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Increased Body Temperature

Increased Body Temperature

A body temperature above 38°C (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in response to an infection or illness.

Methods of reducing fever

Methods of reducing fever

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:

Types of Fever

Types of Fever

Fever can be triggered by several factors, including infections, nervous system disorders, certain cancers, blood diseases like leukemia, embolism, thrombosis, heatstroke, dehydration, surgical trauma, crushing injuries, and allergic reactions.
Here are the different types of fever:

Patterns of Fever

Patterns of Fever

Before understanding the types and patterns of fever, it is essential to know its phases.

Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature

Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature

Hyperthermia occurs when the body's temperature becomes unusually high, often due to heat exposure, intense physical activity, or certain illnesses. This condition can create a dangerous cycle where elevated body temperature increases the metabolic rate, generating more heat and potentially leading to organ failure and brain damage. A severe form of hyperthermia, called heat stroke, can raise body temperature to life-threatening levels. Fever, on the other hand, is a controlled form of...

Factors Affecting Body Temperature

Factors Affecting Body Temperature

As a nurse, it is vital to understand the factors affecting body temperature to monitor variations and effectively evaluate deviations from regular.
Factors may include:

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice

Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice

Published on: August 25, 2012

Perspective on fever: the basic science and conventional medicine.

Joseph G Cannon¹

¹College of Allied Health Sciences, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA. jcannon@georgiahealth.edu

Complementary Therapies in Medicine

|April 13, 2013

Summary

Fever is a regulated increase in body temperature, acting as a host defense mechanism. Generating a fever in response to infection is crucial for a better health outcome.

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Protocol for Long Duration Whole Body Hyperthermia in Mice

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Area of Science:

Physiology
Immunology
Thermoregulation

Background:

Fever is a common physiological response to infection and trauma.
The mechanisms underlying fever generation are complex and involve cytokine signaling.
Understanding fever's role in host defense is critical for clinical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the physiological mechanisms of fever generation.
To elucidate the role of pyrogenic cytokines in fever.
To examine the prognostic significance of fever in infection.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on fever pathophysiology.
Analysis of studies on cytokine-mediated thermoregulation.
Evaluation of clinical data correlating fever response with prognosis.

Main Results:

Fever results from an upward shift in the thermoregulatory set point.
Pyrogenic cytokines, released by monocytes/macrophages, mediate this set point change.
Failure to mount a fever response is linked to poorer prognoses in infections.

Conclusions:

Fever is an adaptive, regulated host defense mechanism.
Cytokine signaling is central to fever induction.
Adequate fever response correlates with improved outcomes in infectious diseases.