctor should determine the regimen and duration of treatment. There are several forms of sore throat, each of which has its own indicators and duration of temperature:

1. Catarrhal form - characterized by superficial damage to the tonsils. Low-grade temperature – 37–38°C. The disease lasts 1-2 days, after which it develops into a lacunar or follicular form.
2. Follicular form - characterized by damage to the follicular apparatus of the tonsils. Hyperthermia can reach a critical level of 41°C. On the 4th-5th day you feel better, but treatment should be continued for several more days.
3. Lacunar form - characterized by damage to the tonsils in the area of ​​the lacunae, the spread of purulent plaque, accompanied by an increase in temperature to 38–39°C. Treatment ends after 7-10 days.
4. The herpetic form is a common disease among children. It is characterized by a sore and sore throat, dry cough, enlarged and reddened tonsils. Hyperthermia up to 39–40°C. Signs of infection last 7-10 days, then disappear.
5. The phlegmonous form is rare and is characterized by purulent melting of the tonsil area. Increase in body temperature to 39–40°C. 1-3 days after infection an abscess appears, on days 5-7 a peritonsillar abscess matures and it opens with the release of purulent contents. The onset of complete recovery depends on the method of treatment and complications. More often it occurs on the 10th day.
6. The ulcerative-necrotic form is the most severe form of tonsillitis. When examining a patient, an otolaryngologist discovers a loose tonsil covered with a white coating. If you touch it with a spatula, it detaches from the tonsil tissue, leaving a depression with jagged edges and blood. This form is characterized by pain when swallowing, bad breath, intoxication and dehydration. In most cases, body temperature remains within normal limits or rises to low-grade levels. Sometimes ulcerative necrotic tonsillitis begins acutely: with increased hyperthermia and a feverish state. If the disease progresses without complications, recovery occurs after 1-2 weeks.

Thermoneurosis - the cause of temperature fluctuations

Often the provocateur of jumps in body temperature is thermoneurosis. In this situation, the body can heat up to 38°C. Typically, pathology occurs after experiencing stress and emotional shocks. Determining thermoneurosis in a patient is quite problematic. Most often, to diagnose a disease, doctors perform a so-called aspirin test - they give a sick person an antipyretic medicine and watch how the frequency and intensity of temperature fluctuations changes.

If after taking aspirin the temperature drops to normal and does not rise within 40 minutes, then we can say with one hundred percent certainty about thermoneurosis. In this case, the sick person requires restorative therapy.

We recommend what to do if the temperature is 37 degrees, but there are no other symptoms.

One of the common disorders in preschool children is thermoneurosis. In this condition, the child develops a fever, but the temperature does not exceed 37.5 degrees. The results of blood and urine tests do not show serious abnormalities in the functioning of the body.

Among the main causes of thermoneurosis, doctors name the child’s moral experiences. They may be associated with moving, poor relationships with children and kindergarten teachers. Negative emotions through the autonomic system provoke a malfunction in the body’s thermoregulation. As a result of narrowing and sudden expansion of blood vessels, fever appears.

If a child’s temperature fluctuates and the doctor confirms the diagnosis of “thermoneurosis,” medication treatment is not required. Until the parents identify the true cause of the disorder and eliminate it, the listed symptoms will accompany the baby. In such a situation, it is enough to provide the child with a comfortable environment in the garden and at home.

Teenagers also have to deal with the phenomenon of thermoneurosis. This pathology can only be confirmed by excluding more serious causes for temperature fluctuations. In doubtful cases, an aspirin test is indicated for adolescent children. It involves taking antipyretic drugs with subsequent monitoring of the patient’s condition.

The most common causes of temperature changes

In adults, body temperature sometimes jumps due to serious illnesses. Sudden temperature changes are provoked by the following pathologies:

• tumors;
• heart attack;
• spread of infection;
• purulent formations;
• inflammatory reactions;
• injuries to bones or joints;
• allergies;
• disorders of the endocrine glands;
• autoimmune diseases;
• dysfunction of the hypothalamus.

Also, body temperature jumps from 36 to 38°C with tuberculosis. Medical specialists cannot yet explain what causes this phenomenon, but they believe that the body reacts to pathogenic bacteria as if they were dangerous foreign elements.

In a person suffering from tuberculosis, the body temperature during the day either rises or falls by several degrees. Sometimes temperature fluctuations are so pronounced that you can build a rather sweeping graph based on them. Similar temperature jumps are observed during the formation of purulent abscesses.

An increase in temperature in the evening is sometimes observed in the presence of chronic diseases:

• sinusitis,
• pharyngitis,
• pyelonephritis,
• salpingo-oophoritis.

These pathologies are accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, so their treatment should not be delayed. A sick person needs to undergo a medical examination, based on the results of which the doctor prescribes the most appropriate antibacterial medications.

If temperature fluctuations are caused by a growing tumor, then the method of treatment depends on the location, as well as on the malignancy or benignity of the tumor. Most often, the tumor formation is removed surgically, after which temperature fluctuations stop. If the temperature jumps due to a malfunction of the endocrine glands, then the sick person will experience the following symptoms:

• weight loss;
• sudden mood changes;
• nervousness, irritability;
• increased heart rate;
• disturbances in the functioning of the heart muscle.

If the above symptoms appear, you should definitely go to the doctor. To confirm the dysfunction of the endocrine glands, a sick person must undergo a medical examination, including the following procedures:

• clinical and biochemical blood test;
• general urine analysis;
• blood test for hormone concentrations;
• ultrasonic monitoring;
• electrocardiography.

If the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor prescribes optimal therapy for the patient.

Temperature lasting 4 days

A temperature elevated from 37 to 38 degrees is called subfebrile. This temperature appears in a child before the onset of pronounced symptoms of diseases such as chickenpox, rubella and other childhood diseases, as well as after the end of the acute period of the disease.

A temperature raised to 39 degrees, accompanied by fever, is called febrile. With such hyperthermia, most pathogens die. It indicates both the growth of the inflammation focus and the activation of the body’s defense mechanisms - increased production of interferons and leukocytes.

If the temperature exceeds 39 degrees, we can no longer talk about elevated, but about high temperature: pyretic - up to 41 degrees and hyperpyretic - above 41 degrees. Such hyperthermia is very dangerous, since the optimal temperature for the body to fight is 39 degrees, and when it exceeds 42.5 degrees, irreversible changes occur in brain cells; at 45, denaturation (coagulation) of blood proteins occurs.

Prevention of temperature surges

To reduce daily fluctuations in body temperature, you need to strengthen your immune system. To do this you need to do the following:

• lead a correct lifestyle;
• devote time to physical exercise;
• eat a full and balanced diet, exclude harmful foods;
• stop drinking alcoholic beverages;
• Drink enough water during the day, at least two liters;
• harden the body;
• take vitamin and mineral complexes;
• Eat fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods rich in vitamins and nutrients every day.

Foci of infection

A rise in temperature and its normalization can occur if the child has chronic foci of infection. Typically these are the following diseases:

• otitis;
• tonsillitis;
• pharyngitis;
• adenoiditis;
• advanced caries.

More often in such a situation, a constant low-grade fever is observed, but temperature fluctuations can also occur. A child with foci of chronic infection should definitely be shown to an otolaryngologist and dentist to clarify the diagnosis and sanitize the organs.

Often, moderate changes in the general blood count are observed - slight leukocytosis and an increase in ESR.

Untreated foci of infection contribute to frequent relapses of chronic diseases and worsen the child’s health.

What factors influence changes in body temperature?

Most often, slight temperature changes are recorded in the evening when going to bed and in the morning when waking up. But sometimes temperature fluctuations are noticed during the day, and this phenomenon is caused by the following reasons:

• too intense physical activity;
• prolonged exposure to heat or direct sunlight;
• digesting food after a hearty and satisfying lunch;
• emotional excitement or nervous shock.

In the above conditions, even in an absolutely healthy and resilient person, the body temperature rises to 37°C, that is, to the low-grade stage. And in this case, there is no need to worry: to cool down a little, just lie quietly in a shaded place, step away from stress and worries, and relax.

It is necessary to sound the alarm only when hyperthermia occurs - a violation of the thermoregulation mechanism, accompanied by chest discomfort, headaches, and dyspepsia. In this situation, you should definitely go to the doctor, since the provocateurs of the disease are often disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine glands, allergic reactions, and muscular dystonia.

Is it worth lowering the temperature?

If, when body temperature rises, a person feels normal, then there is no need to lower it. Your task in this case is to monitor your own well-being and drink enough warm liquid.

Fever and headache without signs of a cold can cause considerable discomfort to a person. In this case, painkillers will come to the rescue. For example, Paracetamol or Citramon. If you suffer from high blood pressure, consult your doctor before taking medications.

If the temperature reaches 38.5, it must be brought down. At this temperature, patients often experience weakness, severe chills, lack of appetite, and even vomiting. If the temperature does not decrease even after taking an antipyretic drug, immediately call an ambulance.

Helping the body at high temperatures

If you are confident in the advisability of compulsory treatment of hyperthermia, then you can turn to drug therapy or traditional methods. Most doctors recommend using medications only as a last resort. Much better for health are methods that allow you to expand blood vessels and increase heat transfer. Ways to normalize hyperthermia:

• drink plenty of water at room temperature;
• cool or cold compresses on the forehead, neck, wrists;
• wiping the body with warm or neutral water;
• keeping the indoor air cool.

For a more intensive treatment option, when the temperature lasts too long, you can use drug therapy prescribed by your doctor. Popular fever-reducing medications include:

• Paracetamol is an antipyretic and pain reliever. Valid for 3-6 hours. Recommended for all ages.
• Acetylsalicylic acid is an antipyretic anti-inflammatory tablet. Not recommended for use by children and adolescents under 14 years of age. Valid for up to 6 hours.
• Ibuprofen is a pain reliever and antipyretic. It is prescribed to children from 3 months. Valid for up to 8 hours.

How to bring down a temperature of 38°C

People tolerate elevated temperatures in different ways: some suffer terribly from the “children’s” 37.2°C, while others can do nothing at home at 39.0°C. That is why there is no single answer to the question “is it necessary to lower the temperature.” Focus on your well-being. In general, recommendations for diligent treatment of seasonal infections are relevant for everyone:

If you decide to bring down the temperature, choose paracetamol or ibuprofen. Stick to the dosage indicated in the instructions: exceeding the norm threatens nausea, drowsiness, headache, shortness of breath and other troubles that a weakened body does not need at all. It is noteworthy that paracetamol reduces temperature well only in viral infections (ARVI). If the antipyretic has no effect on you, and the temperature remains at 38, do not delay visiting the doctor: there is a risk of a bacterial complication.

Important! In case of viral infections, aspirin should not be given to children due to the high risk of severe damage to the liver and brain (Reye's syndrome).

Allow your body to lose heat. No, you don’t need to run out onto the balcony and douse yourself with cold water. On the contrary, it would be a good idea to dress warmer. But the room will have to be well ventilated so that the temperature in it does not exceed 18-20 degrees. This way, your body will use heat to warm the air you breathe in, and your temperature will drop. You need to arrange through ventilation regularly, as well as wet cleaning.

Another proven method of effectively reducing low-grade fever is drinking plenty of warm drink (raspberry tea, rosehip decoction, warm mineral water, herbal tea). You will sweat, go to the toilet every 3 hours, and your temperature will drop. If there is no sweat or urge to urinate, this may indicate dehydration.

Raspberry tea is considered the best cure for colds and fever because it stimulates sweating. But to avoid inadvertently becoming dehydrated, drink a glass of warm water first.

It is dangerous to reduce the temperature with ice compresses and wet cold sheets. Such procedures can result in vasospasm, when the skin becomes cold, and the temperature inside the body, on the contrary, increases. Doctors use physical cooling methods for hyperpyritic fever (temperature above 41°C) only after vascular spasm has been eliminated with special medications.

Physiological conditions

Changes in body temperature during the day are most often associated with the physiological state of the organs. Activation of their work causes an increase in indicators. During sleep, when the body is at rest, a decrease in temperature values ​​is observed. Therefore, jumps from 36 to 37 degrees during the day should be regarded as normal.

In addition to sleep and wakefulness, temperature fluctuations can be caused by other processes. Among them, experts include:

• active physical activity;
• overheat;
• active digestion;
• psycho-emotional overexcitation.

In all of these cases, the child experiences a rise in temperature to subfebrile levels. No specific treatment or lifestyle changes are required, since the increase is associated with the physiological state of the body.

Why does the temperature stay at 37.1?

For about a week now the temperature has been kept at 37.1, and I am not sick. With what it can be connected? This has never happened before.

Tju

A temperature of 37.1 degrees is a low-grade fever, which indicates some kind of infection in the body. You could say this is a slow process. The first thing to think about is tuberculosis. This is an insidious infection, and this temperature is one of its early calling cards. You need to undergo fluorography. Disease from the female genital area cannot be ruled out. It is necessary to look at the condition of the lymph nodes and thyroid gland.

P.S. I am not describing your situation, but the general one at which such a temperature can occur.

Bers

I have been living with t 37.1-37.3 for 2 YEARS!!! It doesn’t rise higher, but it doesn’t fall lower either. At first I felt especially bad, but now I’ve adapted a little. I go to doctors, get tests, etc. Here is what I managed to find out about this temperature during this time:

1. This may be a residual phenomenon after an illness. The body reaches this temperature and begins to consider it normal. True, in this case, a person should not feel that he is sick or feel unwell. So not my case.
2. This is not a brush gland, since there is usually a decrease in t on the contrary.
3. You immediately need to get tested for such serious things as HIV, AIDS and Tuberculosis. If nothing is confirmed, like me, we look further.
4. It could be stomach problems, but there must also be additional symptoms, which I don’t have either.
5. It could be an allergy. You also need to take tests for this and that. If you, like me, are not allergic, we continue our search.
6. Women need to see a gynecologist. Since female inflammation can also cause subfibrility (i.e., low temperature). If they don't find anything here...
7. Let's go to the ENT specialist. Tonsillitis, a consequence of a sore throat, can cause fever, weakness, and other delights. Let the doctor look into the neck...
8. Well, if not, go see the doctors again and when they find the reason, write and tell me , I also want to know what it could be?!

Tiffi25

There can be a great many reasons. This can indicate either a common cold or a serious illness. In any case, if the temperature persists for a long time, you should consult a doctor so that he can determine the source of the inflammation. In general, temperature indicates that the body, by secreting leukocytes, fights microbes and the invasion of “foreigners”. I often have this temperature because of chronic tonsillitis, but a friend of mine had this because of inflamed lymph nodes in the abdomen. The sooner you find the source, the better, because the body becomes depleted, tired, the immune system weakens, and there are other diseases nearby.

Blackstalker

In general, everything could be much simpler, I occasionally have a temperature of 37.1 with poor health, the reason for this could be Vegetative-vascular dystonia or autonomic dysfunction, I have just this diagnosis, all possible tests are normal, the doctors cannot explain anything useful to me I’m also at a loss as to how and what to treat is unknown.

Darkmessia

The unequivocal answer is that something is wrong with the body. and not only is it not in order, but there is an inflammatory process. the body secretes increased levels of white blood cells and the temperature rises. If you are sure that you have a cold, then you should not lower your temperature. but if it lasts for a long time, then check the lungs and lymph nodes

rainy day

This temperature may indicate either an inflammatory process or be a normal variant. In general, our body temperature does not remain static at 36.6 and can rise and fall during the day. This temperature can also be a symptom of a banal (in terms of incidence rate, but not in terms of sensations, of course) VSD. My mother had a period when she had such a temperature, she was examined - nothing was found, no signs of inflammation or other problems. Then it naturally returned to the standard...

Irishenka

What can I say, if the temperature stays above normal for more than a week (in your case 37.1), then there may be a lot of reasons, for example, there is some kind of inflammation in the body or problems with the metabolism of things. I had one time that temp. It lasted for 3 or 5 days (37), but then it got better. In my case, it seems to me that pregnancy was to blame (I didn’t know this then).

Hutshepsut

It stayed with me for years))) and no one said why. They sent me straight away for fluorography, then for a blood test, and then threw up their hands. I noticed it for the first time a long time ago - about 15 years ago. At times it bothers me when the temperature gives me fatigue and weakness. But mostly unnoticeable. I just stopped measuring when there are no symptoms))

Elden

A body temperature in the region of 37.1 may be associated not only with the body’s fight against foreign materials or living beings, but also with metabolic disorders, you need to get checked in the hospital if the temperature remains at this level for some time...

Elena-kh

I’ll write another version that no one has written about. I have this temperature all the time during pregnancy. True, most often it is 37.0, but in the evening it can range from 37.1 to 37.5. The doctor says that everything is fine, many people have a temperature, it just doesn’t need to be measured. So another option to consider!

Masha555

I also had 37 -37.3 during the day, and at night it dropped to normal. I had a fluorography, they said that it was the final stage of pneumonia, I was injected with ceftriaxone for 5 days. The temperature subsided a little (for a couple of days) And then for a month it was the same again - it rose during the day and fell at night. Tests are normal, thyroid is normal. Well, it seems like yesterday I didn’t have a fever - maybe it was a recovery from pneumonia.

I also read that this could be due to nerves - I really have nervous work. And I also read that it can be from worms (giardia for example)

Alyonka-sweetheart

My husband was recently sick, and his temperature stayed the same for a long time. Then we bought Antigrippin from nature, a product, and he began to feel better. He dissolved the tablet in a glass of warm water and drank it, after which his temperature dropped and his bones stopped aching. It is important not to buy Theraflu or Rinza, because they contain phenylephrine, which is very harmful to the product. The doctor told us that these drugs help by increasing blood pressure, which is very harmful.

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