Fever
Fever is one way that the body fights infection or illness. It helps speed up the body's defense actions by increasing blood flow.
Normal body temperature ranges from 97 F to 100 F, with 98.6 F being the average.
When you have a fever, your skin feels warm, you may sweat, and your temperature is higher than 100 F.
What kind of care do I need?
Urgent
With a fever do you have:
- Seizure
- Listlessness
- Abnormal breathing
- Stiff neck
- Excessive irritability
- Confusion
- Severe headache
Non Urgent
With a fever do you have:
- Ear pain
- Persistent sore throat
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Urinary pain, burning, or frequency
- Skin rash or skin that is red and swollen
- Pain over the eyes or cheeks
Has the fever done any of the following:
- Gone away for more than 24 hours and come back
- Comes within 6 months after a visit to a foreign country
- Comes after having an immunization and is present with dizziness?
Is the fever 102 F or higher for 36 hours or more?
Keep a thermometer in your room or apartment to take your temperature with if necessary. Glass mercury thermometers are not allowed in residence halls because, if they break, drops of toxic mercury can be released.
Self-care: If having a fever up to 102 F causes you no harm or discomfort and you have no other medical symptoms, you may not need to treat it at all. For mild fevers: Drink at least 1 to 2 quarts of liquid everyday. Take a sponge bath with warm water. For high fevers, put cold packs or cool cloths on the neck, groin, and under armpits. Take the appropriate dose of an over-the-counter medication to reduce fever. Rest. Don't wear too many clothes or use too many blankets. Don't exercise.
