Pyrexia Symptoms

Fever Pyrexia – symptoms and temperature ranges

Fever, also called pyrexia is a higher than normal body temperature. It is a symptom that can be caused by various diseases.

We have all experienced the chills or exhaustion that a fever causes. Body temperature rises in response to infection with the flu virus or inflammation due to tissue damage or disease.

However, the causes of the increase in body temperature can be very different, for example, drugs, poisons, malignancy, exposure to heat, injuries or abnormalities of the brain or diseases of the endocrine system.

Fever rarely develops without accompanying symptoms. It is often accompanied by specific complaints that can help identify the disease that causes the rise in body temperature. This will also help the doctor to decide which treatment is most suitable.

Normal body temperature can vary and is different for each person and can change depending on the time of day it is measured and even the weather.

What are the causes of pyrexia?

• Viruses – diseases caused by viral infections are among the most common causes of pyrexia in adults. Accompanying symptoms of such infections can be a runny nose, sore throat, cough, hoarse voice and muscle aches.

Viral infections can cause diarrhea, vomiting or stomach upset. In the majority of cases, viral illnesses are self-limiting and your condition will improve after a few days.

Symptoms are controlled with nasal decongestants and antitussives. If diarrhea or vomiting occurs, drink plenty of fluids. But it is better to drink sports drinks, because they contain sugar and salts, which are also thrown out in diarrhea and vomiting.

Influenza virus is among the main causes of death and serious illness in elderly people. The characteristic clinical manifestations of this type of viral infection are headache, muscle and joint pain, as well as the symptoms characteristic of other viruses, including fever.

• Bacterial infections – can affect almost any system and organ of the body and are treated with antibiotics. Infections of the lower and upper respiratory tract, as well as of the brain, in most cases lead to an increase in body temperature.

Treatment of pyrexia

You can also diagnose fever yourself by placing a thermometer in the rectum where the temperature is believed to be highest and if the thermometer reads 38 degrees Celsius then you have a fever.

There are several ways to lower the temperature. With ibuprofen or paracetamol the temperature can be lowered. Both drugs help control pain and lower fever. By alternating doses of the two drugs, you will prevent an overdose of one drug.

In some cases, it will be necessary to take both medications at the same time to stop the rise in temperature. Applying cool compresses to the face and taking cool baths will help lower the temperature. Also, taking cool fluids by mouth will rehydrate and cool you down.

Aspirin is not the best tool to lower the temperature, as it can be toxic in large doses in adults, and is absolutely contraindicated in children. And ibuprofen affects the hypothalamus, stopping it to raise body temperature. It is available in 200 mg. tablets, the dose being 1-2 tablets every 4 hours.