Summary;
Fever means that the body temperature is above 38 degrees.
Measure your temperature through the anus (poke hole). This is the most reliable.
Fever usually is mostly not dangerousdoes ans is not a cause for concern.
Make sure you drink and rest enough.
Call your GP if you are getting sick more and more.
What is fever?
We speak of fever if the body temperature is higher than 38 degrees.
The temperature can best be measured through the anus (pole hole). An ear thermometer is less reliable. Once a day the temperature measurement is sufficient.
Fever is most common in children between zero and four years and can reach up easily to 40 degrees
How does fever develop?
Fever is a normal reaction of the body to infection with viruses or bacteria. Probably helps fever fight the infection. At a higher temperature, viruses and bacteria grow less well.
The height of the fever in itself says little about the severity of the disease. As long as the body loses heat, the temperature will not rise above 42 degrees. Once the body is in control, the temperature drops.
Advice on fever
- It is important to drink enough to replenish the moisture loss in your body.
- With high fever you sweat a lot and you lose a lot of moisture.
- Young children (under 2 years) and older people (over 70 years) can quickly dry out if they do not drink enough.
- The body must be able to lose heat. Therefore choose thin clothes that are loose around your body. In bed a sheet is often sufficient.
- There is no objection to going out, avoid cooling when you go out.
Medication in fever
It is not necessary to reduce the fever, because the fever can not be harmful.
If you feel very sick, if you have a pain, you may take paracetamol. After an hour it will be a lot better. If the temperature does not decrease, it says nothing about the severity of the disease.
When contacting your GP with fever?
Contact your doctor if you have a fever with one or more of these symptoms:
- Sshort of breath
- Decreased consciousness
- Less drink and pee
- You will be given a fever again after having been fever free for a few days.
- You have heart, lung or kidney disease or diabetes.
- You have little resistance due to a serious illness or medical treatment (eg chemotherapy).
- You have been in the tropics for the last 4 weeks.