FEVER FACTS
Understanding Fevers
Fever - an increase in body temperature - is one of the body's normal defenses against attack from an infection or another disease. It is therefore a symptom, not a disease itself. A part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat controls body temperature by balancing hot and cold signals throughout the body. Factors that influence body temperature are infections; vaccines and medications; and injury. Body temperature increases also occur with exercise, excessive clothing, a hot bath, or hot weather. Fever may actually play a role in fighting infections and shortening their course by turning on the body's immune system, thereby increasing the release and activity of white blood cells and other germ-killing substances. The usual fevers (100°to 104°F) that all children get are not harmful. Most are caused by viruses and may last 3 to 5 days. In general, the height of a fever doesn't relate to the seriousness of the illness. How sick your child acts is what counts, and that should determine whether he or she needs a doctor's attention.
Causes of Fever
A part of the brain called the hypothalamus controls body temperature, which usually varies throughout the day from the normal temperature of 98.6 F.
In response to an infection, illness, or some other cause, the hypothalamus may reset the body to a higher temperature.
Although the most common causes of fever are common infections such as colds and gastroenteritis, other causes include:
Infections of the ear, lung, skin, throat, bladder, or kidney
Conditions that cause inflammation
Side effects of drugs
Cancer
Vaccines
Other causes of fever include:
Blood clots
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease
Hormone disorders such as hyperthyroidism
Illegal drugs such as amphetamines and cocaine
Diagnosis of Fever
Although a fever is easy to measure, determining its cause can be hard. Besides a physical exam, your doctor will ask about symptoms and conditions, medications, and if you've recently traveled to areas with infections or have other infection risks. A malaria infection, for example, may be have a fever that typically recurs. Some areas of the U.S. are hotspots for infections such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Sometimes, you may have a "fever of unknown origin." In such cases, the cause could be an unusual or not obvious condition such as a chronic infection, a connective tissue disorder, cancer, or another problem.
FOR MORE VISIT:
Best Facts of All Time-CLICK HERE
100 Amazing Facts about Space, Planets and Universe-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/25-amazing-facts-about-space-planets.html
15 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About Animals-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/15-amazing-facts-you-didnt-know-about.html
120 Funny and Interesting Facts-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/120-funny-and-interesting-facts.html
20 amazing facts about the human body-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/20-amazing-facts-about-human-body.html
Facts about Animals-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/facts-about-animals.html
Understanding Fevers
Fever - an increase in body temperature - is one of the body's normal defenses against attack from an infection or another disease. It is therefore a symptom, not a disease itself. A part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat controls body temperature by balancing hot and cold signals throughout the body. Factors that influence body temperature are infections; vaccines and medications; and injury. Body temperature increases also occur with exercise, excessive clothing, a hot bath, or hot weather. Fever may actually play a role in fighting infections and shortening their course by turning on the body's immune system, thereby increasing the release and activity of white blood cells and other germ-killing substances. The usual fevers (100°to 104°F) that all children get are not harmful. Most are caused by viruses and may last 3 to 5 days. In general, the height of a fever doesn't relate to the seriousness of the illness. How sick your child acts is what counts, and that should determine whether he or she needs a doctor's attention.
Causes of Fever
A part of the brain called the hypothalamus controls body temperature, which usually varies throughout the day from the normal temperature of 98.6 F.
In response to an infection, illness, or some other cause, the hypothalamus may reset the body to a higher temperature.
Although the most common causes of fever are common infections such as colds and gastroenteritis, other causes include:
Infections of the ear, lung, skin, throat, bladder, or kidney
Conditions that cause inflammation
Side effects of drugs
Cancer
Vaccines
Other causes of fever include:
Blood clots
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease
Hormone disorders such as hyperthyroidism
Illegal drugs such as amphetamines and cocaine
Diagnosis of Fever
Although a fever is easy to measure, determining its cause can be hard. Besides a physical exam, your doctor will ask about symptoms and conditions, medications, and if you've recently traveled to areas with infections or have other infection risks. A malaria infection, for example, may be have a fever that typically recurs. Some areas of the U.S. are hotspots for infections such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Sometimes, you may have a "fever of unknown origin." In such cases, the cause could be an unusual or not obvious condition such as a chronic infection, a connective tissue disorder, cancer, or another problem.
FOR MORE VISIT:
Best Facts of All Time-CLICK HERE
100 Amazing Facts about Space, Planets and Universe-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/25-amazing-facts-about-space-planets.html
15 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About Animals-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/15-amazing-facts-you-didnt-know-about.html
120 Funny and Interesting Facts-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/120-funny-and-interesting-facts.html
20 amazing facts about the human body-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/20-amazing-facts-about-human-body.html
Facts about Animals-http://unbilievablefact.blogspot.com/2014/02/facts-about-animals.html
No comments:
Post a Comment