Coronavirus: Signs, Symptoms, FAQs, and Treatments

What Is A Low-Grade Fever?

A person has a fever if their temperature is higher than their normal body temperature as a disease or illness response. There are different levels of fever, including low-grade fevers ranging from 99.1 degrees to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

Causes of low-grade fevers can be bacterial or parasitic infections; even some vaccines can cause a low-grade fever. Here's what you need to know if your temperature is reading a little higher than usual and when a healthcare consult is necessary.

There's no true medical definition of a low-grade fever, but a general estimate is a temperature between 99.1 degrees Fahrenheit and 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. It's essential to note that fevers are a symptom of illness. They may also present with a person experiencing chills or shivering. Symptoms are slightly different for children and can include: Flushed skin Increased thirst or sweat Skin that's warm to the touch The estimated low-grade fever range is based on the variety of normal body temperatures. For most people, a "normal" body temperature falls somewhere around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. However, not everyone's body temperature is exactly 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A normal range is from 97 degrees Fahrenheit to 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Because normal body temperature varies so much from person to person, so do fever temperatures. If a person's normal body temperature is typically lower, the jump of their fever temperature may also be lower, possibly only registering as a low-grade fever. Various types of bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections can all be responsible for fevers, including low-grade fevers. Other potential causes include: Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders Certain medications like antihistamines or seizure medications Some cancers (e.G., leukemia or non-Hodgkin lymphoma) Teething Vaccinations Some people may also think a low-grade fever results from a less severe infection, but that's not the case. The severity of a fever doesn't depend on the severity of an infection. The older you get, the less likely you may be to develop a true fever. That's because sometimes normal body temperature—and, ultimately, fevered body temperature—may drop with age. Mild fevers without other symptoms or problems may be resolved with rest and drinking plenty of fluids. You can also do the following to help break a fever: Bathing in lukewarm water Taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen if age-appropriate—children aged 6 months or younger should not be given ibuprofen unless directed by a doctor; short-term use of ibuprofen is considered safe in infants older than 3 months with body weight above 5-6 kilograms (kg) when special attention is given to their hydration Wearing lightweight clothing or using lightweight blankets Don't rush to a healthcare provider if you have a fever, low-grade or not, and no other symptoms. Call a healthcare provider's office to determine what you should do. You and the provider might be able to work out a treatment plan via a telehealth appointment, saving you an office visit if fever is the only symptom you have. The only exception to receiving medical care for fever as an only symptom is if it occurs in young children. Infants younger than three months old with a fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or children aged three to 12 months old with a fever of 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit or higher need immediate medical attention. Immediate medical care is also necessary for symptoms such as: A long-lasting fever—more than 48 to 72 hours A persistent fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher Bad headache Blue or pale lips, tongue, or nails Confusion Difficulty breathing or walking Fevers of 105 degrees or higher that make you feel uncomfortable or don't improve with treatment Fevers that disappear but return over a week's time Fevers accompanying new rashes, bruises, or painful urination Refusal of arm and leg movement or crying but can't be consoled—for children Seizures Stiff neck A low-grade fever refers to a body temperature that is just slightly above normal but is not high enough to be considered a full-on fever. Some people, like older adults, may be more likely than others to experience low-grade fevers. If the high temperature won't drop, is above 103 degrees Fahrenheit, or is accompanied by other symptoms, you'll want to talk to a healthcare provider right away. Healthcare providers can determine what the best course of treatment will be for your situation.

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Home Remedies For Fever: How To Lower You Body Temperature Instantly

Published by Ankit KumarUpdated : April 19, 2024 12:04 PM IST

Viral Fever: Viral fever spreads easily from person to person because of a virus. When you get a virus like a cold or flu, your body works hard to fight it off. Normally, our body temperature is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But when it goes up by one degree, we call it a fever. Fevers can last from one day to about a week, depending on what caused them.

CDC Warns Of Extreme Heat Dangers Amid 'record-breaking High Temperatures'

Many regions across the United States experienced "record-breaking high temperatures" in 2023 due to extreme heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Emergency room visits due to heat-related illness peaked in several regions in the U.S. And remained elevated for a prolonged duration compared to visits between 2018 and 2022, the agency's recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report noted.

More males went to the emergency room for heat-related illnesses than females – especially those between 18 and 64 years old.

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Americans are experiencing "longer, hotter and more frequent episodes of extreme heat," the report states.

Is extreme heat a public threat?

"Extreme heat could be considered an invisible killer in so much as many people become exposed and vulnerable to its dangers quickly and often without warning," Patrick McHugh, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Akron, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

Many regions across the United States experienced "record-breaking high temperatures" in 2023 due to extreme heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (iStock)

Although McHugh said Americans "shouldn't worry," he emphasized the need to "be aware and prepared for the dangers of heat waves."

An EPA spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "As average temperatures rise due to climate change, the risk of extreme temperatures, heat waves and record-breaking temperatures increases."

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Here's what to know about extreme heat and how to stay safe.

What is extreme heat?

"Extreme heat can be defined depending on a variety of factors, including location, weather conditions (such as cloud cover, humidity and temperature), and the time of year," said an EPA spokesperson in an email.

It typically occurs when the weather is much hotter and/or more humid than average in a particular area, the agency added.

Emergency room visits due to heat-related illness peaked in several regions in the U.S. And remained elevated for a prolonged duration compared to visits between 2018 and 2022. (iStock)

While summertime temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit might be normal for Phoenix, Arizona, for example — the same temperatures are considered extreme for Boston, Massachusetts.

"Where in the U.S. People are most susceptible to heat depends on what is normal for a given location and the type of infrastructure (such as access to air conditioning)," the EPA spokesperson noted.

"Extreme heat is becoming more common in places that have not historically experienced extreme heat … and don't have the infrastructure to keep people cool, which has major consequences for health and safety."

"Extreme heat could be considered an invisible killer … as many people become exposed and vulnerable to its dangers quickly and often without warning."

A heat wave is typically defined as a "prolonged period of abnormally hot weather, usually lasting more than two days in a row," the EPA spokesperson said.

Heat waves can occur with or without humidity.

The average global temperature has risen by more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the mid-1800s, according to McHugh.

Elderly adults, infants, individuals taking certain medications and people with disabilities are at greater risk of heat-related illnesses. (iStock)

"This results in greater extreme heat temperatures, increased variability in temperatures and an increase in the risk of heat illness," he told Fox News Digital.

The EPA's Heat Waves indicator, which monitors trends in heat waves for 50 cities across the U.S. Over the past 60 years, shows that heat waves are occurring more often over a longer period of time — both in average number of days and season length — and are also becoming hotter over time.

Risk factors for extreme heat effects

Elderly adults, infants, individuals taking certain medications and people with disabilities are at greater risk of heat-related illnesses, according to McHugh, who has a specialty in wilderness medicine.

These individuals may not have adequate resources to escape the heat and protect themselves, he warned.

"Extreme heat is becoming more common in places that have not historically experienced extreme heat … and don't have the infrastructure to keep people cool, which has major consequences for health and safety," an EPA spokesperson said. (iStock)

"Many schools in northern parts of the U.S. Do not have air conditioning, so when heat waves happen in May/June or [in] September, students and teachers can be at risk," the EPA spokesperson noted.

Certain factors can also increase someone's risk of developing a heat-related illness, including fever, dehydration, prescription drug use, alcohol use or sunburn, according to the CDC.

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Healthy people can be at risk if they engage in strenuous physical activity when it's very hot outside — which means it's important to balance activities with actions that cool the body to prevent heat-related illness, the EPA advised.

Certain settings — such as inside cars, construction worksites and homes with little to no air conditioning — can also put people at greater risk, according to the CDC.

Heat island effect

Some urban areas experience higher temperatures compared to outlying areas.

"Structures such as buildings, roads and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun's heat more than natural landscapes like forests and water bodies," the EPA spokesperson said.

These highly concentrated areas, which have limited greenery, become "islands" of higher temperatures relative to outlying areas.

It's important to balance activities with actions that cool the body to prevent heat-related illness, the EPA advised. (iStock)

"Daytime temperatures in urban areas are about 1 to 7 [degrees Fahrenheit] higher than temperatures in outlying areas, and nighttime temperatures are about 2-5 [degrees Fahrenheit] higher," the agency noted.

People living and working in these areas are at higher risk of heat-related illness and death.

"Prolonged exposure to high temperatures is associated with increased hospital admissions for cardiovascular, kidney and respiratory disorders."

As people lose control of their internal temperature amid extreme heat, they may experience a range of illnesses, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and hyperthermia, according to the EPA.

"Prolonged exposure to high temperatures is associated with increased hospital admissions for cardiovascular, kidney and respiratory disorders," the spokesperson said.

A particular setting can also place people at high risk, including inside cars, construction worksites and homes with little to no air conditioning, according to the CDC. (iStock)

Some 1,220 people die of heat-related illness every year in the United States due to extreme heat, per CDC estimates.

"Heat islands also increase energy demand for cooling, which can increase greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution and can be a financial burden for many people — particularly low- or fixed-income households," the EPA spokesperson said.

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Everyone should have a plan in case of extreme heat, McHugh advised. "Either an air-conditioned home or building where shelter from the heat is easily available should be used."

Extreme cold is dangerous, too 

Those who counter climate change claims warn of extreme temperatures at both ends of the spectrum.

Most studies have shown that extreme cold causes about 10 times more excess deaths than extreme heat, according to William Happer, PhD, professor emeritus of physics at Princeton University in New Jersey and a prominent critic of climate extremism.

Most studies have shown that extreme cold causes about 10 times more excess deaths than extreme heat, according to a physics professor. (iStock)

A 2015 international study that analyzed deaths between 1985 and 2012 in 13 countries, including the U.S., found that most of the deaths due to adverse temperatures were attributable to cold weather.

The study, which was published in The Lancet, also revealed that most deaths were caused not by extreme temperatures, but by exposure to moderately hot and cold temperatures. 

A more recent study published in The Lancet Planetary Health in 2021 found that for every death associated with heat, nine were connected to cold.

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"No one knows how much of the modest recent warming, around 1 [degree Celsius] over the past century, has been due to greenhouse gases and how much is natural," Happer told Fox News Digital.

He estimates that less than half of the warming is from increasing greenhouse gases.  

"Whatever the cause, observations clearly show that there has been very little change in daily high temperatures," Happer noted.

A more recent study published in The Lancet Planetary Health in 2021 found that for every death associated with heat, nine were connected to cold. (Credit: Fox News)

"The warming is almost all due to warmer minimum temperatures at night and in the winter."

Compared to lives lost due to the extreme heat, the warming should have saved more lives that would have been lost because of the extreme cold, he said.

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For local heat and health information, the EPA spokesperson recommended using the CDC's Heat and Health Tracker. 

Americans can also visit their local National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Offices for real-time heat-related warnings.

Fox Weather can also be consulted on a regular basis for up-to-date weather information and news. 

For more Health articles, visit www.Foxnews.Com/health.

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