Is 99 Degrees Considered a Fever

Any fever in an adult that goes above 105°F (or 40.5°C) and does not come down with treatment is a life-threatening medical emergency and you should call 911.

Fever

A fever is a higher-than-normal body temperature, one of the body’s natural responses to infection. A low-grade fever isn’t usually a cause for concern, but a temperature 102°F and above should be treated.

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Overview

What is a fever?

A fever is a higher-than-normal body temperature. It’s a sign of your body’s natural fight against infection.

• For adults, a fever is when your temperature is higher than 100.4°F.
• For kids, a fever is when their temperature is higher than 100.4°F (measured rectally); 99.5°F (measured orally); or 99°F (measured under the arm).

The average normal body temperature is 98.6° Fahrenheit (or 37° Celsius). When you or your child’s temperature rises a few degrees above normal, it’s a sign that the body is healthy and fighting infection. In most cases, that’s a good thing.

But when a fever rises above 102°F it should be treated at home and, if necessary, by your healthcare provider if the fever doesn’t go down after a few days.

What do I do when my child has a fever?

With most cases, a slight fever isn’t a cause for concern with children. A low fever can make a child uncomfortable, it isn’t unusual for them to seem unaffected, still playful and eating and drinking normally, though maybe a bit more tired. Their fever should resolve in a few days.

With higher fevers, call your child’s healthcare provider if:

• Your child’s fever lasts more than five days.
• It’s higher than 104°F.
• The fever is not reduced by medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. (Do not give a child under 17 aspirin due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome.)
• You are concerned that the child isn’t behaving in their usual way, or anything else makes you uncomfortable with their fever or illness.

Some children have a frightening side effect to fever called febrile seizures. This happens in 2% to 4% of children under age 5. Some seizures cause jerking movements, or it may look like your child has passed out. When this happens put your child on their side, do not put anything in their mouth and call 911 if the seizure lasts more than five minutes and/or the child’s lips turn blue.

If it lasts less than five minutes, notify your healthcare provider and go out and get medical attention right away.

What are symptoms of a fever?

The main symptoms of a fever include:

• Elevated temperature (above 100.4°).
• Chills, shivering, shaking.
• Body aches and headaches.
• Fatigue (tiredness).
• Intermittent or constant sweating.
• Flushed complexion or hot skin.

Possible Causes

What causes a fever?

A fever has many causes and can be a symptom of almost any illness. Among the most common are:

However, if you or your child are experiencing a higher-than-normal body temperature and no other symptoms of illness, don’t assume something is wrong. A person’s body temperature changes throughout the day and varies with many normal activities and emotions.

For example, stress, excitement, heavy clothing, food, certain medications, a menstrual cycle and exercise can all raise body temperature. Also, children tend to have a slightly higher body temperature than adults.

Care and Treatment

What is the best way to measure body temperature?

The best way to measure body temperature is using a thermometer inserted orally, rectally, axillary (under the arm), or by using a special instrument commonly sold in stores that is inserted in the ear and measures the temperature of the eardrum.

Can a fever be treated at home?

If your fever is mild (less than 101°F), then no medical treatment is required. Simply make sure that you drink plenty of fluids (not alcohol) – and get plenty of rest.

For higher temperatures, there are many effective ways to getting your fever under control. The most common way includes medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

If you have a child under age 17 who has a fever, DO NOT give the child aspirin. Aspirin in children may cause Reye’s syndrome, a sometime fatal illness. Taking a lukewarm bath (around 98°F) may also help bring the body’s temperature down.

When to Call the Doctor

When is a fever cause for concern?

If any of the following situations apply, call a doctor as soon as possible:

• A fever accompanied by a stiff neck, confusion or irritability.
• A fever remaining above 103°F (39.5°C) longer than two hours after home treatment.
• A fever lasting longer than two days.
• High fever accompanied by rash.
• Photophobia (irritated by light).
• Dehydration (less amount of urine, sunken eyes, no tears).
• Seizures.

Any fever in an adult that goes above 105°F (or 40.5°C) and does not come down with treatment is a life-threatening medical emergency and you should call 911.

Is 99 Degrees Considered a Fever?

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether a thermometer reading means you’re sick, you’re not alone.

By Megan Schmidt Sep 17, 2020 9:30 PM

(Credit: ALPA PROD/Shutterstock)

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Are you running a fever or not? It sounds like a straightforward question, but the answer is anything but.

From a clinical standpoint, most physicians recognize body temperatures higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit as a true fever . But what happens if you check your temperature and find that your thermometer reading isn’t quite as pronounced?

According to Ellen Foxman, a physician and immunologist at Yale Medical School , it can be difficult to make sense of the gray area that exists between a normal body temperature and the “textbook definition” of burning up. A mild fever by itself could mean that you’re getting sick, but there are also other explanations that are usually no cause for concern.

Why Body Temperature Might Fluctuate

Foxman says that fevers are a system-wide reaction to inflammation in the body. Sunburns , for instance, are an inflammatory response to skin damage, which might also cause someone to have a fever. Extreme cases of physical overexertion could theoretically cause body temperature to increase. Emotional stress, digesting a meal and ovulation in women also have also been known to temporarily knock body temperature a little out of whack.

Making matters more complicated, what’s considered a normal body temperature to begin with varies from person to person. Some people naturally run a little lower or higher than the 98.6 F benchmark we’re all familiar with. Studies have also found that the average body temperature is lower today than 150 years ago, and is now at 97.5 F. Generally, men tend to have lower temperatures than women. And as we age, our average body temperature may decrease. But even with these individual variations, a true fever is still 100.4 F and above.

Most people’s temperature also can fluctuate slightly based on the time of day — typically it’s lower in the morning, higher in the afternoon and lower again around bedtime.

The device used to take temperature, and where it’s applied on the body, also matter. Studies have found that rectal thermometers are the most accurate measurement of the body’s temperature. But before you rush out and buy one of your very own, know there are reasonably accurate alternatives. Oral thermometers and ear thermometers provide more accurate temperature readings as compared to armpit or temple thermometers.

How to Know If You’re Sick

In general, people should rely less on the number they see on a thermometer and more on how they feel in general, Foxman says. Chances are that if you’re taking your temperature in the first place, you’re probably feeling a little “off” or downright crummy. And those are the cues you should be listening to. “People know what it feels like to get sick, that’s your sign that maybe you’re getting a respiratory virus. We’ve all experienced that before,” says Foxman. “[If] all you have is a subtly borderline number on the thermometer, that doesn’t really mean anything on its own.” In the midst of a pandemic, it’s especially important for people to be in tune with how they’re feeling and to get a coronavirus test if an illness is suspected. Likewise, Foxman also says people should be aware of some of the stranger coronavirus symptoms, such as loss of smell or taste.

However, plenty of people get infected and never show symptoms or develop a fever. The CDC has estimated that 40 percent of people infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic. That’s why everyone must take precautions that can protect others, like wearing a mask and socially distancing.

“It’s interesting to me that fever is being used as a screen [at workplaces and schools],” says Foxman. “In the SARS-CoV virus that occurred in 2003, almost everyone who got that had a fever four days before they had any symptoms. So it was a really good screening test, and that’s not the case with this coronavirus. Many people don’t even have symptoms. So it’s not quite as good of a test.”

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