If your temperature is 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) or higher, contact your doctor. Seek medical assistance right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms in addition to a fever: excruciating headache Unusual skin rash, especially if it progresses quickly. These may be warning signs of a life-threatening condition called heatstroke.
Heat illness occurs when the body's normal mechanisms for keeping temperature stable are overwhelmed by heat. The two main factors that affect how our bodies respond to heat are age and activity level. As we get older, we tend to generate less heat even while exercising at a high intensity. Also, the more active you are, the more heat your body produces. Heatstroke is a severe form of heat illness that can lead to death if not treated immediately. Symptoms include hot flashes, nausea, confusion, loss of consciousness, and possibly a long delay before reaching a hospital.
People who are obese may be more likely to develop heatstroke. This is because fat provides insulation against the cold outside air and also absorbs some of the excess heat produced by exercise. In people with obesity, this protective effect is often absent.
People who live in areas where it is hot all year round should take measures to stay cool during exercise. This means drinking plenty of water and eating foods with lots of ice cubes. Fatigue and dizziness due to lack of water intake is common among athletes in such conditions.
Adults. Seek medical assistance right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms in addition to a fever: excruciating headache, stiff neck, confusion, pain behind the eyes, numbness or tingling in your hands or feet.
Children. If your child's temperature is 100.5 degrees F (38.0 degrees C) or higher, call your pediatrician. Also call if your child has a very high temperature or appears sick. Your child may not be able to tell you when he or she is feeling ill, so it's important that you get help immediately if you notice any changes in behavior or activity level.
Your body temperature naturally rises with exercise and sunlight exposure. It also increases when you feel anxious or excited. The human body can withstand lower temperatures more easily when it is warm. A cold body can lead to hypothermia, a life-threatening condition in which the blood vessels constrict, causing insufficient heat loss from the body's core. Eating foods that are hot or spicy, using alcohol or drugs that make you feel sleepy, and having an infection or cancer can also increase your temperature.
If you are an adult and have a fever of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) or higher, call your provider straight away, unless it goes away quickly with treatment and you are comfortable. Have a fever that persists at or rises over 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4degC). These symptoms may be a sign of a more serious condition called heatstroke.
Heatstroke occurs when your body is unable to cool itself down properly. The only way to treat this condition is by reducing the patient's body temperature until it returns to normal. Heatstroke can be fatal if not treated promptly!
Do not try to reduce a child's temperature using cold baths or ice packs, as this could cause them serious injury or even death.
Parents should take measures to prevent their children from getting heatstroke, such as ensuring they drink enough water and wear appropriate clothing when outside in the sun. Children who are very young or who are already sickly may be more at risk from high temperatures. Adults too can suffer from heatstroke, so anyone who feels unwell during exercise should stop what they are doing and seek medical help.
Adults over the age of 18 usually do not require treatment for fevers under 102°F (38.9°C). Medication may be used to lower fevers over that level. If your temperature rises beyond 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) or does not respond to therapy, you should contact your doctor.
The effectiveness of fever reducers decreases as temperatures rise. As a rule of thumb, wait until your temperature is 100.5°F (38°C) or higher before taking action.
Children's bodies are less able to handle heat and cold than those of adults. Therefore, they should never be left alone in a hot room or exposed to cold weather without adequate protection.
Parents should take their children's temperatures regularly and seek medical advice if it exceeds 100.5°F (38°C). Parents can reduce the risk of brain damage by reducing the temperature of a child's body at least twice daily when the temperature is above 100.5°F (38°C).
If you have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher and suspect you have a skin infection, call a doctor or go to the hospital straight soon. You're in a lot of discomfort. The swelling or redness spreads. You have pain that won't go away.
These are all signs of an infection. If you don't get medical help, the infection could become life-threatening.
You should call your doctor before going to the hospital anyway, so she can tell you what kind of treatment you can expect if you do decide to go there. She'll also be able to tell you if another hospital is better suited to handle your case.
In addition to a physician, many hospitals now employ nurse practitioners and physician's assistants who can diagnose illness and administer simple medications. They may not be able to perform more invasive procedures or treat complicated cases. However, this type of practitioner can still play an important role in treating infections that aren't serious enough to require a visit to the emergency room.
If you do go to the hospital, they will likely give you some form of antibiotic to kill any bacteria that are causing the problem. This is because many bacterial infections will not heal on their own. Infections caused by viruses such as the common cold can usually be treated with over-the-counter medicines such as Tylenol or Advil.