High body temperature has many possible causes. More often, a fever is part of a viral infection that goes away on its own
A high temperature in an adult usually does not cause concern. However, in some cases this is not entirely the right approach. Let's find out what the probable causes of high fever in adults may be, and in which cases you need to urgently consult a doctor.
Viruses as a cause of high fever
Diseases caused by viruses are one of the most common causes of high fever in adults. Additional symptoms may be: runny nose, sore throat, cough, hoarseness, muscle pain, etc. Viruses can also cause diarrhea, vomiting, or stomach upset. In most cases, diseases caused by viruses go away quickly after some time (I remembered the famous joke that if you treat a cold, it goes away in 7 days, and without treatment - in a week). Antibiotics are not necessary to treat diseases caused by viruses. In this case, high fever can be treated with antipyretic medications. If diarrhea or vomiting occurs, the person should drink more fluids. Viral illnesses usually last one to two weeks.
The influenza virus is a leading cause of death and serious illness in older adults. Symptoms include headaches, muscle and joint pain, and other common viral symptoms, including fever. Vaccines against seasonal influenza (as well as H1N1 influenza) are now widely available. Additionally, antiviral drugs may be given to fight the influenza virus as soon as symptoms begin.
Bacteria as a cause of high body temperature
Fever-causing bacteria can affect almost every organ system in the body. These diseases should be treated with antibiotics.
Infections of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) may cause fever, headache, stiff neck, or confusion. A person may feel sluggish and irritable, and light may irritate the eyes. These symptoms may suggest meningitis or other brain infections. Therefore, you urgently need to call an ambulance.
Lower respiratory tract infections (including pneumonia and bronchitis) can cause high body temperature. Symptoms include coughing, difficulty breathing, thick mucus production, and sometimes chest pain.
Upper respiratory tract infections occur in the throat, ears, nose, and sinuses. A runny nose, headache, cough or sore throat that is accompanied by a high fever may indicate a bacterial infection, but a viral infection is the most common cause.
Infection of the genitourinary system causes a person to experience a burning sensation when urinating, blood in the urine, the urge to urinate frequently, back pain along with fever. These symptoms indicate an infection in the bladder, kidneys, and urinary tract. To treat these diseases, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. If the reproductive system is affected, the person will notice discharge from the penis or vagina; Along with high body temperature, pelvic pain will be noted. In women, the presence of pelvic pain and high body temperature may indicate the presence of pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause significant damage to the reproductive organs. In this case, it is especially important to consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Digestive tract infections are accompanied by symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, stomach upset, and sometimes the presence of blood in the stool. Blood in the stool may indicate a bacterial infection or another type of serious illness. Abdominal pain may be caused by an infection of the appendix, gallbladder, or liver. In these cases, emergency medical care is required.
The bacteria can also attack the circulatory system (including the heart and lungs). In this case, along with high body temperature, a person may feel body aches, chills, weakness or confusion. When bacteria enter the bloodstream, a condition called sepsis develops. Heart valve infection due to inflammation (endocarditis) can occur in people who have had heart surgery in the past and in people who have used intravenous medications. This disease requires hospitalization and immediate treatment with intravenous antibiotics.
The skin, our body's largest organ, can also be affected by bacterial infection. Swelling, warmth, pus, or pain occurs at the site of infection. The infection can cause trauma to the skin, causing clogged pores, leading to an abscess. The infection may even spread to the soft tissue under the skin (cellulitis). In these cases, antibiotics must be used. Additionally, the skin may react to some toxins with a skin rash. For example, scarlet fever - strep throat - is accompanied by a bright red and diffuse rash on the skin.
Fungi as a cause of high body temperature
Fungal infections can affect any organ system. Only a doctor can identify these infections. In rare cases, a biopsy may be needed to diagnose a fungal infection. An antifungal drug is used to treat the infection.
Some people who work with animals may be exposed to rare bacteria that can cause fever. In addition to high fever, a person may have chills, headache and muscle pain in the joints. These bacteria exist in livestock, unpasteurized dairy products, and in the urine of sick animals.
Why does high body temperature often occur in travelers?
People who travel extensively may develop a high body temperature due to exposure to various new foods, toxins, insects, or infections. Therefore, to visit many countries you need to get a vaccine against yellow fever or meningitis. These requirements depend on when and where people travel. Children's vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and polio must be completed before travel. Vaccines against hepatitis A, meningitis, and typhoid fever should be taken if you are visiting countries with a high epidemiological threshold for these diseases.
While traveling, drinking contaminated water, raw vegetables, or unpasteurized dairy products may cause a slight increase in body temperature and even diarrhea. Bismuth salicylate, loperamide, and some antibiotics may help relieve symptoms. Symptoms such as cramping abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, and bloating should subside within three to six days. A high temperature above 38.3 C or the presence of blood in the stool is a reason to immediately consult a doctor.
Insect bites are a way of spreading infection in some countries. Malaria is a serious infection that can occur after a mosquito bite. After an insect bite, a person may experience a high body temperature that suddenly appears for several days and then goes away. To make a diagnosis, you need to do a blood test. In some infected areas, a traveler may take medication to prevent malaria. Lyme disease is transmitted through a tick bite. It is typical for some areas of the United States (these ticks live on deer). Any infection caused by an insect bite should be evaluated by a doctor.
Causes of fever
The most common cause of fever is viral infections. Typical accompanying symptoms are a runny nose, cough, sore throat, muscle pain and a feeling of weakness. Some types of infections may cause diarrhea, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain. In most cases, these infections last for several days, and the body of a healthy person is able to cope with them on its own, using an increase in body temperature for this purpose.
Treatment of fever consists of taking medications to relieve symptoms such as pain, cough and others as recommended by a doctor. If fever , diarrhea, or vomiting occurs, regular fluid and electrolyte replenishment is important. You can buy special glucose-electrolyte preparations at the pharmacy, you can also use sports drinks.
Among common viral infections, the most dangerous is influenza, complications of which are the leading cause of death among the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. If influenza is detected in a person at risk, the use of antiviral medications is recommended.
The second group of diseases that often lead to fever are bacterial infections. They can affect almost every organ in the body. In this case, fever is accompanied by symptoms characteristic of an infection of the corresponding organ, as well as the strain of the bacterium. Bacteria most often attack the respiratory tract. An infection of the upper respiratory tract (throat, nose, larynx) causes a runny nose, cough and headache. These symptoms can easily be mistaken for a viral infection, so you should never take antibiotics on your own without a doctor's diagnosis to confirm the bacterial source of the infection.
In the case of lower respiratory tract infections - bronchitis and pneumonia - in addition to breathing difficulties, there is a deep cough, thick mucus, and sometimes chest pain. Fever tends to be higher than with other influenza-like infections.
Fever can also be caused by autoimmune diseases (such as lupus), in which the body uses the immune system to fight against its own tissues. These diseases can lead to the formation of local or even general inflammatory processes that cause an increase in body temperature.
Fever is often one of the first symptoms observed in cancer. Some tumors produce pyrogens, which increases the temperature set in the hypothalamus. Also, tumors within the hypothalamus can interfere with its normal functioning. Finally, people suffering from cancer and undergoing chemotherapy have a significantly reduced immune system; in such conditions, even relatively harmless microorganisms can lead to infection and fever.
Fever can be caused by certain medications. In such cases, it appears immediately after starting to take the drug. For reasons that are unclear, some medications act as external pyrogens in some people, causing an increase in body temperature. Drugs that particularly predispose to fever include certain antibiotics, immunosuppressants, steroids, barbiturates, antihistamines, or medications used to treat cardiovascular diseases. Stopping treatment always leads to the disappearance of fever.
In any situation where a fever lasts more than three days, or when it gets worse and symptoms get worse, you should consult a doctor immediately.
Other causes of high fever in adults
The use of medications is another cause of high body temperature
A high body temperature may occur as a result of using a new drug, but should go away when it is stopped. High body temperature can be caused by beta-lactam antibiotics, procainamide, isoniazid, alpha methyldopa, quinidine and diphenylhydantoin. A sharp increase in body temperature may be caused by an allergic reaction to medications or a preservative in the drug.
A blood clot can cause a high fever
Sometimes a person may develop a blood clot in their leg, causing swelling and pain in the calves. Part of this clot may break off and travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism). This can lead to chest pain and breathing problems. Thus, a person may have a high body temperature due to inflammation in the blood vessels. If you have the above symptoms, you should immediately see a doctor.
The main reasons for the rise in temperature
The normal temperature is 36.6°C.
But under the influence of various factors, this level decreases or increases. Moreover, often a person feels quite comfortable without noticing signs of the disease. What causes this phenomenon? Of course, the main cause is colds and viral infections. In this case, elevated temperature is accompanied by chills, weakness in the limbs, aching joints, runny nose, pain in the eye area, and cough. In the first days of illness, the temperature rises to 38-39°C. As treatment, the doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, inhalations, plenty of fluids, and bed rest. How to Simply Recommend
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The second reason for high temperature is kidney disease, in which sharp pain appears in the lumbar region. To reduce the temperature, it is necessary to undergo an examination, after which a specialist will prescribe a course of treatment to relieve symptoms.
If the temperature stays above 38°C for a long time, this may indicate the presence of tumors in the body. As a rule, additional signs of damage are general weakness, sudden hair loss, decreased or complete absence of appetite, decreased body weight, and malaise. If you notice such symptoms, you should immediately consult an oncologist.
High temperature can be a sign of tumors of the liver, lungs, kidneys, and leukemia.
Disturbances in the endocrine system are another cause of elevated temperature. A person begins to sharply reduce their weight, although their appetite may improve significantly. Frequent attacks of irritability, depression, and a feeling of fear appear. At a young age, an increase in temperature often indicates physical or nervous stress. In addition, there are jumps in blood pressure for no apparent reason, and red spots may appear on the face, chest and neck. The main treatment is taking sedatives and conducting psychological training.
To relieve nervous tension, tinctures of valerian, motherwort, and eleutherococcus are used.
High temperature is a common symptom that occurs with rheumatism. This is due to the fact that an inflammatory process associated with the functioning of the joints develops in the body.
Very often the temperature rises when the child is simply overheated. Even in the warm season, parents wrap their baby in several layers of clothing, as a result of which the body’s thermoregulation is disrupted. To normalize heat exchange, it is necessary to choose the right clothes, taking into account weather conditions.
Cancer as a cause of high body temperature in adults
Cancer can cause body temperature to rise in several ways. Sometimes the tumor itself synthesizes pyrogens - chemicals that provoke high body temperature. Some tumors can become infected. A brain tumor can damage the hypothalamus (the body's thermostat), preventing it from properly regulating body temperature. High fever may also result from the use of cancer drugs. Finally, cancer patients' immune systems may be weakened, making them prone to various infections.
Overheating as a cause of high body temperature in adults
Sometimes, due to overheating in the sun, a very high body temperature can develop. This condition is called hyperthermia. This often occurs due to strenuous exercise or when the body is exposed to hot or humid weather. People with hyperthermia may even fall into a coma. They may have an extremely high body temperature and may not even sweat. In this case, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. The victim should be cooled down immediately.
Why can body temperature be different?
We all know that normal body temperature is 36.6 C. In fact, this indicator varies for the same person at different periods of life. For example, a thermometer gives different numbers throughout the month, even with full health. This is typical mainly for girls. Their body temperature usually rises slightly during ovulation and returns to normal 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 in the evening it usually rises by 0.5 C. Stress, food, physical activity, taking a bath or drinking hot (and strong) drinks, staying on the beach, wearing too warm clothes, emotional outburst and many other things can contribute to a slightly elevated body temperature. A high temperature in a young child is much more dangerous than a high temperature in adults.
The cause of high fever in adults can be prolonged exposure to the open sun in hot weather, as well as prolonged exposure of a child to a hot room.
Every person's body has a certain temperature, most often normal. If you measure the temperature in the mouth, then in a healthy person it will not be higher than 37. In an adult, the body temperature can be brought down by taking aspirin or paracetamol every four hours.
Many diseases can cause high body temperature
Many people have medical conditions that prevent their immune system from working properly. Therefore, there is a high probability of infections. Fever in immunocompromised individuals can be very dangerous. Vascular and autoimmune diseases (eg, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, polyarteritis nodosa) may be associated with high body temperature. Many immune system diseases can cause high body temperature due to inflammation.
Causes of a weakened immune system: cancer; cancer treatment; organ transplantation and use of immunosuppressive drugs; steroid therapy for a long time; HIV; age over 65 years; absence of the spleen (after surgical removal of the spleen); sarcoidosis (a condition characterized by an unusual form of inflammation that leads to the formation of so-called granulomas, which can occur in any part of the body); systemic lupus erythematosus; malnutrition; diabetes; alcohol abuse or drug use.
There is also a fever of unknown origin. This condition is defined as temperatures above 38.3 C, lasting more than three weeks. At the same time, doctors are unable to establish a diagnosis. The causes of fever of unknown origin can be infections, cancer, collagen vascular diseases, as well as numerous other diseases (abscess in organs, unknown parasitic infections, etc.).
Another specific medical condition involves regulation of the hypothalamus. Neurotransmitters and hormones (such as thyroid hormones) work through feedback mechanisms to help the function of the hypothalamus. If this delicate feedback balance is interrupted, the hypothalamus can become dysfunctional in many ways, one of which is an increase in body temperature to the level of fever. Thyrotoxicosis requires emergency medical attention if the body temperature is around 41 C.
When to call an ambulance?
High body temperature has many possible causes. More often, a fever is part of a viral infection that goes away on its own. However, there are several reasons for concern. Be sure to call your doctor if you have: 1) a temperature of 39.4 C or higher; 2) high body temperature lasts more than 7 days; 3) fever symptoms become worse (temperature reaches 39.4 C).
Call an ambulance immediately if the following symptoms occur: 1) confusion or excessive drowsiness;
2) torticollis; 3) severe headache; 4) sore throat, especially when swallowing; 5) skin rash; 6) chest pain; 7) difficulty breathing; vomit; 9) abdominal pain; 10) blood in the stool; 11) pain when urinating; 12) swelling of the legs; 13) red, hot or swollen area of skin.
People with serious illnesses, such as cancer or HIV, may not have these symptoms. Mild symptoms associated with high fever in this patient population should be discussed with a physician to prevent progression to more serious infections.
