FEVER
Fever (also known
as pyrexia, from the Greek pyretos meaning fire, or a febrile response, from
the Latin word febris, meaning fever, and archaically known as ague) is a
frequent medical symptom that describes an increase in internal body temperature
to levels above normal (the common oral measurement of normal human body temperature
is 36.8±0.7 °C or 98.2±1.3 °F). Fever is most accurately characterized as
a temporary elevation in the body's thermoregulatory set-point, usually by
about 1–2°C.
Treatments
Fever is an important signal that there's something wrong in the body..Not
all fevers are of infectious origin. Even when treatment is not indicated,
however, febrile patients are generally advised to keep themselves adequately
hydrated, as the dehydration produced by a mild fever can be more dangerous
than the fever itself. Water is generally used for this purpose, but there
is always a small risk of hyponatremia if the patient drinks too much water.
For this reason, some patients drink sports drinks or products designed specifically
for this purpose.Most
people take medication against fever because the symptoms cause discomfort.
Fever increases heart rate and metabolism, thus potentially putting an additional
strain on elderly patients, patients with heart disease, etc. This may even
cause delirium. Therefore, potential benefits must be weighed against risks
in these patients. In any case, fever must be brought under control in instances
when fever escalates to hyperpyrexia and tissue damage is imminent.
Treatment of fever should be based primarily on lowering the set-point, but facilitating heat loss may also contribute. The former is accomplished with antipyretics. Wet cloth or pads are also used for treatment, and applied to the forehead. Heat loss may be an effect of (possibly a combination of) heat conduction, convection, radiation, or evaporation (sweating, perspiration). This may be particularly important in babies, where drugs should be avoided. However, if water that is too cold is used, it induces vasoconstriction and prevents adequate heat loss.(1).You should consult a qualified medical practitioner if you suspect any of your family member, especially young children, of having a high fever.
source
(1) wikipedia