What temperature is considered elevated
Let’s start by defining the terms. If you have a temperature of 36.9 °C or even 37 °C, it is too early to talk about an elevated temperature. A normal body temperature is not necessarily 36.6 °C.
A body temperature between 35.3 °C and 37.7 °C can be considered normal.
The range is quite wide, so when interpreting the numbers on the thermometer, you should always take into account the individual characteristics of the person, the method of measurement and the time of day.
If the thermometer in the mouth shows more than 37.2 °C in the morning and more than 37.7 °C in the evening, we speak of fever. This is also known as fever, or simply fever in the common sense.
Most often this condition is caused by an infection. For example, viral – influenza or other common acute respiratory viral infections. In this case, in addition to fever, you are likely to find other signs of respiratory disease: sore throat, runny nose, headache.
However, it happens that there is a fever, but there are no other symptoms – snot, nausea, rashes, lethargy. The reasons for this can be both harmless and deadly.
When it is necessary to immediately contact a doctor
Fever itself is not yet a cause for alarm. But there are exceptions. Seek immediate medical attention if a fever without symptoms:
exceeded 38 °C in an infant under three months old or 38.9 °C in a 3- to 6-month-old child;
has reached 38.9 °C and lasts longer than 24 hours in a child under two years of age;
occurs after the child has been left in a car in the sun for a long time;
lasts longer than three days in a child;
above 39.4°C in an adult.
All this indicates conditions that threaten health and even life.
If there are no dangerous signs, a fever without symptoms may be an indicator of some changes in your body and may soon go away on its own. But this is not certain. So it is better to have the condition assessed by a doctor.
What are the causes of fever with no other symptoms
Here are the most common factors that lead to fever.
1. Viral diseases
More often than not, the signs of a cold or mononucleosis, for example, are obvious. But sometimes a viral infection can occur in a blurred form – without a pronounced cough, sore throat or runny nose. Nevertheless, even in such a state, the body is actively fighting the infection, which is reported by an increase in temperature.
2 Bacterial infections
As with viruses, the symptoms of bacterial infections are not always obvious. At least in the early stages of the disease. For example, tuberculosis may not show any symptoms at first, except weakness, which can easily be mistaken for normal fatigue, and a temperature of 37-37.5 °C.
3. Taking certain medications
A slight but persistent rise in temperature may occur 7-10 days after you have started taking a new medication. This condition is called drug fever.
Some antibiotics (often penicillins or cephalosporins), hypertension medications and anticonvulsants can cause drug fever without any other symptoms.
4 Autoimmune diseases
A slight rise in temperature is a frequent sign of rheumatoid arthritis. In this case, the fever is believed to be caused by the inflammation of the joints. Multiple sclerosis is another common disease that can cause fever without other symptoms.
