What keeps the temperature. Fever without symptoms in adults

Body temperature- one of the main physiological constants of the body, providing the optimal level of biological processes. Slightly low or high body temperature - how to treat it? How to treat high or low temperature and should it be done at all?

How to measure body temperature correctly

To find out the exact temperature, you need to measure the rectal temperature. In this case, the measurement error is the lowest. When the patient already has a temperature, the results of a measurement elsewhere will be very different from the actual temperature.

The usual normal body temperature is not very easy to determine. Significant individual fluctuations can occur during the day. On average, the temperature fluctuates between 36 and 37.5 degrees. If a person is physically active, he is warm; in the evening, the temperature is usually slightly higher than in the morning.

What is the best thermometer to measure body temperature

The old mercury-in-glass thermometers found in most households are now obsolete. In addition, they are quite dangerous in the hands of a child.

Today there are modern temperature meters: digital, or contact, and infrared. While a digital thermometer can be placed in the mouth, rectum, or armpit, infrared thermometers are placed in the ear or on the forehead.

Digital thermometer (also electronic contact thermometer): The temperature can be read digitally. These models are very reliable, especially when used rectally as mentioned above. If this is not possible, then the temperature readings will be relatively accurate if the thermometer is placed in the mouth.
Ear thermometer: using infrared rays, the temperature is measured in seconds on the eardrum. For newborns with otitis media, however, this thermometer is not suitable. But if the child is not comfortable with measuring the temperature of the rectum, an ear thermometer is a good alternative. At the pharmacy, you can ask for a thermometer that matches the age of the child.
forehead thermometer: The temperature of the forehead is also measured using infrared rays. But with such a measurement, small deviations are often unavoidable.

normal body temperature

We all know that the normal body temperature is 36.6 C. In fact, this indicator varies in the same person at different periods of life. For example, a thermometer gives different numbers during the month, even with full health. This is typical mainly for girls. Their body temperature usually rises slightly during ovulation and normalizes with the onset of menstruation. But fluctuations in body temperature can occur within one day.

In the morning, immediately after waking up, the temperature is minimal, and by the evening it usually rises by 0.5 C.

contribute to a slightly elevated body temperature can:

  • stress;
  • physical activity;
  • taking a bath;
  • the use of hot (as well as strong) drinks;
  • stay on the beach;
  • too warm clothes;
  • emotional outburst.

And then there are people for whom the normal value of body temperature is not 36.6, but 37 C or even a little higher. As a rule, this applies to young men and women of the asthenic type of physique, who, in addition to the graceful physique, still have a vulnerable mental organization.

Fever is not uncommon, especially in children. According to statistics, it is typical for every fourth child aged 10 to 15 years. Usually such children are somewhat closed and slow, apathetic or, conversely, anxious and irritable. But in adults, this phenomenon is not unique.

However, it is not worth blaming everything on the characteristics of the body. Therefore, if the usual body temperature has always been normal and suddenly suddenly became elevated for a long time and at different times of the day, this is a cause for concern.

Causes of elevated body temperature

The cause of elevated body temperature may be inflammation or infection. But sometimes the thermometer readings remain above the norm even after recovery. And the elevated body temperature can last for several months. This is how the syndrome of post-viral asthenia often manifests itself. Doctors in this case use the term "temperature tail".

A slightly elevated body temperature caused by the consequences of an infection is not accompanied by changes in the analyzes and passes on its own. However, there is a danger of confusing asthenia with incomplete recovery, when an elevated temperature indicates that the disease, which had subsided for a while, began to develop again. Therefore, just in case, it is better to take a blood test and find out if the white blood cells are normal. If everything is in order, you can calm down, the temperature will jump, jump and eventually “come to your senses”.

Another common cause of elevated body temperature is experienced stress. There is even a special term - psychogenic temperature. At the same time, fever is accompanied by symptoms such as feeling unwell, shortness of breath and dizziness. Well, if in the foreseeable past you have not endured any stress or infectious diseases, and your body temperature is elevated, then it is better to be examined. After all, dangerous diseases can be the cause of a prolonged increase in body temperature.

At elevated body temperature, the first step is to exclude all suspicions of inflammatory, infectious and other serious diseases. First you need to contact a therapist who will draw up an individual examination plan. As a rule, if there is an organic cause of elevated body temperature, there are other characteristic symptoms:

  • pain in different parts of the body;
  • weight loss;
  • lethargy;
  • increased fatigue;
  • sweating.

When probing, an enlarged spleen or lymph nodes may be detected. Usually, finding out the causes of fever begins with the following examinations:

  • general and biochemical analyzes of urine and blood;
  • x-ray of the lungs;
  • Ultrasound of internal organs.

Then, if necessary, more detailed studies are prescribed - for example, blood tests for rheumatoid factor or thyroid hormones. In the presence of pain of unknown origin, and especially with a sharp decrease in body weight, consultation with an oncologist is necessary.

If examinations have shown that there are no organic reasons for elevated body temperature, it is too early to relax, because there is still cause for concern.

Where does the elevated temperature come from, even if there are no organic causes?

It appears not at all because the body accumulates too much heat, but because it gives it poorly to the environment. Violation of the thermoregulation system at the physical level can be explained by a spasm of superficial vessels located in the skin of the upper and lower extremities. Also, in the body of people with elevated body temperature, malfunctions in the endocrine system can also occur (the causes may be impaired function of the adrenal cortex and metabolism).

Doctors consider this condition as a manifestation of the syndrome of vegetovascular dystonia and even gave it a name - thermoneurosis.

And although this is not a disease in its purest form, because no organic changes occur, it is still not the norm. After all, prolonged fever is stress for the body. Therefore, this condition must be treated. Neurologists at elevated temperature in such cases recommend:

  • massage; acupuncture (to normalize the tone of peripheral vessels);
  • psychotherapy.

Greenhouse conditions do not help, but rather interfere with getting rid of thermoneurosis. Therefore, for those who suffer from this disorder, it is better to stop taking care of yourself, and start hardening and strengthening the body. People with problematic thermoregulation need:

  • correct daily routine;
  • regular meals with an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits;
  • taking vitamins;
  • sufficient exposure to fresh air;
  • physical training;
  • hardening.

Diseases with high body temperature

The normal value of body temperature is maintained by two groups of processes: heat production and heat transfer. The thermometer will show higher numbers when heat production is activated:

Or if heat transfer deteriorates:

Pneumonia

If, in addition to a high temperature, you are worried about coughing, shortness of breath even at rest, and / or you cough up brown sputum - consult a doctor immediately! You may have a lung infection, such as pneumonia.

Inflammation of the lungs can be very severe, especially in the elderly and people with poor health. If the doctor confirms the diagnosis, he may prescribe fever medication and antibiotics. In addition, the specialist will refer you for a chest x-ray. Sometimes there is a need for inpatient treatment.

Acute bronchitis

If you are coughing up greyish-yellow sputum and/or are having difficulty breathing, you may have acute bronchitis (a respiratory infection). Drink plenty of fluids and try to keep your fever down. You can also take medicines that reduce coughing. If you develop shortness of breath or you do not feel better after 48 hours, by all means consult a doctor.

Flu

  • headache;
  • pain in the limbs;
  • runny nose;
  • a sore throat.

It is very likely that you have a common viral illness, such as the flu. Stay in bed and take aspirin or paracetamol to reduce fever and feel better. If you develop shortness of breath or do not feel better after 48 hours, see your doctor.

Meningitis

If you have one or more of the following symptoms:

  • pain when tilting the head forward;
  • nausea or vomiting;
  • fear of bright light;
  • drowsiness or confusion.

Contact your doctor. These symptoms may be caused by meningitis (inflammation of the meninges) caused by microbes or viruses entering the brain.

You will probably be hospitalized to clarify the diagnosis using a lumbar puncture. If you have bacterial meningitis, you will be given antibiotics, most likely intravenously. If you have viral meningitis, no special treatment is required, but you will be given pain medication and IV fluids. Recovery usually occurs within 2-3 weeks.

Acute infection of the kidneys or bladder

If you have one or more of the following symptoms:

  • lower back pain;
  • frequent urination;
  • pain when urinating;
  • pink or cloudy urine.

The cause of these symptoms may be an acute infection of the kidneys or bladder.

Seek immediate medical attention. The doctor will examine you, give you a referral for a urine test, and probably prescribe antibiotics. He will also refer you for a special x-ray examination of the kidneys to find out the cause of the disease. Further treatment depends on the results of the examination.

Being in the hot sun or in a stuffy room

Being in the hot sun or in a stuffy room can lead to an increase in body temperature. In most of these cases, the elevated temperature returns to normal after about an hour in a cool room. But call your doctor right away if your temperature continues to rise.

High fever associated with postpartum infection

Postpartum infection, although a rare disease in our time, can cause fever after the birth of a child. This usually happens when the uterus and/or vagina become infected after childbirth. If you have pain and redness of the breast, then it may be infected. If your doctor suspects you have a postpartum infection, they will send a sample of your vaginal discharge for analysis. Treatment includes a course of antibiotics.

Inflammation of the fallopian tubes

If, in addition to a high temperature, you feel pain in the lower abdomen and / or you have had abundant or foul-smelling discharge from the vagina. Inflammation of the fallopian tubes (sometimes referred to as salpingitis) is a possible cause of these symptoms. The doctor will conduct a vaginal examination and take the discharge for analysis. If the test results confirm the diagnosis, you will most likely be prescribed a course of antibiotics.

Fever may be a symptom of the following diseases

How to bring down the temperature

What temperature should be brought down?

This question has long been quite acute among doctors.

Both opinions have a place to be, because an increase in temperature can be caused by various factors: it can be an external manifestation of disorders of the nervous system, in which case taking antipyretic drugs may be powerless.

The temperature may rise slightly during the working day (overstrain, nervous shock), if there are no symptoms of colds, it should not be knocked down.

Should I bring down a low temperature if it lasts for several days?

It is possible that this is a sign of neurosis or traumatic brain injury, a hormonal disorder in the body. In this case, you first need to establish the cause, it makes no sense to bring down the temperature purposefully.

What drugs to bring down the temperature?

In the understanding of a person, a medicine is a kind of magic pill that must be drunk urgently. Undoubtedly, if the temperature really has risen sufficiently and the patient is ill, measures should be taken and a syrup or tablet should be given.

But before you bring down the temperature with the help of pharmaceutical preparations, try to do it with "natural" methods. First, give the patient hot tea or compote to drink. This will give the body the necessary amount of moisture. After a while, offer a drink again, but with raspberries. Raspberry helps to increase sweating, and it helps heat transfer.

  • Provide cool air in the room.
  • If possible, try not to wrap up the patient too much.
  • Alcohol rubbing will quickly help bring down a very high temperature.

How to bring down the temperature if nothing helped?

Paracetamol suppositories work very well. It is through the walls of the intestine that the medicine is absorbed instantly. If there are no candles at hand, you can prepare an enema. To do this, dissolve the crushed antipyretic tablets in warm water and inject them into the patient.

Decreased body temperature

Often, many complain of an unreasonable decrease in temperature, while hands and feet freeze, there is general apathy and lethargy. Low body temperature occurs for a number of reasons:

  • low hemoglobin;
  • dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
  • decreased immunity;
  • recent illness;
  • prostration.

If you visited a doctor, passed tests, and the low body temperature remained, then in order to increase the body temperature, try changing your lifestyle - go in for sports, follow the principles of a healthy diet, take more vitamins.

Causes of a decrease in body temperature

  • decreased thyroid function;
  • damage to the adrenal glands;
  • violation of the normal functioning of the body after a chronic illness;
  • overwork;
  • the use of a large number of drugs;
  • pregnancy;
  • lack of vitamins of group C and much more.

Low body temperature - (i.e. body temperature below 36 ° C) is sometimes observed in healthy people in the morning, but even at this time it is usually not lower than 35.6 ° C.

Morning temperature decrease to values ​​of 35.6 - 35.9 ° C is often observed with a decrease in the function of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, with certain diseases of the brain, exhaustion as a result of starvation, sometimes with chronic bronchitis, and also after significant blood loss.

Decreased body temperature inevitably occurs during freezing (after the end of the stage of adaptive warming of the body due to chills) down to 20 ° C and below, when metabolic processes practically stop and death occurs.

A less pronounced, not life-threatening, decrease in body temperature is sometimes achieved by artificial cooling of the body (artificial hypothermia) in order to reduce the metabolic rate and the body's need for oxygen, in particular during long-term surgical operations using heart-lung machines.

The first signs of low body temperature

  • weakness;
  • drowsiness;
  • general malaise;
  • irritability;
  • inhibition of thought processes.

If a child has a low body temperature, it must be shown to a doctor.

If, at a low body temperature, a person does not experience any unpleasant symptoms, is alert and efficient, no pathology was revealed during examinations, and the temperature throughout life remains lower than usual in a healthy person, this can be regarded as a variant of the norm.

How to increase body temperature

There are life situations in which a person needs an artificial increase in body temperature. In this context, there are countless methodologies for achieving the desired indicators, both the most effective and the ones that are unstable.

First of all, it is recommended, as the safest way to raise the temperature, exercise for endurance, and you can determine the list of exercises yourself, the main point in this process is the achievement of high fatigue.
Also, safe ways to increase body temperature include being in a very hot bath, though with small growth rates - up to 2 degrees.
General physical method, derived from the laws of thermodynamics - placing the body in any space where the temperature is higher than the temperature of the body itself.
One of the simplest, but quite effective ways to achieve the desired result - rub salt on armpits.
They also work almost flawlessly iodine ingredients- for example, a small amount of unrefined sugar along with 4-5 drops of iodine on the tongue, or dilution of more iodine in a glass of water, while adding about 6 tablespoons of unrefined sugar. An increase in body temperature in such ways is provided.
It is also quite effective graphite use in small quantities.
Of the more exotic ways to raise the temperature, one can bring placing a cut onion for 10-15 minutes under the armpits.

Fever in a young child

If a child, especially a small one, has a fever, some parents are frightened and do not know how to act. The appearance of a high temperature signals an emerging disease. In the most critical moments, you should immediately call an ambulance, in other cases, you can cope with the temperature yourself.

What can not be done with a high temperature in a child?

What needs to be done?

Questions and answers on the topic "Body temperature"

Question:Can it be 37.2-37.3 in the evening and 35.2 in the morning with oncology.

Answer: Such jumps in temperature are possible, but not only in oncology.

Question:Tell me, low body temperature - is this normal? My life temperature is 35.4 - 35.6 (I feel good). I had an elevated temperature only a few times in childhood with serious illnesses, now (28 years old) I endure all diseases not just without a temperature, but on the contrary with a low one, now, for example, I have laryngitis, the temperature is 34.8! Stable. (feeling a little weak). What is the reason for this?

Answer: Low body temperature is not the norm! Check thyroid function for decreased function.

Question:How to measure the temperature of a child?

Answer: Experts recommend measuring the temperature of the baby at rest, and even better - when the baby is sleeping. The baby should be picked up or put on the side if he is sleeping. Place the thermometer on the opposite side from the mother. The setting of the thermometer consists in its complete placement between the arm and the body of the child, as if hiding it from the armpit to the elbow. For children over 4-5 years old, it is permissible to put a thermometer, like adults, perpendicular to the plane of the shoulder.

Question:How many days can you bring down the temperature? What if the temperature rises again and again?

Answer: In cases where you do not know what exactly is causing the temperature in you or your child, be sure to see a doctor if, 1 day after you got sick, you (or your child) do not feel better or if you develop some of the features described at the beginning of the article. As we said above, in such situations, it is much more important to identify the cause of the disease and begin treatment aimed at eliminating it than to bring down the temperature. If you know what is causing the temperature and it is not dangerous, you can bring down the temperature (and associated symptoms) for several days.

Question:What medicine for fever to choose?

Answer: Either paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen can be used to reduce high fever in children. Paracetamol (acetaminophen), ibuprofen, or aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) can be used to reduce high fever in adults.

Question:Hello! I am 25 years old, the temperature is 36.9 - 37.2 for more than half a year. It doesn't create any problems for me! I just don’t know if it’s possible to engage in heavy sports (barbell) at such a temperature? In training, it only throws in the heat once again, but it’s normal! Please tell me!

Answer: Hello. In a healthy person, body temperature can rise to 37.5 C, this is not dangerous. You can play sports if there are no other health problems.

Question:Hello! For four months now, the temperature has been 37.5 - 37.7. But only in a standing position, that is, it is worth lying down and the temperature returns to normal. Doctors say that this is a "violation of internal thermoregulation." I ask how to treat - they shrug their shoulders. I no longer know what to do and what to think. Help me please. Tell me something. To what doctor further to go, whether that.

Answer: Hello. Violation of thermoregulation is a variant of the norm, it does not need to be treated.

Question:Please tell me how many minutes it takes to measure the temperature with a mercury thermometer?

Answer: Hello! Body temperature is measured with a mercury thermometer for 7-10 minutes, while the armpit should tightly fix the device so that the result is as reliable as possible. In addition to mercury, there are also electronic contact thermometers. They take the temperature faster, usually within 30-60 seconds. however, many instruments have errors. The most convenient option for young children is non-contact thermometers that measure body temperature at the moment when you pass it over your forehead.

Question:Hello, we are 5 months old, our daughter has a temperature of 37-37.3 since birth, 2 weeks ago we had a general blood test and a general urine test, the pediatrician said that the indicators were normal. But the temperature is above 37 constantly. We also have swollen upper gums now, the lower 2 incisors have already erupted. Should I do an add-on or postpone? what to do with this body temperature? Whether to hand over in addition any analyses? Up to 5 months there was a neurology medical exemption, now the neurologist allowed the vaccination.

Answer: Hello! Often in children, this temperature is considered a variant of the norm, especially if no pathologies have been detected in the blood and urine. Regarding vaccination: I recommend that you consult with an immunologist in person, he gives permission for vaccination or draws up an individual schedule according to which you will vaccinate your baby. I strongly recommend that Viferon gel be applied to the child's nose before a visit to the doctor, now there is a lot of viral infection, the child must be protected.

Answer: Hello! You have a treatment for giardiasis, so you can treat and then control this moment with repeated tests. The child does not have a critical decrease in body temperature, so I do not see any reason for concern yet. You can take a general blood test and see the changes.

Question:A week ago, our temperature rose to 37.2. They called a doctor, examined her, said that her throat was red and hard breathing and her upper teeth were being cut, she diagnosed her with tracheitis, prescribed the antibiotic Lecoclar, and Ambraxol cough syrup. Passed tests. Analyzes are more or less normal, only leukocytes are lowered by 3.6. The rest is normal. We started treatment, the temperature subsided for three days, then rose again to 37.2. They took him to the doctor. She said that the throat is normal, the breath is clean. It's most likely teeth. Can this temperature be maintained during teething? What should I do?

Answer: Hello! The teeth themselves cannot be the cause of the fever. They can cause a temporary decrease in immunity and, as a result, infection with viruses or bacteria. Therefore, with an increase in body temperature, a qualitative examination by a doctor is recommended, plus the delivery of basic tests - a general blood test and a general urine test (if there are any inflammatory changes in them that are responsible for the increase in body temperature). You say that all tests are normal, except for a decrease in leukocytes (may be with a viral infection). I recommend that you start antiviral treatment, for example, with the effective and safe drug Viferon. However, before using it, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician in person.

When an adult develops a high temperature without symptoms, it is always a concern, because temperature, as one of the body's reactions, does not arise from scratch. However, the absence of any symptoms is frightening, since it is impossible to immediately determine the cause of such a condition.

The optimal temperature indicator for normally occurring processes in the human body is 36.6 ° C. However, there are times when the temperature is elevated for no reason.

On the one hand, for some people this is the norm: there are people who always have it at 36, and there are those who have a normal temperature of 37.4 ° C. On the other hand, if a person usually has a normal temperature of 36.6 ° C, then a high temperature without symptoms in an adult means some kind of disorder.

Why does the temperature rise?

In all other situations, an increase in body temperature above normal indicates that the body is trying to fight something. In most cases, these are foreign agents in the body - bacteria, viruses, protozoa or a consequence of physical effects on the body (burn, frostbite, foreign body). At elevated temperatures, the existence of agents in the body becomes difficult, infections, for example, die at a temperature of about 38 C.

All fevers are divided into three groups:

  1. Subfebrile fever, at which the temperature rises from 37 to 38 degrees;
  2. Febrile fever- the temperature rises from 38 to 39 degrees;
  3. hectic fever- temperature increase from up to 40 degrees and above.

But any organism, like a mechanism, is not perfect and can fail. In the case of temperature, we can observe this when the body, due to the individual characteristics of the immune system, reacts too violently to various infections, and the temperature rises too high, for most people it is 38.5 C.

Causes of high fever in adults without symptoms

An increase in temperature or fever is observed in almost all acute infectious diseases, as well as during the exacerbation of certain chronic diseases. And in the absence of catarrhal symptoms, doctors can determine the cause of the patient's high body temperature by isolating the pathogen either directly from the local focus of infection or from the blood.

It is much more difficult to determine the cause of the temperature without signs of a cold if the disease arose as a result of exposure to the body of opportunistic microbes (bacteria, fungi, mycoplasma) - against the background of a decrease in general or local immunity. Then it is necessary to conduct a detailed laboratory study of not only blood, but also urine, bile, sputum and mucus.

Causes of fever without symptoms can be associated with the following diseases:

In all situations, an increase in temperature without signs of a cold indicates that the body is trying to fight something. For example, the so-called subfebrile fever, often - a low level of hemoglobin in the blood.

Do I need to lower the temperature?

If its growth is observed, then it is worth bringing down the temperature using antipyretic drugs - Paracetamol, Aspirin ... you can also use - Ibuprofen, Nurofen. For children, children's Nurofen in the form of a sweet syrup is best suited, but Aspirin should not be given to a child.

At 42°C, irreversible changes occur in the cerebral cortex and a lethal outcome is possible. But this rarely happens.

Temperature 37 without symptoms: possible causes

Runny nose, fever, sore throat are all common symptoms of the common cold. But what to do if the temperature is 37 without symptoms? For what reasons this occurs and how to deal with it, let's figure it out.

Causes of fever without visible symptoms:

  1. The onset of pregnancy (in women);
  2. Weakened immunity;
  3. The presence of any sluggish infection in the body;
  4. Pre-cold state;
  5. Depletion of human energy reserves;
  6. General fatigue, depression or post-stress state;
  7. Venereal diseases (, etc.)

Basically, a temperature of 37 without symptoms in an adult is due to the fact that there is some reason that caused such a condition, but it did not completely overcome the person's defenses.

Temperature 38 without symptoms: possible causes

A temperature of 38 without symptoms can occur quite often. And not always the reasons for this temperature are the same. This temperature may signal that it begins or (with catarrhal angina, the temperature rises slightly).

If the temperature is above 38 degrees without symptoms for 3 or more days, then this may be a manifestation of:

  1. Rheumatism;
  2. (this is characterized by severe stabbing pain in the lower back);
  3. accompanied by jumps in blood pressure;

The most unpleasant syndrome is the persistence of elevated temperature for several weeks and even months. This is most likely:

  1. A sign of the development of a tumor in the body;
  2. Serious endocrine disorders;
  3. Leukemia;
  4. Diffuse changes in the liver or lungs.

The only thing that unites all these cases is that in any case, the increase in temperature is due to the resistance of the body, which means that the immune system is fighting.

Temperature 39 without symptoms: possible causes

If a temperature of 39 without symptoms in an adult does not occur for the first time, then this is a clear sign of a pathological decrease in immunity and the development of a chronic inflammatory process. The phenomenon may be accompanied by loss of consciousness, febrile convulsions, shortness of breath or its further increase. In this case, you must definitely contact a medical institution.

A high body temperature of 39-39.5 ° without obvious symptoms can be a signal of the following diseases:

  1. The presence of a tumor process;
  2. Development ;
  3. Manifestation of an allergic reaction;
  4. chronic;
  5. Manifestation of hypothalamic syndrome;
  6. The presence of viral endocarditis;
  7. The appearance of meningococcal infection.

Finding out the causes of an increase in temperature to 39 ° C in adults is a difficult task even for experienced specialists, since in order to establish the cause, it is necessary to isolate the pathogen from the blood or the focus of infection.

What to do?

Go see your therapist first. Very often, we are simply not able to notice certain symptoms, and the doctor can easily identify them and be able to diagnose the disease. It is also necessary to pass tests, they will help to identify many diseases that do not manifest themselves outwardly. Sometimes a doctor may order a sputum, urine, or blood culture, x-ray, or ultrasound.

If the temperature is very high, it is worth calling an ambulance team so that the doctors provide emergency care and decide on hospitalization. In any case, high temperature is the body's "cry" for help, and you should pay attention to it.

Temperature in a healthy person

An increase in body temperature without symptoms often remains invisible to the patient - and at the same time, even subfebrile fever (from 37.2 to 37.9 ° C) can be combined with weakness, affect working capacity, physical activity. Mild malaise is not always perceived as a symptom and is associated with stress, lack of sleep, changing daily routine.

In order to prevent overdiagnosis, that is, an erroneous judgment about the presence of a disease in a patient, the physiological causes of an increase in body temperature should be excluded. Prior to the start of the examination, it is necessary to collect a detailed anamnesis, which involves a survey regarding lifestyle, the presence of bad habits, the nature of the diet, the level of physical activity, and professional activities.

If at the stage of an oral consultation it is found out that a long-term elevated temperature without symptoms is associated with physiological processes, you will not have to use numerous laboratory and instrumental research methods and medications.

An elevated body temperature in a healthy person is observed:

  • during operation in a heating microclimate;
  • during the hot season;
  • in case of non-compliance of clothing with ambient temperature.
  • during physical activity;
  • when eating a large amount of food with a high energy value;
  • when eating hot foods and drinks;
  • as a result of stress, fear;
  • as a manifestation of daily fluctuations.

Women of reproductive age who are concerned about fever without symptoms should be evaluated for possible pregnancy.

If the temperature rises without symptoms in the second half of the menstrual cycle, physiological mechanisms should also be considered.

The heating microclimate is a combination of climatic parameters (ambient temperature, air velocity, etc.) that contributes to the accumulation of heat in the human body, which is manifested by profuse sweating and an increase in body temperature. To reduce the intensity of the adverse impact, breaks in work, the installation of air conditioners, and a reduction in the working day are necessary.

Relaxing on the beach in direct sunlight, being in a hot room are likely factors that cause an increase in body temperature. Closed clothing made of dense fabric that does not allow air and moisture to pass through makes it difficult to transfer heat - this leads to a temperature imbalance with excessive accumulation of heat in the body.

Physical activity includes sports or work activities and leads to an increase in body temperature without an objectively determined cause; with sufficient training, patients feel good, the temperature returns to normal after a short rest.

A heavy breakfast, lunch or dinner, especially if the food was hot, can affect body temperature: the values ​​\u200b\u200bare shifted up to 0.5 ° C from the normal level. It is also known that the temperature changes when a person experiences strong emotions. An elevated temperature combined with a wave of heat or heat is observed for a short time after drinking alcohol.

Daily rhythms are evolutionarily fixed mechanisms that cause an increase in body temperature in the evening. The difference between the indicators at different times of the day can be from 0.5 to 1 °C.

In addition, it is important to clarify which method of thermometry the patient uses. Sometimes a temperature without a reason is the result of an incorrect assessment of the data obtained during the measurement. Rectal temperature is higher than axillary (determined in the armpit) and oral (measured in the oral cavity).

Determination errors can be associated with a thermometry device - mercury thermometers are considered the most accurate. Electronic and infrared thermometers are sensitive to the measurement technique, so you must strictly follow the instructions; the discrepancy between the actual body temperature and the recorded values ​​​​can reach 0.5 ° C.

Temperature as a symptom

Constitutional fever, or thermoneurosis, can cause an elevated body temperature without symptoms. Subfebrile fever is observed for several months and even longer, while the patient's state of health remains satisfactory.

If pathological manifestations are present, they are quite variable, the connection with fever can not always be traced. These include hyperhidrosis, discomfort in the heart, headaches, mood swings, sleep disturbance, a tendency to low or high blood pressure or a sharp fluctuation in its indicators for no apparent reason.

Temperature without other symptoms is a presumptive sign:

  1. Infectious-inflammatory process.
  2. Systemic connective tissue diseases.
  3. endocrine pathology.
  4. vascular thrombosis.
  5. Neoplasms.

Diseases belonging to the listed groups may begin with an increase in temperature with an erased clinical picture, including additional symptoms. In some cases, the patient's complaints and initial examination do not allow to determine any other changes, except for fever.

Infectious diseases are an extensive group of pathologies, many of which can occur in a latent (hidden) form - for example, tuberculosis of various localization, viral hepatitis B and C.

Sometimes high temperature becomes the main manifestation of infective endocarditis, foci of chronic infection (sinusitis, tonsillitis, carious teeth). Careful diagnostics is required to confirm or refute the infectious nature of the fever.

Systemic connective tissue diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, etc.) are associated with immunological disorders and manifest as inflammatory lesions of the connective tissue. Temperature without cause in adults can be recorded for several weeks and even months before the onset of additional symptoms.

The complaint that an adult has a fever without symptoms sometimes characterizes the initial stage of hyperthyroidism. This is a syndrome of hyperfunction of the thyroid gland, manifested by an increase in the level of triiodothyronine and thyroxine and an increase in the intensity of basal metabolism. The development of pathology may be due to autoimmune mechanisms, the hereditary factor is also important.

Temperature without symptoms in an adult with thrombosis is an important diagnostic sign; the elimination of fever with heparin therapy in the absence of the effect of antibacterial agents suggests the presence of vascular pathology.

Fever with tumors

In the case of neoplasms, the temperature without signs of a violation of the general condition is fixed at the beginning of the development of tumors of the bladder, kidneys, liver, hemoblastoses, multiple myeloma. It is believed that the cause of elevated body temperature is the production of pyrogens - biologically active substances that contribute to the appearance of fever (for example, interleukin-1).

The severity of fever does not always depend on the size and location of the tumor; fever without symptoms at the onset of the disease most often corresponds to subfebrile and febrile levels. After removal of the tumor, as well as with successful treatment with chemotherapy, normalization of temperature indicators is observed.

Fever is characteristic of tumors localized in the cavities of the heart (cardiac myxoma). Before the heart valves are involved in the pathological process, it is difficult to suspect the presence of a neoplasm.

Symptoms characteristic of the detailed clinical picture of myxoma:

  • sudden increase in body temperature;
  • weight loss;
  • pain in muscles and joints without a specific localization;
  • shortness of breath, dizziness, swelling;
  • skin pigmentation.

Fever with myxoma of the heart is resistant to the use of antibacterial drugs. In the blood test, there are signs of anemia (a decrease in erythrocytes, hemoglobin), an increase in ESR, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, but in some cases erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis (increased levels of erythrocytes and platelets) are recorded.

Infective endocarditis is one of the possible complications of the course of the pathological process in myxoma of the heart.

A temperature without other symptoms occurs in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy and is called neutropenic fever. There is a sharp decrease in the number of neutrophils, followed by the addition of infection; in this case, the only manifestation of the infectious process is fever above 38 ° C.

It is necessary to carry out antibiotic therapy with monitoring of body temperature and evaluation of effectiveness within 3 days after the start of treatment.

An increase in body temperature is possible with various diseases in childhood. At the same time, the question of whether to shoot it down causes a lot of conflicting opinions.

Some of the parents have heard that with a fever, the body fights the disease more actively, and if the temperature is brought down, the duration of the disease will increase. Others have heard that both its elevated values ​​and the drugs against it are very dangerous and threaten serious health problems.

As a result, some parents are afraid to bring down the temperature even in cases where this is required, while others give medicine to the crumbs even with a slight increase. Let's see what really needs to be done in these cases, and whether this symptom is a sign of the disease.

How to measure the temperature correctly?

Measurement in the armpit area is the most accessible and simple, therefore it is the most common.

However, there are other ways to measure:

  1. In the mouth (oral temperature is determined). For measurement, a special thermometer in the form of a dummy is usually used.
  2. In the rectum (rectal temperature is determined). This method is used when the child is less than 5 months old, since children older than six months will resist the procedure. A thermometer (necessarily electronic) is treated with cream and inserted into the baby's anus by about two centimeters.
  3. In the inguinal fold. The baby is laid on its side, the tip of the thermometer is placed in a fold of skin, after which the child's leg is held in a position pressed against the body.

It is important that the child has a separate thermometer, and before use it should be treated with alcohol or washed with soapy water.

Also, when measuring, you must be guided by the following rules:

  • In a sick child, measurements should be taken at least three times a day.
  • Do not take the temperature if the baby is very active, crying, has taken a bath, is warmly wrapped up, and also if the air temperature in the room is high.
  • If you take oral temperature, it should be done 1 hour before eating and drinking, or 1 hour after, as drinks and food tend to raise oral temperatures.

Normal values

Features of temperature in infants are inconstancy and a rapid increase in any disease. In addition, in infants under one year old, it is normally slightly higher than in older children.

The normal temperature for a child younger than 12 months is considered to be less than +37.4°C, and for a child older than 12 months - less than +37°C. These are indicators of temperature measurement in the axillary region, as well as in the inguinal fold. For rectal measurements, less than +38°С is considered the norm, and less than +37.6°С for oral measurements.

The most reliable indicators are given by the use of a mercury thermometer, and electronic thermometers have a significant error. To find out how different the indicator of an electronic and mercury thermometer is, measure the temperature with two thermometers at once from any healthy family member.

Classification

Depending on the indicators, the temperature is called:

  • Subfebrile. The indicator is up to +38 degrees. Usually, this temperature is not brought down, allowing the body to produce substances that protect it from viruses.
  • Febrile. The increase is more than +38°С, but less than +39°С. Such a fever indicates the active struggle of the child's body with the infection, so the tactics of parents should take into account the condition of the child. If it is severely worsened, antipyretic drugs are indicated, and medicines can not be given to a vigorous and calm child.
  • Pyretic. Indicators on the thermometer from + 39 ° С to + 41 ° С. This temperature is certainly recommended to be reduced with medications, since the risk of seizures increases.
  • Hyperpyretic. The most dangerous temperature is over +41°С. Seeing such an indicator on the thermometer, you should immediately call an ambulance.

pros

  • Allows you to quickly diagnose many diseases in the early period and start timely treatment.
  • With the influenza virus, high temperature is important for high levels of interferon, which allows you to successfully overcome the infection.
  • At elevated body temperature, microorganisms stop multiplying and become less resistant to antibacterial agents.
  • Fever activates the baby's immune system, increasing phagocytosis and antibody production.
  • A child with a fever stays in bed, due to which his forces are fully directed to fight the disease.

Minuses

  • One of the complications is the appearance of seizures.
  • With a fever, the load on the child's heart increases, which is especially dangerous if the crumbs have rhythm disturbances or heart defects.
  • With an increase in temperature, the work of the brain, as well as the liver, stomach, kidneys and other internal organs, suffers.

stages

To start the mechanism for raising body temperature, foreign substances that enter the child's body - pyrogens - are usually needed. They can be various infectious agents, represented by unicellular, viruses, protozoa, fungi, bacteria. When ingested, pathogens are absorbed by white blood cells (leukocytes). At the same time, these cells begin to produce interleukins that enter the brain with blood.

Once they reach the center of body temperature regulation, located in the hypothalamus, these compounds change the perception of normal temperature. The baby's brain begins to define a temperature of 36.6-37 degrees as too low. It instructs the body to produce more heat and at the same time spasm the blood vessels to reduce heat transfer.

In this process, the following stages are distinguished:

  1. Heat is produced in the baby's body in greater quantities, but heat transfer is not increased. Body temperature rises.
  2. Heat output increases and a balance is established between heat production and its removal from the body. The temperature is decreasing, but not to the norm.
  3. Heat production is reduced due to the death of infectious agents and a decrease in the production of interleukins. The heat output remains high, the child sweats and the temperature returns to normal.

It should be noted that the temperature can decrease lytically (gradually) or critically (dramatically). The second option is very dangerous with vasodilatation and a decrease in blood pressure.

Is immunity really developed?

Numerous studies have confirmed that in some infections, elevated temperature contributes to a faster recovery. It was also found that the use of antipyretics for some time prolongs both the time of the disease itself and the period of contagiousness. But, since these effects do not apply to all infections that occur with high fever, it is impossible to talk about the unambiguous benefits of fever.

Scientific studies have shown that active compounds produced at high temperature (among them interferon) in some cases help to recover faster, and in some diseases they have a negative effect on their course. In addition, for many children this is a very dangerous condition.

What will happen if you do not bring down the heat?

For a long time, high temperature was considered a factor that could disrupt blood clotting and cause overheating of the brain. Therefore, they were afraid of it and tried to reduce it in every possible way. However, modern scientific research has shown that it is not the high temperature itself that leads to health problems, but the disease that manifests itself as such a symptom.

At the same time, doctors note that fever is dangerous for children with chronic pathologies of internal organs, symptoms of dehydration, impaired physical development or diseases of the nervous system.

The danger of hyperthermia lies in the large expenditure of energy and nutrients to maintain a high temperature. Because of this, the internal organs overheat and their function is impaired.

Maximum allowable values

It is determined primarily by the age of the baby:

If you see numbers on the thermometer above those indicated in the table, this indicates a high probability of a serious illness, therefore it is extremely important to urgently call a doctor with such temperature measurement results.

When are antipyretics needed?

It is usually recommended to bring down a febrile temperature if the child does not tolerate this condition well, however, there are situations when it is worth giving an antipyretic even with subfebrile indicators:

  • If the child is less than 2 months old.
  • When the baby has diseases of the cardiovascular system.
  • In the past, the child had convulsions at a high temperature.
  • If the child has diseases of the nervous system.
  • When a child has hyperthermia caused by overheating.

Additional symptoms

High fever is rarely the only manifestation of a child's health problems. Other signs of disease join it.

red throat

Redness of the throat against the background of fever is characteristic of viral and bacterial infections affecting the nasopharynx. Such symptoms often appear with tonsillitis, scarlet fever and other childhood infections. The child complains of pain when swallowing, begins to cough, refuses food.

Runny nose

The combination of high fever and runny nose most often occurs with viral infections, when viruses infect the nasal mucosa. The child may also have symptoms such as weakness, refusal to eat, difficulty breathing through the nose, lethargy, sore throat, cough.

Cold feet and hands

The condition when, at an elevated temperature, the child has pale skin and its vessels are spasmodic, is called white fever. To the touch, the limbs of the baby with such a fever will be cold. The child usually has chills. This condition requires immediate medical attention. The child's body should be rubbed with the hands, but rubbing with water and other methods of physical cooling are prohibited. To relieve spasm of skin vessels, the doctor will recommend taking an antispasmodic, for example, No-shpu.

convulsions

Increased body temperature can cause seizures. For their association with fever, such convulsions are called febrile. They are diagnosed in children under 6 years of age with indicators above + 38 ° C, as well as in children with pathologies of the nervous system at any numbers.

During febrile convulsions, the child's muscles begin to twitch, the legs can straighten and the arms bend, the baby turns pale, does not react to the environment, it is possible to hold the breath and turn blue of the skin. It is important to immediately lay the baby on a flat surface with his head turned to the side, call an ambulance and not leave the baby for a minute.

Vomiting and diarrhea

Such symptoms on the background of fever usually indicate the development of an intestinal infection, but they can also be caused by the consumption of certain foods by a small child. In babies younger than 3 years old, the intestines have not yet fully matured, so those foods that are normally tolerated by older children can cause dyspepsia and fever.

In addition, the combination of fever with vomiting can signal not only the gastrointestinal tract. Such symptoms are characteristic of meningitis and acetonemic syndrome. In children younger than 7 years of age, vomiting may occur at elevated body temperature and without damage to the brain or digestive system. It happens at the peak of the temperature increase, usually once.

Abdominal pain

The appearance of complaints of pain in the abdomen against the background of fever should alert parents and cause an ambulance call. Serious diseases requiring surgery (for example, appendicitis), kidney disease, and diseases of the digestive tract can also manifest themselves in this way. To clarify the cause, the child will be prescribed tests and additional examinations.

No additional symptoms

The absence of other signs of the disease often occurs during teething, as well as in situations where the disease is just beginning (other symptoms appear later). High fever, as the only symptom, is often noted with kidney infections. You can confirm the disease with urine tests and ultrasound examination.

Causes

An elevated temperature acts as a protective reaction of the child's body to the ingress of infectious agents into it, but it can also be due to non-infectious causes.

Diseases

Infectious diseases are a very common cause of fever:

Disease

How does it manifest itself besides high temperature?

What to do?

The appearance of a runny nose, dry cough, complaints of sore throat, body aches, muscle pain, nasal congestion, sneezing.

Call a pediatrician, give plenty of fluids, if necessary, give an antipyretic.

Chickenpox or other childhood infection

The appearance of pain in the ear, as well as discharge from the ear, cough, runny nose.

Contact a pediatrician to examine the child and prescribe the appropriate treatment for the situation.

When to call a doctor?

The doctor should be called in each case of fever, since only a specialist can determine what caused and how to treat the baby.

Indications for an immediate call to the doctor are the following situations:

  • The temperature rose above the indicators considered maximum for a certain age of the child.
  • The fever provoked the appearance of convulsions.
  • The kid is disoriented, he has hallucinations.
  • If there are other dangerous symptoms - vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, ear pain, rash, diarrhea and others.
  • The child's temperature is elevated for more than 24 hours and during this time the condition has not improved.
  • The baby has serious chronic diseases.
  • You doubt that you are able to correctly assess the condition of the baby and help him.
  • The child got better, but the temperature rose again.
  • The baby refuses to drink and the parents report symptoms of dehydration.

What to do?

Once the cause has been identified, it is necessary to determine how to deal with such a symptom. Taking into account the condition of the baby, his age, temperature numbers and related facts, parents and the doctor decide whether antipyretic drugs are needed.

Antipyretics

In most cases, such medicines allow, albeit for a short time, to improve the condition of the child, allow him to sleep and eat. With sore throat, otitis, teething, stomatitis, these drugs reduce pain.

Will rubdowns help?

Used in the past, rubbing with vinegar, alcohol, or vodka is now considered harmful by pediatricians. Doctors do not advise wiping the child even with a cool towel, because such actions provoke vasospasm in the child's skin, and this, in turn, will reduce heat transfer. In addition, alcohol-containing liquids, when rubbed, will actively enter the child's body, which is fraught with poisoning of the baby.

Rubbing is permissible only after using drugs prescribed by a doctor that relieve spasm of peripheral vessels. For the procedure, only water at room temperature is used. In addition, you can wipe the child, provided that the baby does not mind, since with resistance and screams, the temperature will increase even more. After rubbing the child should not be wrapped up, otherwise his condition will worsen.

Food and liquid

A child with a fever should drink often and a lot. Give the baby tea, compote, water, fruit drink or any other liquid that he agrees to drink. This is essential for heat dissipation through greater evaporation of sweat from the skin, as well as faster elimination of toxins in the urine.

Feed the baby should be given in small quantities. Let the child eat according to his appetite, but not much, because when digesting food, the body temperature will increase. Both dishes and drinks offered to the child should have a temperature of about 37-38 degrees.

Folk remedies

It is recommended to drink tea with the addition of cranberries: it stimulates active sweating. At the same time, such a drink should be given carefully - in babies up to a year old, it can cause allergies, and older children should not use cranberries for any stomach diseases.

Another wonderful folk remedy with an antiseptic and antipyretic effect is raspberries, which can be given to a child in the form of jam, juice or tea. But in cases where there is a risk of allergies, the use of raspberries is best avoided.

How safe is the treatment?

How many days does the child have a high temperature?

It is not the fever itself that is dangerous for the baby, but the cause of the appearance of this symptom. If the parents do not know what provoked the temperature rise in the baby and the next day after the increase in the condition did not improve, and additional alarming symptoms appeared, you should immediately seek medical help. In this way, you will establish the cause of the child's illness and be able to act on it, and not just on a symptom.

If the parents know the cause of hyperthermia, and it is not dangerous, the child was examined by a doctor and prescribed therapy, then the temperature can be brought down within a few (3-5) days, observing the child. If there are no positive changes in the course of the disease over the past three days, despite treatment, you should call the doctor again and undergo an additional examination.

Rules

  • After choosing a specific drug to reduce the temperature, determine the desired single dose according to the instructions.
  • Antipyretics should be taken only when necessary.
  • The next dose must be at least 4 hours after the previous dose for paracetamol or 6 hours for ibuprofen.
  • A maximum of 4 doses of the drug can be taken per day.
  • The medicine taken by mouth is washed down with water or milk. It can also be drunk during a meal - so the irritating effect of medicines on the gastric mucosa will be reduced.

What medicines to choose?

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the drugs that are recommended in childhood with a high temperature. Both drugs equally reduce pain, but ibuprofen has a more pronounced and prolonged antipyretic effect. At the same time, paracetamol is called safer and is recommended as the drug of choice for infants in the first months of their life.

Infants are often given such drugs in the form of rectal suppositories or syrups. This is due to the convenience of using these forms - they are easy to dose and give to the child. In older children, preference should be given to tablets, syrups and soluble powders.

The action of drugs taken by mouth begins within 20-30 minutes after their use, and rectal suppositories - 30-40 minutes after administration. Suppositories will also be the most preferred option in the presence of bouts of vomiting in a child. In addition, syrups, powders, and tablets often contain additives for taste and smell, which can cause allergies.

You may hear recommendations to take paracetamol and ibuprofen together or in alternation of these drugs. Doctors believe that it is safe, but not necessary. The combination of these drugs works with the same effectiveness as taking ibuprofen alone. And if you gave this medicine, and the temperature does not decrease, you should not give paracetamol additionally, it is better to immediately call an ambulance.

Why shouldn't aspirin be given to children?

Even in adulthood, it is advised to avoid the use of aspirin at a temperature if possible, and for children under 18 it is completely contraindicated.

In childhood, aspirin has a pronounced toxic effect on the liver and is the cause of the development of serious complications, which doctors call "Reye's syndrome." With this syndrome, internal organs are affected, in particular the liver and brain. Also, taking aspirin can affect platelets, cause bleeding and allergies.

  • In the room, lower the air temperature to 18-20 degrees to increase heat transfer (if the baby does not have a chill). You should also take care of sufficient humidity (60% is considered the optimal level), since dry air will contribute to the loss of fluid by the child's body and the drying of the mucous membranes.
  • When choosing clothes for a child, make sure that the baby is not cold, but you should not overheat the baby with excessively warm clothes either. Dress your baby in the same way as you are dressed or a little lighter, and when the baby starts to sweat and wants to undress, let him give off more heat in this way.
  • Limit the activity of the child, because some children run and jump even at temperatures above 39 degrees. Since movement increases the production of heat in the body, distract the child from active play. However, do it in such a way that the baby does not cry, because due to tantrums and crying, it will also rise. Encourage your child to read books, watch cartoons, or do some other quiet activity. It is not necessary to force the child to lie down all the time.

Thank you

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Expert advice is required!

Temperature increase body to low subfebrile numbers - a fairly common phenomenon. It can be associated both with various diseases, and be a variant of the norm, or be an error in the measurements.

In any case, if the temperature is kept at 37 o C, it is necessary to inform a qualified specialist about this. Only he, after conducting the necessary examination, can say whether this is a variant of the norm, or indicates the presence of a disease.

Temperature: what can it be?

It should be borne in mind that body temperature is a variable value. Fluctuations during the day in different directions are acceptable, which is quite normal. None symptoms it is not followed. But a person who discovers a constant temperature of 37 o C for the first time can be extremely worried because of this.

A person's body temperature may be as follows:
1. Reduced (less than 35.5 o C).
2. Normal (35.5-37 o C).
3. Increased:

  • subfebrile (37.1-38 o C);
  • febrile (above 38 o C).
Often, the results of thermometry in the range of 37-37.5 o C are not even considered pathology by experts, calling only data of 37.5-38 o C as subfebrile temperature.

What you need to know about normal temperature:

  • According to statistics, the most common normal body temperature is 37 o C, and not 36.6 o C, contrary to popular belief.
  • The norm is physiological fluctuations in thermometry during the day in the same person within 0.5 o C, or even more.
  • Lower values ​​are usually noted in the morning hours, while the body temperature in the afternoon or evening can be 37 o C, or slightly higher.
  • In deep sleep, thermometry readings may correspond to 36 o C or less (as a rule, the lowest readings are noted between 4 and 6 o'clock in the morning, but 37 o C and above in the morning can indicate pathology).
  • The highest measurements are often recorded from about 4 pm until night (for example, a constant temperature of 37.5 o C in the evening may be a variant of the norm).
  • In old age, normal body temperature may be lower, and its daily fluctuations are not so pronounced.
Whether an increase in temperature is a pathology depends on many factors. So, a long-term temperature of 37 o C in a child in the evening is a variant of the norm, and the same indicators in an elderly person in the morning most likely indicate a pathology.

Where can you measure body temperature:
1. In the armpit. Although this is the most popular and simple measurement method, it is the least informative. The results can be affected by humidity, room temperature and many other factors. Sometimes there is a reflex increase in temperature during the measurement. This may be due to excitement, for example, from a visit to the doctor. With thermometry in the oral cavity or rectum, there can be no such errors.
2. In the mouth (oral temperature): its indicators are usually 0.5 o C higher than those determined in the armpit.
3. In the rectum (rectal temperature): normally, it is 0.5 o C higher than in the mouth and, accordingly, 1 o C higher than in the armpit.

It is also quite reliable to determine the temperature in the ear canal. However, for an accurate measurement, a special thermometer is required, so this method is practically not used at home.

It is not recommended to measure oral or rectal temperature with a mercury thermometer - an electronic device should be used for this. For thermometry in infants, there are also electronic dummy thermometers.

Do not forget that a body temperature of 37.1-37.5 o C may be associated with an error in the measurements, or talk about the presence of a pathology, for example, an infectious process in the body. Therefore, expert advice is still required.

Temperature 37 o C - is this normal?

If the thermometer is 37-37.5 o C - do not get upset and panic. Temperatures greater than 37 o C may be associated with measurement errors. In order for thermometry to be accurate, the following rules must be observed:
1. The measurement should be carried out in a calm, relaxed state, not earlier than 30 minutes after physical exertion (for example, after an active game, a child's temperature can be 37-37.5 o C and higher).
2. In children, measurement data can be significantly increased after screaming and crying.
3. It is better to carry out thermometry at about the same time, since low rates are more often noted in the morning, and by the evening the temperature usually rises to 37 o C and higher.
4. When taking thermometry in the armpit, it must be completely dry.
5. In cases where the measurement is taken in the mouth (oral temperature), it should not be taken after eating or drinking (especially hot), if the patient is short of breath or breathes through the mouth, and also after smoking.
6. Rectal temperature may rise by 1-2 o C or more after exercise, hot baths.
7. A temperature of 37 o C or a little higher can be after eating, after physical activity, against the background of stress, excitement or fatigue, after exposure to the sun, while in a warm, stuffy room with high humidity or, conversely, excessively dry air.

Another common cause of a temperature of 37 o C and above can constantly be a faulty thermometer. This is especially true for electronic devices, which quite often give an error in the measurement. Therefore, when receiving high readings, determine the temperature of another family member - suddenly it will also be too high. And it is even better that in this case there is always a working mercury thermometer in the house. When an electronic thermometer is still indispensable (for example, to determine the temperature of a small child), immediately after purchasing the device, take measurements with a mercury thermometer and an electronic one (you can use any healthy family member). This will make it possible to compare the results and determine the error in thermometry. When conducting such a test, it is better to use thermometers of different designs; you should not take the same mercury or electric thermometers.

Often there are situations when, after an infectious disease, the temperature is 37 o C and above for a long time. This feature is often referred to as the "temperature tail". Elevated temperature readings can persist for several weeks or months. Even after taking antibiotics against an infectious agent, an indicator of 37 o C can remain for a long time. This condition does not require treatment, and goes away on its own without a trace. However, if, along with low-grade fever, cough, rhinitis, or other symptoms of the disease are observed, this may indicate a relapse of the disease, the occurrence of complications, or indicate a new infection. It is important not to miss this condition, as it requires a visit to the doctor.

Other causes of subfebrile temperature in a child are often:

  • overheat;
  • reaction to prophylactic vaccination;
  • teething.
One of the frequent causes of a temperature increase in a child above 37-37.5 o C is teething. At the same time, thermometry data rarely reach numbers above 38.5 o C, so usually it is enough just to monitor the baby’s condition and use physical cooling methods. Temperature above 37 o C may be observed after vaccination. Usually, the indicators are kept within subfebrile numbers, and with their further increase, you can give the child an antipyretic once. An increase in temperature as a result of overheating can be observed in those children who are excessively wrapped and dressed. It can be very dangerous and cause heat stroke. Therefore, when the baby overheats, it should be undressed first.

An increase in temperature can be observed in many non-communicable inflammatory diseases. As a rule, it is accompanied by other, rather characteristic signs of pathology. For example, a temperature of 37°C and blood-streaked diarrhea may be symptoms of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. In some diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, low-grade fever may appear several months before the first signs of the disease.

An increase in body temperature to low numbers is often noted against the background of allergic pathology: atopic dermatitis, urticaria and other conditions. For example, shortness of breath with difficulty exhaling, and a temperature of 37 o C and above, can be observed with an exacerbation of bronchial asthma.

Subfebrile fever can be observed in the pathology of the following organ systems:
1. The cardiovascular system:

  • VSD (vegetative dystonia syndrome) - a temperature of 37 o C and a little higher may indicate sympathicotonia, and is often combined with high blood pressure, headaches and other manifestations;
  • high blood pressure and temperature of 37-37.5 o C can be with hypertension, especially during crises.
2. Gastrointestinal tract: temperature 37 o C or higher, and abdominal pain, may be signs of pathologies such as pancreatitis, non-infectious hepatitis and gastritis, esophagitis and many others.
3. Respiratory system: a temperature of 37-37.5 o C may accompany chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
4. Nervous system:
  • thermoneurosis (habitual hyperthermia) - often observed in young women, and is one of the manifestations of autonomic dystonia;
  • tumors of the spinal cord and brain, traumatic injuries, hemorrhages and other pathologies.
5. Endocrine system: fever may be the first manifestation of increased thyroid function (hyperthyroidism), Addison's disease (insufficient function of the adrenal cortex).
6. Kidney pathology: a temperature of 37 o C and above may be a sign of glomerulonephritis, dysmetabolic nephropathy, urolithiasis.
7. Sex organs: subfebrile fever can be observed with ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and other pathologies.
8. Blood and immune system:
  • a temperature of 37 o C accompanies many immunodeficiency states, including oncology;
  • a small subfebrile fever can occur with blood pathology, including with ordinary iron deficiency anemia.
Another condition in which body temperature is constantly kept at 37-37.5 o C is oncological pathology. In addition to subfebrile fever, there may also be weight loss, loss of appetite, weakness, pathological symptoms from various organs (their nature depends on the location of the tumor).

Indicators 37-37.5 o With are a variant of the norm after surgery. Their duration depends on the individual characteristics of the organism and the volume of surgical intervention. A slight fever may also be observed after some diagnostic manipulations, such as laparoscopy.

Which doctor should I contact with elevated body temperature?

Since an increase in body temperature can be due to a wide range of different causes, the choice of a specialist who needs to be contacted with a high temperature is determined by the nature of the person's other symptoms. Consider the doctors of which specialties you need to contact in various cases of fever:
  • If, in addition to fever, a person has a runny nose, pain, sore or sore throat, cough, headaches, aching muscles, bones and joints, then it is necessary to contact therapist (), since we are talking, most likely, about SARS, colds, flu, etc .;
  • a persistent cough, or a constant feeling of general weakness, or a feeling that it is difficult to inhale, or wheezing when breathing, then you should consult a general practitioner and phthisiatrician (sign up), since these signs can be symptoms of either chronic bronchitis, or pneumonia, or tuberculosis;
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with pain in the ear, leakage of pus or liquid from the ear, runny nose, itching, soreness or sore throat, feeling of mucus flowing along the back of the throat, feeling of pressure, fullness or pain in the upper part of the cheeks (cheekbones under the eyes) or above the eyebrows, then you should refer to otolaryngologist (ENT) (make an appointment), since most likely we are talking about otitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis or tonsillitis;
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with pain, redness of the eyes, photophobia, leakage of pus or non-purulent fluid from the eye, you should contact ophthalmologist (make an appointment);
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with pain during urination, back pain, frequent urge to urinate, then you need to consult a urologist / nephrologist (make an appointment) And venereologist (make an appointment), because a similar combination of symptoms may indicate either kidney disease or sexual infection;
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and nausea, then you should contact infectious disease doctor (make an appointment), since a similar set of symptoms may indicate an intestinal infection or hepatitis;
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with moderate pain in the abdomen, as well as various phenomena of dyspepsia (belching, heartburn, feeling of heaviness after eating, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, etc.), then you should contact Gastroenterologist (make an appointment)(if there is none, then to the therapist), because. this indicates diseases of the digestive tract (gastritis, gastric ulcer, pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, etc.);
  • If an elevated body temperature is combined with severe, unbearable pain in any part of the abdomen, then you should urgently contact surgeon (make an appointment), as this indicates a serious condition (for example, acute appendicitis, peritonitis, pancreatic necrosis, etc.) requiring immediate medical attention;
  • If an elevated body temperature in women is combined with moderate or mild pain in the lower abdomen, discomfort in the genital area, unusual vaginal discharge, then you should contact gynecologist (make an appointment);
  • If an elevated body temperature in women is combined with severe pain in the lower abdomen, bleeding from the genitals, severe general weakness, then you should urgently contact a gynecologist, as these symptoms indicate a serious condition (for example, ectopic pregnancy, uterine bleeding, sepsis, endometritis after abortion, etc.), requiring immediate treatment;
  • If an elevated body temperature in men is combined with pain in the perineum and in the prostate gland, then you should contact a urologist, as this may indicate prostatitis or other diseases of the male genital area;
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with shortness of breath, arrhythmia, edema, then you should contact your therapist or cardiologist (make an appointment), as this may indicate inflammatory diseases of the heart (pericarditis, endocarditis, etc.);
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with pain in the joints, rashes on the skin, marble coloration of the skin, impaired blood flow and sensitivity of the extremities (cold hands and feet, blue fingers, numbness, running "goosebumps", etc.), red blood cells or blood in the urine, pain when urinating or pain in other parts of the body, then you should contact rheumatologist (make an appointment), as this may indicate the presence of autoimmune or other rheumatic diseases;
  • Temperature in combination with rashes or inflammations on the skin and ARVI phenomena may indicate various infectious or skin diseases (for example, erysipelas, scarlet fever, chickenpox, etc.), therefore, when such a combination of symptoms appears, you need to contact a therapist, an infectious disease specialist and dermatologist (make an appointment);
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with headaches, jumps in blood pressure, a feeling of interruptions in the work of the heart, then you should consult a therapist, as this may indicate vegetative-vascular dystonia;
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with tachycardia, sweating, enlarged goiter, then you need to contact endocrinologist (make an appointment), as this may be a sign of hyperthyroidism or Addison's disease;
  • If elevated body temperature is combined with neurological symptoms (for example, obsessive movements, coordination disorder, sensory impairment, etc.) or loss of appetite, unreasonable weight loss, then you should contact oncologist (make an appointment), as this may indicate the presence of tumors or metastases in various organs;
  • An elevated temperature, combined with very poor health, which worsens over time, is a reason to immediately call an ambulance, regardless of what other symptoms a person has.

What studies and diagnostic procedures can be prescribed by doctors when the body temperature rises to 37-37.5 o C?

Since body temperature can rise against the background of a wide range of various diseases, the list of studies that a doctor prescribes to identify the causes of this symptom is also very wide and variable. However, in practice, doctors do not prescribe the entire list of examinations and tests that can theoretically help identify the cause of elevated body temperature, but use only a limited set of certain diagnostic tests that most likely allow you to identify the source of temperature. Accordingly, for each specific case, doctors prescribe a different list of tests, which are selected in accordance with the accompanying symptoms that a person has in addition to fever, and indicating the affected organ or system.

Since most often elevated body temperature is caused by inflammatory processes in various organs, which can be either infectious (for example, tonsillitis, rotavirus infection, etc.) or non-infectious (for example, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, etc.) .), then always if it is present, regardless of the accompanying symptoms, a general blood test and a general urinalysis are prescribed, allowing you to find out in which direction the further diagnostic search should go and what other tests and examinations are needed in each specific case. That is, in order not to prescribe a large number of studies of different organs, they first do a general analysis of blood and urine, which allow the doctor to understand in which direction to "look for" the cause of elevated body temperature. And only after identifying an approximate spectrum of possible causes of temperature, other studies are prescribed to clarify the pathology that caused hyperthermia.

The indicators of a general blood test make it possible to understand whether the temperature is caused by an inflammatory process of an infectious or non-infectious origin, or is not associated with inflammation at all.

So, if the ESR is increased, then the temperature is due to an inflammatory process of an infectious or non-infectious origin. If the ESR is within the normal range, then the elevated body temperature is not associated with the inflammatory process, but is due to tumors, vegetative-vascular dystonia, endocrine diseases, etc.

If, in addition to the accelerated ESR, all other indicators of the general blood test are within the normal range, then the temperature is due to a non-infectious inflammatory process, for example, gastritis, duodenitis, colitis, etc.

If according to the general blood test, anemia is detected, and other indicators, except for hemoglobin, are normal, then the diagnostic search ends here, since the fever is caused precisely by the anemic syndrome. In such a situation, anemia is treated.

A general urine test allows you to understand whether there is a pathology of the organs of the urinary system. If there is such an analysis, then other studies are carried out in the future to clarify the nature of the pathology and begin treatment. If the urine tests are normal, then to find out the cause of the elevated body temperature, they do not conduct a study of the organs of the urinary system. That is, a general urinalysis will immediately identify the system in which the pathology caused an increase in body temperature, or, on the contrary, dismiss suspicions about diseases of the urinary tract.

Having determined fundamental points from a general analysis of blood and urine, such as infectious or non-infectious inflammation in humans, or a non-inflammatory process at all, and whether there is a pathology of the urinary organs, the doctor prescribes a number of other studies to understand which organ is affected. Moreover, this list of examinations is already determined by the accompanying symptoms.

Below we give options for the lists of tests that a doctor can prescribe at elevated body temperature, depending on other concomitant symptoms that a person has:

  • With a runny nose, sore throat, sore or sore throat, cough, headache, aching muscles and joints, usually only a general blood and urine test is prescribed, since such symptoms are caused by SARS, flu, colds, etc. However, during an influenza epidemic, a blood test may be ordered to detect the influenza virus to determine whether a person is dangerous to others as a source of influenza. If a person often suffers from colds, then he is prescribed immunogram (to sign up)(total lymphocyte count, T-lymphocytes, T-helpers, T-cytotoxic lymphocyte, B-lymphocytes, NK cells, T-NK cells, HCT test, phagocytosis assessment, CEC, immunoglobulins of IgG, IgM, IgE, IgA classes ) to determine which parts of the immune system are not working properly and, accordingly, which immunostimulants need to be taken to normalize the immune status and stop frequent episodes of colds.
  • At a temperature combined with a cough or a constant feeling of general weakness, or a feeling that it is difficult to inhale, or wheezing when breathing, it is imperative to do chest x-ray (book) and auscultation (listen with a stethoscope) of the lungs and bronchi to find out if the person has bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, or tuberculosis. In addition to x-rays and auscultation, if they did not give an accurate answer or their result is doubtful, the doctor may prescribe sputum microscopy to distinguish between bronchitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis, determination of antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumoniae and respiratory syncytial virus in the blood (IgA, IgG), determination of the presence of mycobacterium DNA and Chlamydophila pneumoniae in sputum, bronchial swabs, or blood. Tests for the presence of mycobacteria in sputum, blood, and bronchial washings, as well as sputum microscopy, are usually prescribed for suspected tuberculosis (either asymptomatic persistent fever or fever with cough). But tests for the determination of antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumoniae and respiratory syncytial virus in the blood (IgA, IgG), as well as the determination of the presence of Chlamydophila pneumoniae DNA in sputum, are carried out to diagnose bronchitis, tracheitis and pneumonia, especially if they are frequent, long-lasting or not treatable antibiotics.
  • Temperature, combined with a runny nose, a feeling of mucus running down the back of the throat, a feeling of pressure, fullness or pain in the upper part of the cheeks (cheekbones under the eyes) or above the eyebrows, requires a mandatory x-ray of the sinuses (maxillary sinuses, etc.) ( make an appointment) to confirm sinusitis, frontal sinusitis or other type of sinusitis. With frequent, long-term or antibiotic-resistant sinusitis, the doctor may additionally prescribe the determination of antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumoniae in the blood (IgG, IgA, IgM). If the symptoms of sinusitis and fever are combined with blood in the urine and frequent pneumonia, then the doctor may prescribe a blood test for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA, pANCA and cANCA, IgG), since systemic vasculitis is suspected in such a situation.
  • If the fever is combined with a feeling of mucus running down the back of the throat, a feeling that cats are scratching in the throat, sore and tickle, then the doctor prescribes an ENT examination, takes a swab from the oropharyngeal mucosa for bacteriological culture in order to determine the pathogenic microbes that caused inflammatory process. An examination is usually carried out without fail, but a smear from the oropharynx is not always taken, but only if a person complains of the frequent occurrence of such symptoms. In addition, with the frequent occurrence of such symptoms, their persistent failure even with antibiotic treatment, the doctor may prescribe the determination of antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumonia and Chlamydia trachomatis (IgG, IgM, IgA) in the blood, tk. these microorganisms can provoke chronic, often recurrent infectious and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system (pharyngitis, otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchiolitis).
  • If fever is combined with pain, sore throat, enlarged tonsils, presence of plaque or white plugs in the tonsils, constantly red throat, then an ENT examination is mandatory. If such symptoms are present for a long time or often appear, then the doctor prescribes a smear from the oropharyngeal mucosa for bacteriological culture, as a result of which it will become known which microorganism provokes the inflammatory process in the ENT organs. If the sore throat is purulent, then the doctor must prescribe blood for the ASL-O titer in order to identify the risk of developing complications of this infection, such as rheumatism, glomerulonephritis, myocarditis.
  • If the temperature is combined with pain in the ear, outflow of pus or any other liquid from the ear, then the doctor must conduct an ENT examination. In addition to the examination, the doctor most often prescribes a bacteriological culture of discharge from the ear to determine which pathogen caused the inflammatory process. In addition, tests can be prescribed to determine antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumonia in the blood (IgG, IgM, IgA), for the ASL-O titer in the blood, and for the detection of type 6 herpes virus in saliva, scrapings from the oropharynx and blood. Tests for antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumonia and for the presence of the herpes virus type 6 are performed to identify the microbe that caused otitis media. However, these tests are usually prescribed only for frequent or long-term otitis media. A blood test for ASL-O titer is prescribed only for purulent otitis to identify the risk of developing complications of streptococcal infection, such as myocarditis, glomerulonephritis and rheumatism.
  • If the elevated body temperature is combined with pain, redness in the eye, as well as the discharge of pus or other liquid from the eye, then the doctor performs a mandatory examination. Next, the doctor may prescribe a culture of the detachable eye for bacteria, as well as a blood test for antibodies to adenovirus and for the content of IgE (with particles of dog epithelium) in order to determine the presence of adenovirus infection or allergies.
  • When elevated body temperature is combined with pain during urination, back pain or frequent trips to the toilet, the doctor will first of all and without fail prescribe a general urinalysis, determination of the total concentration of protein and albumin in daily urine, urinalysis according to Nechiporenko (sign up), Zimnitsky's test (sign up), as well as a biochemical blood test (urea, creatinine). These tests in most cases allow you to determine the existing disease of the kidneys or urinary tract. However, if the listed tests did not clarify, then the doctor may prescribe bladder cystoscopy (make an appointment), bacteriological culture of urine or scrapings from the urethra to identify a pathogenic agent, as well as the determination by PCR or ELISA of microbes in scrapings from the urethra.
  • If you have a fever that is accompanied by pain when urinating or frequent trips to the toilet, your doctor may order tests for various sexually transmitted infections (such as gonorrhea (sign up), syphilis (sign up), ureaplasmosis (sign up), mycoplasmosis (sign up), candidiasis, trichomoniasis, chlamydia (sign up), gardnerellosis, etc.), since such symptoms may also indicate inflammatory diseases of the genital tract. For tests for genital infections, the doctor may prescribe vaginal discharge, semen, prostate secretions, a urethral swab, and blood. In addition to analyzes, it is often prescribed Ultrasound of the pelvic organs (make an appointment), which allows you to identify the nature of the changes occurring under the influence of inflammation in the genital organs.
  • At elevated body temperature, which is combined with diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and nausea, the doctor first of all prescribes a stool test for scatology, a stool test for helminths, a stool test for rotavirus, a stool test for infections (dysentery, cholera, pathogenic strains of intestinal coli, salmonellosis, etc.), fecal analysis for dysbacteriosis, as well as scraping from the anus for sowing in order to identify the pathogen that provoked the symptoms of an intestinal infection. In addition to these tests, the infectious disease specialist prescribes blood test for antibodies to hepatitis A, B, C and D viruses (sign up), since such symptoms may indicate acute hepatitis. If a person, in addition to fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea, also has yellowness of the skin and sclera of the eyes, then only blood tests for hepatitis (antibodies to hepatitis A, B, C and D viruses) are prescribed, as this indicates about hepatitis.
  • In the presence of elevated body temperature, combined with abdominal pain, dyspepsia (belching, heartburn, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, blood in the stool, etc.), the doctor usually prescribes instrumental studies and a biochemical blood test. With belching and heartburn, a blood test for Helicobacter pylori is usually prescribed and fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) (), which allows you to diagnose gastritis, duodenitis, stomach or duodenal ulcer, GERD, etc. With flatulence, bloating, periodic diarrhea and constipation, the doctor usually prescribes a biochemical blood test (amylase, lipase, AST, AlAT, alkaline phosphatase activity, protein, albumin, bilirubin concentration), urine test for amylase activity, stool test for dysbacteriosis and coprology and Ultrasound of the abdominal organs (make an appointment), which allow diagnosing pancreatitis, hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, biliary dyskinesia, etc. In complex and incomprehensible cases or suspicion of tumor formations, the doctor may prescribe MRI (make an appointment) or x-ray of the digestive tract. If there is frequent bowel movement (3-12 times a day) with unformed feces, ribbon stools (feces in the form of thin ribbons) or pain in the rectal area, then the doctor prescribes colonoscopy (make an appointment) or sigmoidoscopy (make an appointment) and analysis of feces for calprotectin, which reveals Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, intestinal polyps, etc.
  • At elevated temperature, in combination with moderate or mild pain in the lower abdomen, discomfort in the genital area, abnormal vaginal discharge, the doctor will definitely prescribe, first of all, a smear from the genital organs and ultrasound of the pelvic organs. These simple studies will allow the doctor to figure out what other tests are needed to clarify the existing pathology. In addition to ultrasound and smear on flora () the doctor may prescribe tests for genital infections ()(gonorrhea, syphilis, ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis, candidiasis, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gardnerellosis, fecal bacteroids, etc.), for the detection of which they give vaginal discharge, scraping from the urethra or blood.
  • At elevated temperature, combined with pain in the perineum and prostate in men, the doctor will prescribe a general urine test, prostate secret on microscopy (), spermogram (), as well as a smear from the urethra for various infections (chlamydia, trichomoniasis, mycoplasmosis, candidiasis, gonorrhea, ureaplasmosis, fecal bacteroids). In addition, the doctor may prescribe an ultrasound of the pelvic organs.
  • At a temperature in combination with shortness of breath, arrhythmia and edema, it is imperative to do ECG (), chest x-ray, Ultrasound of the heart (make an appointment), as well as take a general blood test, a blood test for C-reactive protein, rheumatic factor and titer ASL-O (sign up). These studies allow you to identify the existing pathological process in the heart. If the studies do not allow clarifying the diagnosis, then the doctor may additionally prescribe a blood test for antibodies to the heart muscle and antibodies to Borrelia.
  • If fever is combined with skin rashes and symptoms of SARS or influenza, then the doctor usually prescribes only a general blood test and examines rashes or redness on the skin in various ways (under a magnifying glass, under a special lamp, etc.). If there is a red spot on the skin that increases over time and is painful, the doctor will prescribe an analysis for the ASL-O titer to confirm or refute erysipelas. If the rashes on the skin cannot be identified during the examination, then the doctor can take a scraping and prescribe its microscopy to determine the type of pathological changes and the causative agent of the inflammatory process.
  • When temperature is combined with tachycardia, sweating and enlarged goiter, Ultrasound of the thyroid gland (), as well as take a blood test for the concentration of thyroid hormones (T3, T4), antibodies to steroid-producing cells of the reproductive organs and cortisol.
  • When the temperature is combined with headaches, jumps in blood pressure, a feeling of interruptions in the work of the heart, the doctor prescribes blood pressure control, ECG, ultrasound of the heart, ultrasound of the abdominal organs, REG, as well as a complete blood count, urine and biochemical blood test (protein, albumin , cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin, urea, creatinine, C-reactive protein, AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, lipase, etc.).
  • When the temperature is combined with neurological symptoms (for example, coordination disorder, sensitivity deterioration, etc.), loss of appetite, unreasonable weight loss, the doctor will prescribe a general and biochemical blood test, a coagulogram, as well as an x-ray, Ultrasound of various organs (make an appointment) and, possibly, tomography, since such symptoms can be a sign of cancer.
  • If the temperature is combined with pain in the joints, rashes on the skin, marble coloration of the skin, with impaired blood flow in the legs and arms (cold hands and feet, numbness and feeling of running "goosebumps", etc.), red blood cells or blood in the urine and pain in other parts of the body, then this is a sign of rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. In such cases, the doctor prescribes tests to determine whether a person has a joint disease or an autoimmune pathology. Since the spectrum of autoimmune and rheumatic diseases is very wide, the doctor first prescribes x-ray of joints (make an appointment) and the following non-specific tests: complete blood count, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, lupus anticoagulant, antibodies to cardiolipin, antinuclear factor, IgG antibodies to double-stranded (native) DNA, ASL-O titer, antibodies to nuclear antigen, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), antibodies to thyroperoxidase, the presence of cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes viruses in the blood. Then, if the results of the listed tests are positive (that is, markers of autoimmune diseases are found in the blood), the doctor, depending on which organs or systems have clinical symptoms, prescribes additional tests, as well as X-ray, ultrasound, ECG, MRI, to assess the degree of activity of the pathological process. Since there are many analyzes for detecting and evaluating the activity of autoimmune processes in various organs, we present them in a separate table below.
Organ system Analyzes to determine the autoimmune process in the organ system
Connective tissue diseases
  • Antinuclear antibodies, IgG (antinuclear antibodies, ANAs, EIA);
  • Antibodies of the IgG class to double-stranded (native) DNA (anti-ds-DNA);
  • Antinuclear factor (ANF);
  • Antibodies to nucleosomes;
  • Antibodies to cardiolipin (IgG, IgM) (enroll now);
  • Antibodies to extractable nuclear antigen (ENA);
  • Complement components (C3, C4);
  • Rheumatoid factor;
  • C-reactive protein;
  • Titer ASL-O.
Joint diseases
  • Antibodies to keratin Ig G (AKA);
  • Antifilaggrin antibodies (AFA);
  • Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACCP);
  • Crystals in a synovial fluid smear;
  • Rheumatoid factor;
  • Antibodies to modified citrullinated vimentin.
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
  • Antibodies to phospholipids IgM/IgG;
  • Antibodies to phosphatidylserine IgG + IgM;
  • Antibodies to cardiolipin, screening - IgG, IgA, IgM;
  • Antibodies to annexin V, IgM and IgG;
  • Antibodies to phosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex, total IgG, IgM;
  • Antibodies to beta-2-glycoprotein 1, total IgG, IgA, IgM.
Vasculitis and kidney damage (glomerulonephritis, etc.)
  • Antibodies to the basement membrane of the glomeruli of the kidneys IgA, IgM, IgG (anti-BMK);
  • Antinuclear factor (ANF);
  • Antibodies to the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R), total IgG, IgA, IgM;
  • Antibodies to C1q complement factor;
  • Endothelial antibodies on HUVEC cells, total IgG, IgA, IgM;
  • Antibodies to proteinase 3 (PR3);
  • Antibodies to myeloperoxidase (MPO).
Autoimmune diseases of the digestive tract
  • Antibodies to deamidated gliadin peptides (IgA, IgG);
  • Antibodies to parietal cells of the stomach, total IgG, IgA, IgM (PCA);
  • Antibodies to reticulin IgA and IgG;
  • Antibodies to endomysium total IgA + IgG;
  • Antibodies to pancreatic acinar cells;
  • Antibodies of the IgG and IgA classes to the GP2 antigen of the centroacinar cells of the pancreas (Anti-GP2);
  • Antibodies of classes IgA and IgG to intestinal goblet cells, total;
  • Immunoglobulin subclass IgG4;
  • Calprotectin fecal;
  • Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, ANCA Ig G (pANCA and cANCA);
  • Antibodies to saccharomycetes (ASCA) IgA and IgG;
  • Antibodies to the internal factor of Castle;
  • IgG and IgA antibodies to tissue transglutaminase.
autoimmune liver disease
  • Antibodies to mitochondria;
  • Antibodies to smooth muscles;
  • Antibodies to liver and kidney microsomes type 1, total IgA + IgG + IgM;
  • Antibodies to the asialoglycoprotein receptor;
  • Autoantibodies in autoimmune liver diseases - AMA-M2, M2-3E, SP100, PML, GP210, LKM-1, LC-1, SLA / LP, SSA / RO-52.
Nervous system
  • Antibodies to the NMDA receptor;
  • Antineuronal antibodies;
  • Antibodies to skeletal muscles;
  • Antibodies to gangliosides;
  • Antibodies to aquaporin 4;
  • Oligoclonal IgG in cerebrospinal fluid and blood serum;
  • Myositis-specific antibodies;
  • Antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor.
Endocrine system
  • Antibodies to insulin;
  • Antibodies to pancreatic beta cells;
  • Antibodies to glutamate decarboxylase (AT-GAD);
  • Antibodies to thyroglobulin (AT-TG);
  • Antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (AT-TPO, microsomal antibodies);
  • Antibodies to the microsomal fraction of thyrocytes (AT-MAG);
  • Antibodies to TSH receptors;
  • Antibodies to steroid-producing cells of reproductive tissues;
  • Antibodies to steroid-producing cells of the adrenal gland;
  • Antibodies to steroid-producing testicular cells;
  • Antibodies to tyrosine phosphatase (IA-2);
  • Antibodies to ovarian tissue.
Autoimmune skin diseases
  • Antibodies to the intercellular substance and basement membrane of the skin;
  • Antibodies to BP230 protein;
  • Antibodies to BP180 protein;
  • Antibodies to desmoglein 3;
  • Antibodies to desmoglein 1;
  • Antibodies to desmosomes.
Autoimmune diseases of the heart and lungs
  • Antibodies to the cardiac muscles (to the myocardium);
  • Antibodies to mitochondria;
  • neopterin;
  • Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity (diagnosis of sarcoidosis).

Temperature 37-37.5 o C: what to do?

How to bring down the temperature of 37-37.5 o C? Reducing this temperature with drugs is not required. They are used only in cases of fever above 38.5 o C. An exception is an increase in temperature in late pregnancy, in young children who have previously had febrile convulsions, as well as in the presence of severe diseases of the heart, lungs, nervous system, which may worsen against a background of high fever. But even in these cases, it is recommended to reduce the temperature with medications only when it reaches 37.5 o C and above.

The use of antipyretic drugs and other self-medication methods can make it difficult to diagnose the disease, as well as lead to unwanted side effects.

In all cases, the following guidelines must be followed:
1. Think: Are you doing the right thermometry? The rules for taking measurements have already been mentioned above.
2. Try to change the thermometer to eliminate possible errors in the measurements.
3. Make sure that this temperature is not a variant of the norm. This is especially true for those who previously did not regularly measure the temperature, but revealed increased data for the first time. To do this, you need to contact a specialist to exclude the symptoms of various pathologies and prescribe an examination. For example, if a temperature of 37 o C or a little higher is constantly determined during pregnancy, while there are no symptoms of any diseases, this is most likely the norm.

If the doctor has identified any pathology leading to an increase in temperature to subfebrile numbers, then the goal of therapy will be the treatment of the underlying disease. It is likely that after treatment, the temperature indicators will return to normal.

In what cases should you contact a specialist immediately:
1. Subfebrile body temperature began to rise to febrile figures.
2. Despite the fact that the fever is small, it is accompanied by other severe symptoms (severe cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, urinary incontinence, vomiting or diarrhea, signs of an exacerbation of chronic diseases).

Thus, even a seemingly low temperature can be a sign of serious illness. Therefore, if you have any doubts about your condition, you should inform your doctor about them.

Prevention measures

Even if the doctor did not reveal any pathology in the body, and a constant temperature of 37-37.5 o C is a variant of the norm, this does not mean that you can do nothing at all. Prolonged subfebrile indicators are chronic stress for the body.

To gradually bring the body back to normal, you should:

  • timely identify and treat foci of infection, various diseases;
  • avoid stress;
  • to refuse from bad habits;
  • observe the daily routine and get enough sleep;

Body temperature 37 - 37.5 - causes and what to do about it?


Before use, you should consult with a specialist.