When do you have a temperature?

Are you feeling a bit warm? Are you sweating profusely but not because of your workout routine? Maybe you have a temperature! But wait, what does that even mean? How do you know if you have one or not? Well, my friend, grab yourself some water and sit down because we are about to explore everything there is to know about having a temperature.

What in the WORLD is “having a temperature”?

First things first – let’s get technical. Having a “temperature” means that your body is running hotter than it usually does. Your usual internal temp hovers around 98.6° Fahrenheit (37°Celsius for our metric fans), which BTW was set by German physician Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich in 1851for anyone curious. But when something disrupts this balance – say an infection or illness- your body responds by raising its thermostat so to speak.

Um okay but how do I tell if I actually HAVE ONE?

Good question, pal! Let’s go over the tell-tale signs:

  • Sweating
  • Chills
  • Flushed skin
  • Headache
  • Muscle ache
  • Weakness/fatigue
    Note: These symptoms can often feel like they’re coming on suddenly and NO these aren’t related to secretly being pregnant like Aunt May thinks every time she has hot flashes

So basically it feels like crap plus now maybe add worrying about whether or not people think YOU’RE crap since no one wants Typhoid Sally coughing up germs all over them…but I digress.

Wait wait wait…what counts as an actual fever here?

It’s officially considered having a fever when someone’s body surpasses 100°F (approx.38 °Celsius). Yikes!

But sometimes doctors will label anything above the normal body temperature as a low-grade fever -which sounds nice, like hey thanks just had dank chicken for lunch so a “low grade” fever makes total sense- usually this is between 100°F (approx.38 °Celsius) to 102°F (approx39°Celsius).

Does that mean it’s less urgent? Well not really, friend. Here are reasons why: when immune cells send out bouncers(strong white blood cells) to fight an infection, the higher temps help speed up reactions and slow down enemy growth To combat cooler-than-normal conditions by opening or closing vessels in our skin So it’s essentially giving you that edge needed against disease.

Okay but HOW do I get one?

I don’t think anyone exactly goes into wanting to have one of these bad boys, Carole! At least last time WE checked We’ll assume you’re asking what typically causes them though. The most common way is having an infection caused by bacteria or viruses. But some other factors can cause them too such as inflammation from autoimmune disorders(Most illnesses that stem from your immune system attacking itself), sources of poison toxins(like keeping expired fruits forever )or certain medications(mostly if misused).

Another reason may sound like something out of a horror movie – pooping. Let me explain! Basically diarrhea actually flushes pathogens and harmful bacteria straight outta naughty town via fecal matter ,and even though we want to be grossed out…it ACTUALLY helps prevent infections overall .This heating effect occurs due to increased metabolic activity required during digestion.You didn’t hear it was actually spicy food causing this while on-run right

One fast fact- sometimes people who recover from non-severe Covid cases still have relatively high temperatures on +14 days post symptoms since their bods are still fighting off duh pandemic

What should I DO if I have one & how do I treat it?

You might be tempted to go straight to the over-the-counter stuff – but if you’re seeing high temps for 3 or more days, Dr. Scholls recommends a visit!

Meanwhile, some things that can help:

  • Stay hydrated
  • Get lots of rest
  • Try not wearing too many clothes (Aka pick two winter jackets instead of seven)
  • Take acetaminophen like Tylenols!
    Note: Don’t dig in past recommended doses and make sure which works best under your med history between Acetaminophen(as discussed)to Ibuprofen(to combat inflammation as well)

DO NOT do any extreme measures such as adding extra blankets or sitting next to heater. The body is working on its own by raising its temperature against an infection; this external factor will only cause more harm.

Also important..always remember… even when you don’t have fever symptoms because—COVID could be silent.

To Wrap IT Up

Well there you have it folks: the signs and symptoms of having a fever along with reasons why your bod raises the temp up in general.The bottom line? A fever is mostly caused by infections from bacteria/viruses, but can also result from inflammatory conditions auto immune disorders ,roaming around in construction sites breathing dust through maskless faces,sore throats etc .Now that being said just follow forward fellow inhabitants : REST! HYDRATE ! NO SUMO GEAR FOR NOW .

And most importantly? If anything seems off – never hesitate to ask professionals who are good at their jobs( doctors).Stay safe until then!

Hope y’all raised your hand every time these appeared

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