Elevated temperature isn't always a sign that something's wrong. Although 98.6oF has been considered normal for years, many healthy people walk around with a temperature a degree above or below this.
Body temperature even fluctuates throughout the day-- it's usually lowest in the morning and highest in the late afternoon and evening. The type of thermometer you measure your temperature with also makes a difference. Rectal thermometer readings are usually more accurate and read a degree higher than oral thermometers.
Taking your temperature by mouth after you drink a hot liquid like soup or tea can mislead you into thinking you have a fever when you don't. Other factors that can temporarily affect your temperature include:
- Wearing too much clothing (if you're overdressed enough to raise your body temperature)
- Exercise
- Hot, humid weather
- Hormones (increased progesterone levels increase body temperature, so women's basal body
temperature increases following ovulation)
If you've ruled out confounding factors and your temperature is higher than 99º, you might have a fever. If your temperature is higher than 101ºF, you definitely have a fever.
Call a doctor if a fever:
- Occurs in a child less than 6 months old.
- In a child, exceeds 101oF orally or 102oF rectally and doesn't go down within 48 hours despite
efforts to reduce the fever.
- Lasts four to five days in an adult.
- Is accompanied by other symptoms, like stiff neck, persistent sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, listlessness, rash, cough, or earache.
Typically, fever less than 104o F causes no harm or discomfort and requires no treatment. But if the fever is making you uncomfortable or remains higher than 104oF for a prolonged period, you should treat it.
To cool a fever:
- Drink fruit juice, water, and other replenishing liquids.
- Take a sponge bath with tepid (about 70oF) water. (Sponging with alcohol has no advantage
and often makes people feel ill, because of alcohol's pungent odor.)
- Take the appropriate dose of aspirin or acetaminophen for your age every 3 to 4 hours.
(Note: Don't give aspirin to children under 19 years old, however, if a fever is associated with
chicken pox or a flulike illness. It's been associated with Reye's syndrome, a potentially fatal
condition that is discussed in chapter 2, Major Medical Conditions: Prevention, Detection, and
Treatment.)
- Get plenty of bed rest.
- Don't bundle up in heavy clothing or several layers of blankets.
- Avoid strenuous exercise.
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