Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Should you always treat a fever? The symptom that puzzled doctors for
millennia
People used to think fever itself was a disease and needed to be
treated. But we now know that we get fevers when our bodies are fighting off infections
from viruses, bacteria, or fungi. Also, we get fevers as a sign of serious illnesses,
such as scarlet fever, dengue fever, or yellow fever. A fever, a body
temperature above 38 degrees, is part of our bodies’ innate response to infection
or illness because a higher body temperature makes it harder for bacteria
and viruses to survive and helps the immune system work more effectively. However,
a rapid rise in core body temperature in reaction to certain medications or
heat illness can be dangerous and harmful to our internal systems. Also,
persistent high temperatures could lead to dehydration. Since a fever itself
isn’t a disease but a sign of infection, an immune system response, or a
symptom of other conditions, the cause of the fever needs to be identified and
treated. A fever tells you something is wrong with your body.
Read the article and learn what fever does to our bodies.
