When Should I Treat a Fever?

December 14, 2022

If you or someone in your family is fighting off an illness, chances are that a fever may make an appearance. Fevers are a natural reaction to illness in our bodies, so seeing a high temperature on a thermometer should not be an immediate cause for concern.

Not all fevers can make you feel sick, so even if you officially have a fever, you don’t necessarily need to treat it unless you are experiencing side effects from it. Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team explains how to treat a fever at home.

Why Are Fevers Beneficial?

If your body temperature starts to rise when you are sick, it means that you are having a healthy reaction to illness. Fevers work by simultaneously creating a hostile environment for the invader while creating a more encouraging environment for your immune system to go to work. It also encourages more white blood cell creation. All this works together to jumpstart your healing process!

An official fever is diagnosed once your internal body temperature reaches 100.4 degrees or higher. If that is your only indication of a fever, feel free to just ride it out and let the fever do its job for you. If the rise in temperature is making you feel sick, you can certainly treat it with some fever-reducing medication and drink plenty of water. It is just important to remember that even if your medication does break your fever, it is not treating your illness.

Common Side Effects With Fevers

Chills, shivering or shaking
Body aches
Fatigue
Sweating or flushed skin

Should I See a Doctor for a Fever?

Not in most cases. The majority of fevers go away on their own once your body starts the healing process and no longer needs the benefits of a higher body temperature. Once your fever breaks, you should start to feel better right away!

In the rarer instance that your fever will not go away on its own or continues to climb and reaches 103 degrees or higher, this is the time to reach out to your medical provider for an evaluation. If left untreated, dangerously high fevers can start to affect and damage your organs.