Fever
By: Arielle Moon
Fevers are usually associated with physical discomfort, and many professionals believe that fever is a natural way of our body's responses against infections to protect itself.
Fever is generally not considered dangerous, but hyperthermia can cause dangerous rises in body temperature. This can be due to an extreme temperature associated with heat injury such as heat stroke, side effects of certain medications or drugs, and stroke. With hyperthermia, the body is no longer able to control body temperature.
causes
- Infections of the ear, lung, skin, throat, bladder, or kidney
- Conditions that cause inflammation
- Side effects of drugs
- Cancer
- Vaccines
treatments
Treatments vary depending on the cause of the fever. For example, antibiotics would be used for a bacterial infection such as strep throat. The most common treatments for fever include over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Children and teens should not take aspirin because it's linked to condition called Reye’s syndrome.