Low-grade Fever Causes

Everyone has had a fever, right? So it's safe to say that a fever is one of the most common ailments that affect a normal human being. A fever, also known as pyrexia or controlled hyperthermia, occurs when the body's temperature rises above the normal range (97 to 99 degrees (36 to 37.2 Celsius). This is the body's thermoregulatory set-point which rises when there is any faulty mechanism like an infection or disease that affects the body. A low-grade fever usually keeps fluctuating i.e., it has the tendency to rise in temperature and then suddenly fall back down to normal or a low reading. A low-grade fever does not rise above 101 degrees F (38.5°C) and is not considered dangerous. The following article will deal with some of the causes of this form of fever and try to get to the root of it.

Causes of Low-grade Fever

There are quite a few conditions that lead to a low-grade fever. Since it is the body's way of dealing with the viruses that cause the infection, anything that threatens the smooth functioning of the body's mechanisms will lead to this form of fever.

Viral Infections
The common cough and common cold is one of the most common cause of a low-grade fever. With the influx of parasites, viruses, and fungi into the body, the defense mechanism of the body goes into a defense mode and raises the body temperature to kill the invaders.

Wound Infections
When there is a wound which causes an abrasion to the upper layer of the skin, many times, the opening in the skin leads to toxic invaders entering the body and causing pus, swelling, reddening of the skin and a fever.

Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is brought about by a bacterial infection that affects the lungs and is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. This leads to symptoms like a chronic cough that is sometimes accompanied by blood and instances of bloody phlegm along with fever.

Measles
Measles also known as rubeola is caused by a virus that affects throat, lungs and bronchial tubes and the respiratory tract. It is highly contagious and brings in its wake a rash, fever and sore throat.

Mumps
This is caused by the rubulavirus and is a very contagious disease. It results in the swelling of salivary glands, pancreas and sometimes ovaries and testes as well. This is a highly contagious disease as well.

Allergies
Allergies are caused when there is a histamine that enters our body and to protect one from this, the body produces antihistamines. The body also produces pyrogens in response to the allergy that is caused, and a fever and headache is usually brought on.

Stress
Among the causes of chronic low-grade fever, stress is also taken as one of the main causes. Stress causes the body to go into overdrive and as a result there are certain abnormal functions that begin to take place in the body. To deal with the body raises its temperature and a fever is brought on.

Low-grade Fever Causes - Others

These are some other causes that could well bring on a low-grade fever.

• Over exposure to sunlight and heat.
• Hormonal imbalance
• Hepatitis
• Typhoid
• HIV/AIDS
• Chickenpox
• Leukemia
• Chikungunya
• Sinusitis
• Chronic Abscess
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
• Mononucleosis
• Autoimmune Diseases

These were some of the low-grade fever causes. Now that you know what they are, you should keep a lookout for them if the temperature rises above 104 degree F. Cause if it does, you'll need to get it checked immediately and administer the required treatment.