Fever: At What Point Dangerous?

Fever is not a disease, but a symptom that indicates that something is wrong in the body. Fever begins at a body temperature of 38 degrees Celsius (measured rectally), before that we speak of elevated temperature. From 39 degrees Celsius it is a high fever. If the fever rises above 40 degrees Celsius or lasts longer, you need to call a doctor.

What causes a fever?

In an infection with bacteria, viruses or fungi, the pathogens can act as so-called pyrogens. These are fever-producing messenger substances that affect the temperature center in the brain even in small amounts. The pyrogens, which the body can also produce itself, raise the normal value of the body temperature and set it at a higher temperature. We start to feel cold and sometimes there is even a chill. The fever is often accompanied by headache and unpleasant aching limbs.

Due to the increase in temperature, many bacteria and viruses perish. Fever helps to fight these pathogens in the organism and is therefore a sensible reaction of our body to cope with infections and to initiate defense and healing processes in the body.

Therefore, the following applies: do not immediately resort to fever-reducing medication.

Infectious diseases as a cause of fever

Common causes of fever are various infectious diseases such as:

• Common cold and flu
• Bladder infections
• Stomach and intestinal infections
• Rheumatism
• Infectious diseases in childhood, for example mumps or measles.

9 Tips for fever: appropriate measures

This helps against fever:

1. Take it easy on yourself and do not do any physically strenuous work. If you have a moderate to high fever, you should observe strict bed rest.
2. Drink plenty of fluids, at least 2 liters a day. The body’s defenses are now performing heavy labor and therefore requires more fluid than usual.
3. The humidity in the room should be above 70%. Set up a humidifier or hang wet cloths over the heater.
4. To reduce fever at higher temperatures, calf wraps help. Wrap cool cloths around the lower legs for about 20 minutes.
5. Cold baths are good to sweat the fever out of the body. A subsequent bed rest is absolutely necessary after the bath. However, caution is advised if you suffer from heart / circulation problems.
6. Elderflower or lime blossom tea are also good for a sweating cure.
7. Painkillers and fever-reducing drugs help against the annoying aching limbs and fever. However, they should only be used when the fever exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius, except in children or the elderly, weakened people.
8. Herbal remedies such as immunostimulants, vitamin supplements and minerals can help shorten or attenuate the course of the disease.
9. Your medicine cabinet should always include a clinical thermometer. The accurate measurement of the temperature is very important so that the correct measures can be taken. For children well suited are digital thermometers or an ear thermometer. They have the advantage that the measurement is made in a very short time.

Fever: From when dangerous?

The following table gives you an overview of when fever is dangerous and at what temperature what measures are required.