What if your temperature is 99.9

The best way to prevent fevers is to reduce your exposure to infectious diseases. Handwashing is the single most important prevention measure for people of all ages.

Immunizations can reduce the risk for fever-related illnesses, such as the flu. For more information, see the topic Immunizations.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment. You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn How this information was developed. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. All rights reserved. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Overview Fever is the body's normal and healthy reaction to infection and other illnesses, both minor and serious. Fever temperatures A fever is a high body temperature.

Causes of fever Viral infections , such as colds and influenza flu , and bacterial infections , such as a urinary tract infection or pneumonia , often cause a fever.

Treating a fever In most cases, the illness that caused the fever will clear up in a few days. Low body temperature If a low body temperature is your only symptom, it is not something to worry about. Check Your Symptoms Do you think you may have a fever or chills? How old are you?

Are you male or female? Why do we ask this question? The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have. If you are transgender or non-binary, choose the sex that matches the body parts such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina you now have in the area where you are having symptoms. If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice once as "male" and once as "female". This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you.

Are you pregnant? Yes, you know that you're pregnant. No, you're not pregnant, or you're not sure if you're pregnant. Have you had surgery in the past 2 weeks? Do you have symptoms of shock? The symptoms in an adult or older child are different than the symptoms in a young child. Do you think you may be dehydrated? Are the symptoms severe, moderate, or mild? Are you having trouble drinking enough to replace the fluids you've lost? Little sips of fluid usually are not enough.

You need to be able to take in and keep down plenty of fluids. Are you having trouble breathing more than a stuffy nose? Would you describe the breathing problem as severe, moderate, or mild? The symptoms in an adult or older child are different than the symptoms in a young child or baby. Is your ability to breathe:. Getting worse?

Staying about the same not better or worse? Getting better? Are you suddenly drooling and not able to swallow? Do you have symptoms of a serious illness? Is there any pain? How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?

Signs of pain in an adult or child are different than signs of pain in a baby or toddler. Do you have a health problem or take medicine that weakens your immune system?

Do you have shaking chills or very heavy sweating? Shaking chills are a severe, intense form of shivering. Heavy sweating means that sweat is pouring off you or soaking through your clothes. Besides fever, do you have other symptoms of a more serious infection? Have tiny red or purple spots or bruises appeared suddenly? Do you have a rash that looks like a sunburn? Did you take your temperature? How high is the fever? The answer may depend on how you took the temperature.

Mild: How high do you think the fever is? Mild or low. How long have you had a fever? Less than 2 days 48 hours. At least 2 days but less than 1 week. Do you think that a medicine or a vaccine may be causing the fever? Think about whether the fever started soon after you began using a new medicine or a higher dose of a medicine. Or did it start after you got a shot or vaccine?

These include: Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker. Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner. Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners anticoagulants , medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, or natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse.

Recent health events , such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.

Your health habits and lifestyle , such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel. Try Home Treatment You have answered all the questions.

Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms. Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect. You may need care sooner. For example: You may feel tired and edgy mild dehydration , or you may feel weak, not alert, and not able to think clearly severe dehydration. You may pass less urine than usual mild dehydration , or you may not be passing urine at all severe dehydration.

The illness is probably not serious if your child: Is still interested in playing Is eating and drinking well Is alert and smiling at you Has a normal skin color Looks well when their temperature comes down Take steps to lower a fever if you or your child is uncomfortable, vomiting, dried out dehydrated , or not sleeping well.

Remove excess clothing or blankets. The room should be comfortable, not too hot or cool. Try one layer of lightweight clothing, and one lightweight blanket for sleep. If the room is hot or stuffy, a fan may help. A lukewarm bath or sponge bath may help cool someone with a fever. This is effective after medicine is given -- otherwise the temperature might bounce right back up. DO NOT use cold baths, ice, or alcohol rubs.

These cool the skin, but often make the situation worse by causing shivering, which raises the core body temperature. Here are some guidelines for taking medicine to lower a fever: Acetaminophen Tylenol and ibuprofen Advil, Motrin help reduce fever in children and adults.

Sometimes health care providers advise you to use both types of medicine. Take acetaminophen every 4 to 6 hours. It works by turning down the brain's thermostat. Take ibuprofen every 6 to 8 hours. DO NOT use ibuprofen in children 6 months or younger. Aspirin is very effective for treating fever in adults. DO NOT give aspirin to a child unless your child's provider tells you to. Know how much you or your child weighs.

Then check the instructions on the package to find the correct dose. In children 3 months or younger, call your child's provider first before giving medicines. How high is too high? When is it time to call the doctor? What do these numbers even mean?

We tend to fear fevers. However, a fever generally means your immune system is doing its job by fighting off infection. Normal body temperature for adults is about It is very normal for body temperature to range between Regular body temperatures generally do not exceed Therefore, a true fever is when body temperature reaches Keep in mind that kids usually spike fevers faster than adults and the temperatures tend to be higher as well; this is because children have an inexperienced immune system.

Joseph says some circumstances could be reason to see a provider, either in a primary care office or urgent care clinic. Call or go directly to an emergency room if you have a fever and any of the following symptoms:. Seizures Severe abdominal pain Pain or burning with urination. Shortness of breath or chest pain Difficulty holding down fluids Severe headache.