How to break a fever

“Typically anything in the range of 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit is considered normal, but there are times when a perfectly healthy person might have a body temperature that’s slightly higher or slightly lower than that.”

Low-grade fevers range from about 100 F-101 F; 102 F is intermediate grade for adults but a temperature at which adults should seek medical care for an infant (0-6 months). High-grade fevers range from about 103 F-104 F.

1. Take your temperature and assess your symptoms.
2. Stay in bed and rest.
3. Keep hydrated.
4. Take over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to reduce fever.
5. Stay cool.
6. Take tepid baths or using cold compresses to make you more comfortable.

Your first reaction to discomfort may be to put on more clothes or blankets to get warm. The problem with doing this is that bundling up will increase your body temperature further, possibly perpetuating discomfort and contributing to dehydration.

Hot showers. Just like hot weather, hot showers can impact your body temperature. For an accurate reading using a thermometer, wait 60 minutes after showering to check your temperature. Similarly, cold showers can bring your body temperature down.

Body temperature is always higher in the late afternoon and early evening and lower in the early morning. Doctors consider a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater to be a fever. The gold standard for checking the temperature is with a rectal thermometer, especially for children under 1 year old.

Spending time outside in very hot weather can increase a person’s body temperature, as can being in a hot indoor environment for extended periods. Wearing too many layers in either situation can also lead to an increase in body temperature.

Low body temperature and illness. Certain illnesses, or incorrect temperature readings, could factor into why your thermometer reads 96°F (35.55°C), but you feel sick. Low body temperature could also be a symptom of a serious illness like hypothermia or sepsis, but you’d likely have severe symptoms.

Body temperature below 95°F (35°C) is considered abnormally low, and the condition is known as hypothermia. This happens when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat. Hypothermia is a medical emergency, which if left untreated can lead to brain damage and cardiac failure.