GeezerVison is showing www.medlineplus.gov — Fever: MedlinePlus

Fever

Also called: Pyrexia

On this page

Basics

Summary
Start Here
Diagnosis and Tests
Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

Specifics
Genetics

See, Play and Learn

No links available

Summary

A fever is a body temperature that is higher than normal. A normal temperature can vary from person to person, but it is usually around 98.6 °F (37 °C). A fever is not a disease. It is usually a sign that your body is trying to fight an illness or infection.

Infections cause most fevers. You get a fever because your body is trying to kill the virus or bacteria that caused the infection. Most of those bacteria and viruses do well when your body is at your normal temperature. But if you have a fever, it is harder for them to survive. Fever also activates your body's immune system.

Other causes of fevers include:

Medicines, including some antibiotics, blood pressure medicines, and anti-seizure medicines
Heat illness
Cancers
Autoimmune diseases
Some childhood vaccines

Treatment depends on the cause of your fever. If the fever is very high, your health care provider may recommend taking an over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Adults can also take aspirin, but children with fevers should not take aspirin. It is also important to drink enough liquids, to prevent dehydration.

Start Here

Fever (American Academy of Family Physicians)
Fever (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Fever (High Temperature) In Kids (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Fever (American Academy of Family Physicians)
Fever in Infants and Children (American Academy of Family Physicians)

Treatments and Therapies

Fever: First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Thermometers: Understand the Options (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Cryopyrin-Associated Autoinflammatory Syndromes (CAPS) (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish
Familial Mediterranean Fever (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Periodic Fever, Aphthous Stomatitis, Pharyngitis, Adenitis Syndrome (PFAPA) (Juvenile) (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish

Genetics

Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Familial Mediterranean fever: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Mevalonate kinase deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Nakajo-Nishimura syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Yao syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Fever (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Children

Acetaminophen and Children: Why Dose Matters (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Febrile Seizures (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
Fever (High Temperature) In Kids (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
How to Take a Rectal Temperature (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
How to Take an Axillary (Armpit) Temperature (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
How to Take an Oral Temperature (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Taking Your Child's Temperature (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Women

Fever/Hyperthermia and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Familial Mediterranean fever (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Fever (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
When your baby or infant has a fever (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Topic Image

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Fever is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Fever

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

GeezerVison