When Does a Fever Require Medical Intervention?

Many people become concerned when they notice they or a loved one has a fever. Fevers in children can seem especially alarming. In most cases, a fever doesn’t immediately require medical intervention. But it’s important to be able to recognize when a fever is an emergency.  

Injury and Health Urgent Care offers urgent care for a number of issues, including sick visits. Melissa Kempf, MD and Shannon Wait, DNP, APRN, FNP-C want you to be as healthy and safe as possible, so we do recommend knowing the signs that a fever isn’t just a fever. 

Fevers 101

People’s body temperatures change throughout the day. They’re usually the highest at night, and they can elevate slightly based on different internal or external stimuli. A good rule of thumb is to understand what constitutes a fever for an adult and a child. 

An adult has a fever if their temperature is above 99°F. A child has a fever if their temperature is above 99°F if taken under the arm, 99.5°F if taken orally, and 100.4°F if taken rectally. 

Fevers normally occur as your body’s response to a sickness, an infection, or another issue. In many cases, it’s one of the first signs you’ll notice. In others, however, your temperature can increase because of the time of day, your menstrual cycle, physical activity, the weather, or any number of things. 

When a fever is cause for concern 

We feel a fever should always be taken seriously as a symptom. A sick visit to your urgent care center might be in order if you have a fever and want to get quick help or have it documented for your workplace. However, there are times when a fever means medical attention is needed immediately. 

Too high of a fever 

If your fever is too high, this could be a serious cause for concern. Seizures and even death can occur. For adults, a fever that gets to 105°F or higher and doesn’t come down readily is a medical emergency. For children two years and younger who have a fever higher than 102°F, this is also a serious cause for concern.

Too long of a fever

Similarly, if a fever lasts for a very long time, it should be treated as a medical emergency. Fevers that last 24 to 48 hours in children and 48 to 72 hours in adults are very serious. If you notice this, get to a hospital immediately. 

Certain symptoms associated with the fever

Sometimes, a fever isn’t high enough to warrant concern on its own. But if it’s accompanied by any of the symptoms listed below, it’s likely a serious medical condition is occurring, and you should seek treatment.

• Strong or unusual headache 
• Problems breathing 
• Seizures 
• Rash 
• Vomiting
• Pain in the stomach
• Sensitivity to light
• Altered speech or behavior 
• Extreme exhaustion or difficulty waking the person 

Ongoing fevers

If you or your child has had fevers on and off for more than a week, this also requires medical intervention. Even if your fevers haven’t been very high, it’s important to find out why they’ve been occurring because they could be the only symptom your body is exhibiting. 

Ongoing illness or condition

Certain people need to be very careful if they experience a fever. For example, if you have an immunocompromising condition like HIV/AIDS, you should seek medical intervention for a fever quickly. This also includes those being treated for cancer, those who have just undergone surgery, and those with diabetes, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and chronic lung problems. 

Fevers should be examined

While little changes in temperature happen all the time, there are important things a fever could be trying to tell you, so it’s best to always be aware. Whether you simply need treatment for a passing illness or the fever could be a serious problem, visit our clinic today.

The phone number for our San Antonio, Texas, office is 210-879-3521. You can call or make an appointment online.