Body Temperature During Fever

Our body is an amazing creation. We have many systems in our body which make it the most complicated and the best machine. Among various systems and mechanisms within our body, the immune system is one of the most important system which fights against any intruders like the bacteria and virus entering our body. This protects us from many diseases and helps us to sustain a healthy life. Coming to our topic, fever is a part of that immune activity. The increase in body temperature is known as fever. This increase in temperature takes place to kill the microorganisms which may be a result of some kind of infection. Let's find out which temperature comes under which category of fever in the following given details.

Rise in Body Temperature During Fever

Before knowing about the rise in body temperature, you need to know about the normal body temperature. Normal body temperature for any individual is 98.6 ºF or 37 ºC. A temperature which is 1º above or below this is also considered normal. This 1º rise and fall in the temperature can take place any time during the day and it depends upon many factors like how active is the person, the time of the day, hormone levels in the body, etc. If the temperature dips or rises more than this level, then it may indicate towards some problem. Medically, any temperature above 100 ºF or 37.8 ºC is considered to be fever. A digital thermometer is used to check the body temperature. It can be taken from various parts of the body and hence the reading also varies with the place. Rectal temperature will be 0.5 ºF to 1 ºF more than the actual reading whereas armpit temperature will show 0.5 ºF to 1 ºF lower temperature.

When the body temperature increases above the mark of 100 ºF it is considered as low-grade fever. This fever may be caused due to many reasons and can be cured with the help of some medications. Allergy, bacterial infection, viral infection, fungal, tuberculosis, urinary tract infection, pelvic inflammatory disease, appendicitis, lymphoma, etc. are some of the causes behind low-grade fever. The temperature above 103 ºF can be very dangerous. It is considered as high fever and is caused due to strep throat infection, pneumonia, chickenpox, tissue injuries, tumors, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. The temperature above 106 ºF is very rare as very few people survive above this body temperature. In fact above the 106 ºF the person may undergo brain damage and possibly die. But there are few cases where the people have even survived up to 110 ºF. The following given table will make you understand these different levels of temperature rise more clearly.

Body Temperature	Condition
98.6 ºF (37 ºC)	Normal
Till 100 ºF (37.8 ºC)	Very mild fever or normal
100 ºF to 103 ºF (37.8º to 39.4 ºC)	Low-grade fever
103 ºF to 106 ºF (39.4º to 41.1 ºC)	High fever
Above 106 ºF (41.1 ºC)	Extreme fever (rarely found)

Treatment for Rise in Body Temperature

Signs and symptoms of fever can be easily observed. The most common symptoms of fever is chills. The body starts shivering as the internal body temperature rises. Seizures, fatigue, body ache, rapid pulse, confusion, etc. are some of the other symptoms of fever. Once these symptoms are observed, the person should find out the body temperature and get it treated according to the cause. Some home remedies which can bring down the temperature may also be helpful. Sponge bath or bathing with water of 29.4 °C to 32.2 °C temperature may be helpful. You can also take some drugs like aspirin and acetaminophen which can bring down the body temperature considerable. But consult a doctor before taking the medicine. Drink lots of water, healthy fluids, juices etc. to keep your body hydrated. Low-grade fever can be treated with home remedies but high body temperature needs medical assistance.

Apart from the ill effects of increasing body temperature or fever, there are many benefits of fever too. As it is a result of the body's immune system, the body produces many white blood cells which kill the bacteria and viruses which are responsible for many infections. This rise in temperature at the time of cancer may also help in killing the tumor cells. In case of children, you should consult a doctor if the temperature comes under low-grade fever but in case of adults you can try to bring the temperature to normal and consult the doctor if the temperature enters the high fever level. If you observe low-grade fever for more than 3 days then consult a doctor immediately as the reason behind the fever may be serious.

So with this information we come to an end of this article. We hope the information was helpful in understanding the various body temperature and when to get a medical assistance. So, take care of yourself and keep an eye on your body temperature.