Fever is when a human’s body temperature goes above the normal range of 36–37° Centigrade (98–100° Fahrenheit). It is a common medical sign.
Symptoms:
When somebody has a fever, signs and symptoms are linked to what is known as sickness behavior, and may include:
- feeling cold when nobody else does
- shivering
- lack of appetite
- dehydration — preventable if the person drinks plenty of fluids
- depression
- hyperalgesia, or increased sensitivity to pain
- lethargy
- problems concentrating
- sleepiness
- sweating
If the fever is high, there may also be extreme irritability, confusion, delirium, and seizures.
Types:
Fevers can be classified according to how long they last, whether or not they come and go, and how high they are.
Severity:
A fever can be:
- low grade, from 100.5–102.1°F or 38.1–39°C
- moderate, from 102.2–104.0°F or 39.1–40°C
- high, from 104.1–106.0°F to or 40.1-41.1°C
- hyperpyrexia, above 106.0°F or 41.1°C
The height of the temperature may help indicate what type of problem is causing it.
Length of time:
A fever can be;
- acute if it lasts less than 7 days
- sub-acute, if it lasts up to 14 days
- chronic or persistent, if it persists for over 14 days
Fevers that exist for days or weeks with no explanation are called fevers of undetermined origin (FUO).
