Fevers: Causes
Top Causes
1. Infections
Infections are the most common cause of fever. Fever can be caused by almost any infection. Some of the common infections can be pneumonia. Its symptoms include shortness of breath, shaking chills and cough with mucus. Meningitis fever symptoms include stiff neck, headache, trouble keeping awake and confusion. The fever from a urinary tract infection will include symptoms like shaking chills and burning with urination. Fever accompanied with diarrhea shows symptoms of loose motions and vomiting. Viral gastroenteritis or bacterial gastroenteritis fever symptoms include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Appendicitis fever symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea. Fever from bone infections like osteomyelitis show symptoms like bone pain, malaise, swelling and redness in the affected area, chills and excessive sweating.
2. Respiratory infections
Respiratory Infections include the common cold or flu like illnesses which will show symptoms of cough, congestion, chills and exhaustion. Strep throat or tonsillitis fever symptoms include severe sore throat and cough. Bronchitis fever symptoms include painful cough with mucus, chest discomfort, fatigue and shortness of breath. Otitis or ear infection fevers symptoms include pain in the ear and poor sleep. Sinusitis fever symptoms include congestion, headache, pain and pressure around the eyes, fatigue, bad breath or loss of smell.
3. Vaccinations
After taking certain vaccinations or immunizations, children as well as adults might suffer from a slight fever. It stays for around 1 to 2 days and is nothing to worry about.
4. Tissue damage
Fever can also be caused because of tissue damage from surgery, hemorrhage, crush syndrome, hemolysis or heart attack.
5. Medicines
Medications such as antibiotics, seizure medicines, antihistamines, narcotics and barbiturates might cause fever. Such fever is commonly referred to as ‘drug fever’ and is caused due to withdrawal, adverse reactions or design of the drug.
6. Teething in children
If your child is undergoing his/her teething phase, he/she might have slight fever which is usually not more than 100 ยฐF.
7. Trauma or injury
Trauma or injury such as heart attack, burns, stroke, heat exhaustion or heatstroke can also cause fever.
8. Autoimmune or inflammatory disorders
Fever can be caused due to autoimmune or inflammatory disorders such as lupus. Its symptoms include fatigue, rash and joint pains. Arthritis or connective tissue illnesses can also cause fevers and the symptoms include joint pain and swelling, reduced ability in joint movement and stiffness. Fever induced by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease will show symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal sounds and pain, fatigue and weight loss.
9. Other medical conditions
Miscellaneous medical conditions and illnesses might also cause fever. Fever is usually taken as the first symptom of cancer. Some diseases underlying fever can be cancer, whose symptoms include chills, weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, night sweat and malaise. Blood clots or thrombophlebitis will be accompanied by inflammation or swelling of the affected body part, pain in the affected body part or skin redness. Fever resulting from hyperthyroidism will show symptoms of restlessness, weight loss despite increase in appetite, rapid heart movement, tremors, sweating, insomnia, intolerance to heat, decreased concentration, hair loss and frequent bowel movements. Gout fever symptoms include severe joint pains, red and swollen joints, itching and subsequent peeling.