The term temperature or fever is generally considered same by many peoples but these two terms fever or temperature of body is different, if we see it as a symptom for any disease then the increased temperature of body is considered fever.
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| Thermometer for measure temperature |
What is temperature|Fever?
The temperature of body can be define as the degree of heat maintained by the body or it is the balance between the heat production or the heat loss from the body.
When temperature of body goes high then its called fever.( above 99°F)
(The heat regulating center is situated in brain that's called hypothalamus)
Temperature or Heat produces in body
Oxodation of food
- During the digestion of food the body produces heat.
- Liver is the organ in the body which produces heat in higer degree than any other organ.
- During metabolism of protein, carbohydrate, and fat heat is produced as a by product within a body which cannot be considered as fever.
- One gram of carbohydrate give 4 calories of heat.
- One gram of protein give 4 calories of heat.
- One gram of fat gives 9 calories of heat.
These processes increases heat in the body.
Temperature or heat lost from body
Through the skin
The skin is important organ in the heat or temperature regulation which is controlled by the hypothalamus.
When temperature of body increased the warm blood flows through the hypothalamus which is very sensitve to heat variation in blood.
Then it sends impulses to skin for dilation of veins so that more blood comes to the skin and the heat is lost by means of conduction, convection, and evaporation or radiation.
- Conduction
Heat is transferred by conduction from the body to any substance in contact with the body such as air, clothes, foodstuff,water etc.
Very little heat is lost by conduction.
- Convection
Heat is transferred through the circulating air in atmosphere.
- Radiation
Transfer of heat from hot to cold object when it is not in contact with each other.
About 60% of the body heat is lost by radiation.
- Evaporation
Loss of heat occurs when liquid is converted to vapour.
Body loses a large amount of heat by way of evaporation .
When the body temperature is increased the sweat glands become active and secreate sweat through which the body heat is lost.
Through lungs
The temperature of air which is taken to the lungs is that of the atmosphere & it is lower than that of body temperature.
On entering the lungs, it is warmed to that of the body temperatureby absorbing heat from the lungs.
On breath out the warmed air is lost through expired air.
Through the kidneys
The kidneys secrete urine which is warmed by the heat taken by the body, so when urine excreted heat is lost from the body.
Average acceptable range of temperature for adults.
Normal oral: 37°C (98.6°F)
Normal rectal: 37.5°C (99.5°F)
Normal axillary:36.5°C (99.7°F)
What is Fever?
The elevated temperature of body above normal range (mostly above 99°F) for a prolonged period is considered as fever.
When the body temperature is remain high above normal range then that condition is called as fiver.
Generally fiver occurs when there is any kind of infection present in the body and body shows symptom for it as fiver, increased temperature above normal.
Fever is not a disease but a symptom whenevet body gets any kind of infection then body shows it as fever.
Other cause of fever are like disease of nervous system, blood disease such as leukaemia, crush injury, heat stroke from exposure to hot environment.
Types of fever
- Intermittent fever
The elevated temperature is present only for some hours in a day and remain normal for the remaining day.
Temperature spike occurs either daily or every alternate day.
- Remittent fever
The temperature remain above normal through the day.
More than 2°C variation between morning and evening temperature.
This type of fever is common in typhoid infection.
- Relapsing fever
It is a variant of intermittent fever. Fever episodes are separated by intervals of normal temperature for days or weeks.
- Inverse fever
In this type the temperature rises in the early morning rather than in the morning.
- Low grade fever
In this type temperature elevation is present daily especially in the evening for several days but does not exeed 37°C at any time.
It is commonly seen in tuberculosis.
- Continous fever
It is also called constant fever in which temperature variation is not more than 2°C between the morning and evening and temperature does not reach normal.
- Rigor
Rigor is a sudden severe attack of shivering in which the body temperature rises rapidly.
- High fever ( hyper pyrexia)
The temperature goes above 105°F.
IS FEVER A DISEASE
Fever is not a disease but it is a sign. Fever is a protective function of the body, because the rise in temperature prevents the growth of organisms by producing immune bodies in the body.
Fever if not too high hastens the destruction of bacteria.
Symptoms of fever
You can find following symptoms in fever in a person.
- Shallow and rapid breathing
- Dryp mouth
- Coated tounge
- Loss of appetite
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Headache
- Restlessness
- Irritability
- Malaise
- Body pain
- Joint pain
- Heavy sweating
- Hot flushes
- Shivering
- Chills
Home remedy for fever
When caring for the person with fever focuses on reducing the elevated body temperature.
When a person's temperature modrately elevated various method of reducing the temperature can be started.
The room temperature should be maintained at comfertable level.
The room should be well ventilated.
Blanket & excess clothing should be removed if any.
Various method for cooling the body to reduce fever.
- Exposure to cool by an electric fan.
- Cool drinks can be given to reduce temperature.
- Cold sponging is most widely used method for reducing fever for this you need a clean cloth and cold water dip cloth into water and squeez it than apply to body.
(When surface cooling is used to reducing the temperature then reducing temperature is not only important but preventing shivering also important.
Shivering must be prevented because it increases metabolic activity or produces heat and increases the oxygen usage markedly and my cause hyperventolation or respiratory alkalosis)
Diet during fever
Metabolism increases during fever and the consumption of oxygen by tissues also increases.
Therefore a high calorie diet should be given to person with fever.
The diet should be digestable and palatable because the digestive function is slowed down during fever.
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