Temperature 40 in an adult, what to do and how to bring it down correctly

The disease COVID-19, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 strain of coronavirus, has led to a pandemic in 2021. It is characterized by a polymorphic clinical picture. This means that the symptoms and severity of the disease depend on many factors: the age of the infected person, the presence of chronic diseases, etc. The disease has different symptoms in different categories of patients, which makes it difficult to diagnose.

The main reasons for a temperature of 40 °C

The most common cause of an increase in body temperature to 40 degrees is acute respiratory viral infections1,4. They are also accompanied by cold symptoms: runny nose with liquid mucous discharge and/or impaired nasal breathing, sore throat, discomfort and sometimes sore throat. Possible hoarseness, cough, and congestion in the ears. This condition can occur almost simultaneously with a rise in temperature to 40 degrees or some time later - this happens, for example, with the flu. Fever in such respiratory infections is a sign of an active fight of the immune system against the invading pathogen1,2,4.

An increase in temperature below 40 °C during viral diseases is also due to the addition of a secondary bacterial infection. This can lead to the development of complications such as tracheobronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, otitis media, tonsillitis (tonsillitis)2.

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Reasons for women

Why does the temperature of the fair sex jump from 36 to 37 degrees? Most often, such sharp jumps are observed in women during pregnancy. This phenomenon is explained by the transformation of the entire hormonal background, in particular, an increase in the concentration of the female hormone progesterone in the blood. As a rule, during pregnancy, body temperature jumps from 36 to 37 degrees. In some cases, this figure can reach 37.3 degrees.

It should be noted that if a woman’s body temperature jumps from 36 to 37 due to pregnancy, this will not affect the patient’s well-being in any way. Mostly such jumps are observed during 2-3 months of pregnancy, when the body of the expectant mother gets used to the interesting position. However, it should be noted that some representatives of the fair sex experience jumps in body temperature from 36 to 37 degrees until childbirth.

What is the danger of a temperature of 40 ° C?

A temperature of 40 degrees is a very dangerous symptom. Such severe fever is accompanied by increasing general dehydration, negatively affects the functioning of all internal organs and leads to severe overload of the cardiovascular system. The consequence of such stress for the body can be acute heart failure and other conditions (especially in elderly patients)1.

A temperature of 40 degrees can also provoke swelling of the nervous tissue with subsequent cerebral edema1. Symptoms of this process are a variety of neurological disorders and depression of consciousness1. Sometimes with such a fever, hallucinations appear and the patient begins to delirium.

In a child, a temperature of 40 °C can lead to seizures3,4,5. This is what makes it especially dangerous for children with neurological disorders.

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In the evenings

If a person’s temperature often jumps from 36 to 37 degrees in the evenings, this may indicate the development of chronic diseases. These include:

1. Pharyngitis.
2. Sinusitis.
3. Pyelonephritis.
4. Salpingo-oophoritis.

These pathologies are accompanied by very unpleasant symptoms, so you should not hesitate to treat them. The patient must undergo a medical examination at the clinic, after which, based on the tests, the specialist prescribes the most suitable medicine.

When should you call an ambulance?

At such a high temperature you should always call an ambulance. This should be done as soon as one or more of the following symptoms appear:

• excessive drowsiness, obvious lethargy, disorientation;
• hallucinations, delusions;
• severe shortness of breath, chest pain, blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle, heart rhythm disturbances;
• stomach ache;
• increasing dehydration, which is indicated by a decrease in skin moisture, dry tongue and sclera, a significant decrease in the amount of urine;
• rash;
• lack of effect from taking antipyretics, maintaining the temperature at 40 ° C or even increasing it3,4,5.

It is also recommended to call an ambulance if a fever develops in a child with neurological diseases. Emergency consultation with a doctor is also necessary for patients with immunodeficiency and elderly patients.

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The most common causes of fluctuations

A person’s temperature fluctuates from 36 to 37 degrees, most often due to some kind of disease. Sharp jumps can be provoked by the following pathologies:

1. Heart attack.
2. Tumors.
3. Spread of infection.
4. Inflammatory reactions.
5. Purulent formations.
6. Allergy.
7. Injury to joints or bones.
8. Dysfunction of the endocrine glands.
9. Disorders of the hypothalamus.
10. Autoimmune enemies.

If the temperature jumps from 36 degrees to 38 degrees, then this may be a symptom of tuberculosis. Doctors cannot yet explain exactly what causes this phenomenon, but they believe that the human body reacts to pathogenic bacteria in this way.

A person who suffers from tuberculosis experiences an increase or decrease in body temperature by several degrees throughout the day. In some cases, the fluctuations are so pronounced that a sweeping graph can be constructed from them. Such jumps are often observed in the case of the formation of purulent abscesses.

Is it necessary to lower the temperature to 40°C?

If the temperature has risen to 40 °C, it must be brought down, regardless of the well-being of the sick person and his age3,4,5. However, one should not strive for rapid and complete elimination of fever. To begin with, it will be enough to lower the temperature from 40 to 38–38.4 °C. Only if fever is poorly tolerated, neurological disorders and other complications develop, they try to immediately reduce it to 37–37.5 °C. The fact is that a very sharp decrease in temperature to a normal level can aggravate cardiovascular failure, which inevitably makes itself felt at a temperature of 40 degrees3.

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The hidden dangers of long-term low-grade fever

Low-grade fever most often indicates a long-term inflammatory process. Moreover, the reasons can be quite serious.

If a temperature of 37.2℃ in an adult lasts more than 2 weeks, then in this case we can talk about long-term low-grade fever. The main danger lies in the development of oncological processes, tuberculosis, as well as the formation of purulent foci in the body. And although these reasons are not very common, if the increase is prolonged, a person needs to visit a doctor and undergo a comprehensive examination.

What should you do at a temperature of 40 °C?

It is recommended to take age-appropriate medications with antipyretic properties, stay in bed for at least 3-4 days, drink plenty of warm liquids and avoid overheating3,4,5. Do not forget that in most cases such fever is caused by infection. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to prevent infection of other family members. Relatives of the sick person are advised to ventilate the room, use separate dishes from the sick person, wear masks, wash their hands frequently and carry out wet cleaning.

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Ovulation

A sharp jump in body temperature is often observed during ovulation in the fair sex. During this period, the absolute norm is indicators from 36.9 and 37 to 37.3. In addition to temperature fluctuations, symptoms of ovulation will include the following:

1. Powerlessness and weakness.
2. Irritability and nervousness.
3. Pain in the lower abdomen.
4. A good appetite.
5. Swelling.

As a rule, by the time menstruation arrives, the above symptoms disappear, and the temperature no longer jumps. In addition to the fact that a woman’s temperature fluctuates during this period, her general condition may worsen, which will not be considered a pathology. In this case, there is no need to consult a doctor.

Temperature 40 °C in a child

A child with a temperature below 40 °C can be a symptom of many diseases4. Moreover, not all of them can be correctly diagnosed during the initial examination. For example, severe kidney and urinary tract infections can mimic the pathology of the digestive system. After all, in a child they are often accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting against a background of a temperature of 40 degrees. And the initial stage of measles is very similar to respiratory viral diseases.

Such a high fever must be brought down, even if the child has a temperature of 40 ° C without symptoms of damage to internal organs4,5. He should be given a doctor-approved antipyretic drug, following the recommended age-specific dosage4,5. Preference is usually given to drugs in soluble form or in syrup form, which makes swallowing easier and speeds up the process of absorption of the drug in the digestive tract. In consultation with the pediatrician, it is permissible to use non-drug measures to increase heat transfer from the surface of the skin.

You cannot give your child antibiotics on your own4,5. The decision on this method of treatment can only be made by a doctor if the temperature rises to 40 °C due to a bacterial infection. For viral diseases, antibiotics are simply useless.

The lack of effect from taking antipyretics, signs of depression of the central nervous system, the development of convulsions and symptoms of obvious dehydration in a child are reasons for urgently consulting a doctor and deciding on hospitalization4.

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How to reduce a high temperature

7 tips on how to bring down a high fever with a cold or flu:

• the key to everything is sleep and rest;
• drink plenty of fluids - from 2 to 2.5 liters per day;
• choose light or blended food;
• take probiotics;
• don't wrap yourself in clothes.

The following recommendations are general and are not intended for a specific child. Only a doctor can give precise instructions with individual selection of treatment. Self-medication can lead to serious consequences. If a child has a high temperature that rises quickly, call your local pediatrician or an ambulance.

The pathogenetic mechanism of fever is closely related to inflammation. Therefore, anti-inflammatory drugs with an antipyretic (antipyretic) effect are used to lower the temperature. It should be remembered: treatment of fever is the elimination of the symptom, and not the treatment of the disease itself.

There are methods to physically lower body temperature, especially in children. These include: cold heating pads, cold enemas and wiping with cold water. However, it should be remembered that such methods do not have an evidence base. These methods are unsafe and are therefore excluded from protocols for the symptomatic treatment of fever.

The World Health Organization recommends two medications to treat fever: ibuprofen and paracetamol. WHO offers these drugs as the most studied, safe and effective. They rarely have side effects and have the least effect on the liver, so ibuprofen and paracetamol are indicated for children and adults.

How to reduce the temperature of an adult (one of the drugs):

• paracetamol – 650–1000 mg every 6 hours;
• ibuprofen – 400–600 mg every 6 hours.

In this case, the maximum daily dose should not exceed 4 g to avoid toxic manifestations. Take the tablets with plenty of warm water, do not dissolve or chew, or dissolve in water. It is best to take the tablets during or after meals. When taking paracetamol and ibuprofen, you should temporarily avoid other medications against influenza or other infections if they contain acetaminophen, aspirin, naproxen, or any other drug from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

How to bring down a child’s temperature (one of the drugs):

• paracetamol – a single dose of 10 mg/kg body weight;
• ibuprofen - a single dose of 5-10 mg/kg body weight (for children over 3 months).

The next dose of one of the medications is after 4–5 hours. Taking the drug is considered effective if after 30 minutes the body temperature has dropped by 0.5–1 0C when measured in the armpit. Remember, you should not self-medicate. To accurately assess your child's condition and give him the right medications, you need to consult a doctor.

In children, fever can be malignant - this is called “pale” fever. It is accompanied by centralization of blood circulation, impaired microcirculation, deterioration of the child’s well-being, severe chills, cold feet and hands, and pale skin. In the case of pale fever, paracetamol or ibuprofen is administered intravenously at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight.

If there is no paracetamol or ibuprofen at home, you need to use “backup” therapy - a 50% analgin solution intramuscularly at a rate of 0.1 ml per 1 year of the child’s life. However, after administration of the medicine, side effects may occur: allergic reactions and changes in blood tests. However, before you administer analgin, call a doctor. He will assess the child’s condition and tell you exactly whether the medicine needs to be administered.

Due to excessive sweating, fever is accompanied by dehydration. Therefore, during a fever, you should drink a lot of mineral water, tea, fruit drinks, decoctions and juices. In addition, a large amount of fluid promotes detoxification - waste products of viruses or bacteria are eliminated from the body faster. With a fever, appetite decreases. However, you still need to eat. In this state, easily digestible carbohydrates are best: baked goods, sweet drinks, jam or cakes.

If overheating occurs due to sun or heatstroke, the patient must be taken away from the heat source and direct sunlight. The patient should be placed on a bed or sofa in a cool and ventilated room. Next, remove outer clothing and ensure adequate heat transfer. Spray a large amount of room temperature water on your face. Now that the person is safe, call an ambulance. Meanwhile, fan your body with a newspaper or towel, or turn on a fan.

Reasons for a temperature of 40 °C without cold symptoms

The cause of a temperature of 40 °C can be not only acute respiratory diseases and their complications. Such severe fever can be caused by:

• severe intestinal infections of viral or bacterial origin;
• a focus of purulent infection in peripheral soft tissues, chest or abdominal cavity, internal organs;
• sepsis;
• meningitis;
• pneumonia;
• consequences of toxic, ischemic or traumatic damage to the deep structures of the brain, accompanied by disruption of the functioning of the thermoregulation center;
• malaria (testing for this disease is mandatory for repeated episodes of a sharp increase in temperature up to 40 ° C with chills).1,2,4,5

There are many diseases that can occur with severe fever. And only a doctor can diagnose them. Therefore, if the temperature rises to 40 °C, you should not self-medicate; you should consult a specialist.

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When should a temperature of 37 °C be treated?

But let’s say you’re not nervous, don’t tense up, don’t experience ovulation and measure your temperature exclusively in the morning. In this case, stable warming of the body to 37 °C and above may signal a latent disease.

Here are the most common reasons: What Causes a Persistent Low-Grade Fever and How Is It Treated? , which cause low-grade fever.

Respiratory infection

In most cases, the symptoms of a cold are obvious, but sometimes it can occur in a vague form - without a pronounced runny nose or sore throat. Nevertheless, the body fights viruses, and a low-grade fever indicates exactly this. This situation is especially likely if the temperature rise occurred during the cold season and cold season.

With a cold, a temperature of 37 °C lasts no longer than 4–5 days. If you have had it for more than a week, you need to consider other reasons.

What to do about it . Try to treat your cold: drink more fluids, breathe fresh air, and don’t overexert yourself.

Urinary tract infections

In this case, there will be discomfort when urinating. Sometimes it is very pronounced - with a noticeable burning sensation and even pain, and sometimes it makes itself felt barely - with dark urine and an increased urge to go to the toilet. Listen to yourself.

What to do about it . If you have the slightest suspicion, consult a urologist as soon as possible. You can’t hesitate and wait for it to go away on its own: such infections can develop into kidney inflammation.

Tuberculosis

This is an infection that is easy to miss early on. At first, tuberculosis has practically no symptoms, except perhaps weakness, fatigue and that same low-grade fever.

What to do about it . First, go for fluorography. Then consult a therapist. He will either rule out tuberculosis or refer you to specialized specialists.

Iron-deficiency anemia

Lack of iron in the blood, among other troubles, disrupts Iron and thermoregulation: a review. thermoregulation. Because of this, body temperature may be elevated.

What to do about it . Take a blood test for hemoglobin. If it turns out that you have an iron deficiency, you need to work with your therapist to understand the causes of anemia and undergo the treatment prescribed by your doctor.

Latent autoimmune diseases or developing tumors

Cancer and chronic autoimmune diseases - multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus - are often accompanied by Autoimmune Disease pH and temperature with a slight increase in temperature. In this case, additional symptoms are most often present: lethargy, weakness, incomprehensible painful sensations throughout the body, increased sweating, weight loss.

What to do about it. If low-grade fever is accompanied by at least some of the listed symptoms, immediately consult a physician! Most likely, the doctor will prescribe blood and urine tests for you - not only general, but also biochemical. You may need to do an ultrasound of your internal organs.

Thyrotoxicosis

This is a disease in which the thyroid gland produces more important hormones than needed. This may cause your body temperature to rise. But, as a rule, thyrotoxicosis also has other signs: rapid heartbeat, nervousness, flashes of sweating, increased fatigue, and weight loss.

What to do about it. Take a blood test for thyroid hormones and discuss the results with a therapist or endocrinologist.

Presence of chronic infection

It could be anything, even tooth decay! The immune system reacts to the presence of viruses and bacteria in the body by raising the temperature. If the outbreak is small - insignificant.

What to do about it. Get examined by the main doctors: therapist, ENT specialist, surgeon, dentist, urologist, gynecologist... If any disorders are discovered, be sure to treat them. Naturally, as the specialist says.

RINZA® and RINZASIP® with vitamin C at a temperature of 40 °C

Treatment at a temperature of 40 degrees includes etiotropic (aimed at eliminating the cause) and symptomatic (to reduce the severity of symptoms) therapy. And drugs with antipyretic effects play a key role. At the same time, according to the recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization), preference should be given to drugs based on paracetamol4.

RINZA® tablets and powder for preparing a solution for oral administration RINZASIP® with vitamin C are modern products that can be used as symptomatic therapy for acute respiratory diseases with fever in adults and children over 6 years of age (for the drug RINZASIP® for children)6, 7.8. They have an antipyretic effect, help relieve headaches, muscle pain and sore throat, and also reduce nasal congestion and swelling6,7,8.

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The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional advice from a doctor. To make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment, consult a qualified specialist.

Literature:

1. Maltseva L.A. Pyrexia and antipyretic therapy in patients with critical conditions. // Maltseva L.A., Mosentsev N.F. / Emergency Medicine, No. 4 (91), 2021, p. 51-56.
2. A.N. Smirnov. Differential diagnosis of hyperthermia in non-infectious pathology. Part 2. / A.N. Smirnov, E.P. Pogorelskaya // Archives of Internal Medicine. No. 6(14), 2013; With. 53-58.
3. L.I. Kalyuzhnaya. Heat disturbances and fever. / L.I. Kalyuzhnaya, D. A. Zemlyanoy // Pediatrician volume VI No. 1 2015, p. 124-133.
4. Yu. B. Belan. Fever in pediatric practice. / Yu. B. Belan, M. V. Starikovich // Attending physician. No. 10/13, 2013.
5. Delyagin V. M. Fever. The variety of reasons and the complexity of the solution / To help the pediatrician. No. 1 2013, p. 80-83.
6. Instructions for use of the drug RINZA®. Registration number: P N015798/01.
7. Instructions for use of the drug RINZASip® with VITAMIN C. Registration number: LS-002579.
8. Instructions for use of the drug RINZA® for children. Registration number: LP-001821.

Purulent-destructive pathology

A purulent focus can cause the temperature to remain at 39 °C. The pathological process can affect bone tissue, abdominal and thoracic organs; a significant percentage of purulent-destructive diseases are lung lesions:

• acute lung abscess;
• gangrene of the lung.

An acute abscess is the breakdown of lung tissue with the formation of one or more cavities separated from healthy tissue by a capsule.

Gangrene is necrosis of lung tissue without clear boundaries with a tendency to spread rapidly.

In the pathogenesis of purulent-destructive lung diseases, the key point is infection, that is, the penetration of the pathogen (staphylococci, clostridia, Klebsiella) from the bronchi, with the lymph flow, hematogenously or as a result of injury. The development of pathology is facilitated by impaired circulation and ventilation of the lungs as a result of tissue collapse (atelectasis), aspiration of foreign objects, the presence of bronchiectasis, as well as a long history of smoking, alcohol abuse, and the use of immunosuppressive drugs.

Acute lung abscess is characterized by:

1. High temperature (39–39.6 °C in an adult) combined with weakness, sweating, loss of appetite.
2. Chest pain on the affected side.
3. Cough “full of mouth” with sputum that has an unpleasant odor.

The patient's condition improves soon after the discharge of copious sputum begins; with a favorable course of the disease, the abscess enters the healing stage, which is accompanied by normalization of body temperature.

Symptoms of gangrene:

• weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite;
• fever, chills;
• cough with a lot of foamy, foul-smelling sputum;
• putrid breath.

Acute osteomyelitis remains a significant pathology among purulent diseases - purulent-necrotic inflammation of the bone marrow, bone tissue and surrounding soft tissues, which occurs when infected with bacteria hematogenously, during surgery or as a result of injury. The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

1. Weakness, headache.
2. Increased temperature (38–39.2 °C in an adult).
3. Pain, swelling and redness at the site of the lesion.
4. Restricted mobility due to pain.

A temperature of 39 °C after surgery in combination with other signs of acute osteomyelitis indicates possible contamination of the surgical wound. If the lesion is located near the joint, there is a risk of infection spreading and the development of purulent arthritis.

A serious complication of a number of pathologies of the abdominal cavity is peritonitis - inflammation of the peritoneum.

It occurs most often as a result of acute appendicitis, perforated duodenal ulcer, etc. A temperature of 39 and abdominal pain is one of the characteristic complaints of patients. Symptoms also include:

• vomiting without relief;
• bloating;
• stool retention;
• abdominal wall tension;
• severe weakness.

What to do at a temperature of 39.5 °C and signs of a purulent-destructive lung disease? Hospitalization to the thoracic surgery department, prescription of antibacterial (cephalexin) and mucolytic drugs (ambroxol, acetylcysteine), detoxification therapy, and sanitation bronchoscopy are required. Drainage of the abscess cavity with rinsing with antiseptics (furacillin solution), opening of the abscess, and resection of the lungs are also performed.

To treat osteomyelitis, antibacterial therapy (cephalexin, amikacin) is prescribed. Surgery may be required to remove non-viable tissue and eliminate increased intraosseous pressure.

What to do at a temperature of 39.2 °C in case of peritonitis? Treatment is carried out only surgically (laparotomy, sanitation and drainage of the abdominal cavity) with brief preoperative preparation (infusion therapy, administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics).

Prevention

If you don't want to deal with daily fluctuations in body temperature, you need to strengthen your immune system. To do this, you should adhere to the following preventive rules:

1. You should lead a correct lifestyle.
2. Every day you need to set aside a small amount of time for physical exercise.
3. It is necessary to eat properly and balanced. You will have to eliminate all harmful foods from your diet.
4. You should also stop drinking alcohol and smoking.
5. Throughout the day, it is necessary to consume a sufficient amount of water, which is at least 2 liters per day.
6. Experts recommend hardening the body.
7. For prevention purposes, you should take vitamin complexes.
8. Your daily diet should include fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as other foods that are rich in nutrients and vitamins.