Normal body temperature range. What should a person's body temperature be?

Normal temperature body is one of the most important indicators of human health. What should the temperature be? What does it depend on? Should I be concerned if it goes down? What to do if it increases?

People are warm-blooded organisms, therefore throughout their lives they are “forced” to maintain their temperature within the limits determined by nature, regardless of their characteristics environment. Only under this condition will life processes proceed at the proper level.

What temperature is considered normal?

Body temperature: what does it depend on and what should it be? Body temperature is measured with a thermometer under the armpit, in the mouth, in the rectum or external ear canal. Since the temperature inside the body is slightly higher than outside, the measurements differ by 1–5 degrees.

When measured in the axillary region, a temperature in the range of 35.5–37.4 0C is considered normal.

When the temperature is below 35.2 0C we speak of hypothermia, if the temperature is above 37.3 0C we speak of hyperthermia.

If we take the temperature in the axillary region as an average of 36.6 0C, then it will correspond to a temperature in anus 37.5 0C, in the mouth - 37.0 0C.

What does body temperature depend on?

The human body temperature is not a constant value; it changes depending on the time of day, environmental temperature conditions, health status and existing diseases.

The most low temperature body temperature is observed in the morning, at approximately 6:00, then it increases by 0.5–1 0C and reaches a maximum in the evening. It is interesting that these fluctuations are not determined by the level physical activity person, and biological rhythms, laid down by nature in accordance with the daily solar cycles.

When overheated, a person’s body temperature rises by one and a half degrees; when hypothermic, it decreases and can fall below 32.2 0C. In most cases, when the body is cooled to 29.5 0C, a person loses consciousness, and at 26.5 0C most often dies. When body temperature increases to 44 0C, blood proteins coagulate, and the person dies from hyperthermia.

In young children, due to the functional immaturity of the thermoregulation system, body temperature can fluctuate within wider limits than in adults. In girls, the temperature level stabilizes by 13–14 years, in boys - by 18 years. In adult women, body temperature is approximately half a degree higher than in men; it decreases in the middle menstrual cycle, during ovulation and the maximum level of estradiol, then increases at the time of the next menstruation or in the event of pregnancy.

The thermoregulation center is located in the brain, in the hypothalamus. Body temperature is influenced by the level functional activity thyroid gland. Diseases of the thyroid gland and brain tumors are the main causes of long-term and persistent disturbances in thermoregulation. Hypothermia and hyperthermia lead to disruption of vital processes and can cause human death.

Hypothermia and its causes

Hypothermia, or a drop in a person's body temperature below 35.2 0C, is an indication for seeing a doctor, as is an elevated temperature. The condition is accompanied by chilliness, trembling in the body, weakness, drowsiness, decreased heart rate, and impaired coordination of movements.

Body temperature: what does it depend on and what should it be? Hyperthermia, or increased body temperature, can be caused by an increase in heat production and a violation of its release into the environment. Most often, the condition is accompanied by maximum tension of thermoregulation mechanisms: expansion of superficial skin vessels, increased sweating, rapid breathing and heart rate. In severe cases, body temperature reaches 41–42 0C, which leads to heatstroke, cardiac dysfunction and clouding of consciousness.

An increase in body temperature is observed in the following cases:

for severe muscle work and during physical training,

with nervous tension,

during a visit to the sauna, steam bath, during reception hot bath, with prolonged exposure to the sun or in a hot room,

when eating hot and spicy foods,

in case of disruption of the autonomic nervous system (VNS),

for some chronic diseases,

for diseases of the blood and lymphatic system,

for most dental diseases,

with hidden bleeding,

in case of poisoning,

with hyperthyroidism.

A body temperature above 37.0 0C indicates an acute inflammatory process in the body or a gross disruption of the thermoregulation center.

Should I bring down the high temperature?

Body temperature: what does it depend on and what should it be? A high temperature is a reason to seek medical help. If the body temperature does not exceed 38 0C, hyperthermia does not pose a danger to a person. It is not worth bringing down such a temperature, because in most cases it is a protective reaction and helps the body fight infection and inflammation, except, of course, in cases where hyperthermia is caused by other reasons.

The maximum and minimum temperature of a person cause irreversible consequences that can lead to fatal outcome, so knowing the limits of the human body allows us to keep it within healthy condition. This is why it is important to know what the maximum and minimum temperature a person can have.

The normal human body temperature is considered to be between 36-37 degrees. Minimum temperature healthy person observed around 6.00 am. The maximum temperature can be recorded in the late afternoon, in the time interval 16.00-18.00.

Body temperature may rise or rise various reasons: hypothermia, thermal or sunstroke, the presence of various infectious diseases, ovulation period in women, stress, physical activity.

Our body adapts to temperature changes and protects itself as follows: when the temperature rises, we begin to sweat more; when the temperature drops, the muscles begin to contract quickly, and trembling occurs.

Maximum human temperature

The maximum temperature for a person is considered to be 43 and above. At this temperature a person can die. A condition in which a person has a temperature above 41 degrees is called hyperpyrexia.

Hyperpyrexia is the most important mechanism body protection. At high temperatures, the activity of leukocytes and phagocytes increases, which protect the body from viral and bacterial infections. Also, with hyperpyrexia, the production of interferon, an antiviral protein, increases, thanks to which the body’s cells become immune to viruses.

Hyperpyrexia occurs due to the penetration of viral and bacterial infections into the body. The harmful effects of hyperpyrexia include: dehydration, breathing problems, seizures, irregular heartbeat, exhaustion, weakness, and loss of appetite.

Maximum body temperature is especially dangerous for pregnant women, children, and the elderly.

Minimum human temperature

The minimum human temperature is considered to be 15-23 degrees; if the body cools to this temperature, death can occur.

A condition characterized by a temperature drop below 35 degrees is called hypothermia. The main cause of hypothermia is hypothermia and areactive sepsis. Hypothermia caused by exposure to cold can cause frostbite various parts skin.

Symptoms of hypothermia include drowsiness, paleness, weakness and loss of coordination, slurred speech, difficulty thinking, apathy, loss of consciousness, weak pulse, slow shallow breathing.

Hypothermia is dangerous to health and requires immediate attention. medical care.

A person's minimum and maximum temperatures are life-threatening conditions that can lead to death. Avoid hypothermia, treat viral and bacterial infections, go regularly medical examination, lead healthy image life - all this will help you avoid health threatening hyperpyrexia and hypothermia.

Body temperature is an indicator of the body's thermal state. Thanks to it, the relationship between heat production is reflected internal organs, heat exchange between them and the outside world. At the same time, temperature indicators depend on a person’s age, time of day, exposure to the environment, health status and other characteristics of the body. So what should a person's body temperature be?

People are accustomed to the fact that when body temperature changes, it is customary to talk about health problems. Even with a slight hesitation, a person is ready to sound the alarm. But everything is not always so sad. Normal human body temperature ranges from 35.5 to 37 degrees. In this case, the average in most cases is 36.4-36.7 degrees. I would also like to note that temperature indicators can be individual for everyone. Normal temperature conditions It is considered when a person feels completely healthy, able to work and there is no failure in metabolic processes.

What is the normal body temperature in adults also depends on what nationality the person is. For example, in Japan it stays at 36 degrees, and in Australia the body temperature rises to 37 degrees.

It is also worth noting that normal human body temperature can fluctuate throughout the day. In the morning it is lower, and in the evening it rises significantly. Moreover, its fluctuation during the day can be one degree.

Human temperature is divided into several types, which include:

bodies. Her readings drop below 35.5 degrees. This process is commonly called hypothermia;
normal body temperature. Indicators can range from 35.5 to 37 degrees;
elevated body temperature. It rises above 37 degrees. At the same time, it is measured in armpit;
. Its limits range from 37.5 to 38 degrees;
febrile body temperature. Indicators range from 38 to 39 degrees;
high or pyretic body temperature. It rises to 41 degrees. This is a critical body temperature that leads to disruption metabolic processes in the brain;
hyperpyretic body temperature. A lethal temperature that rises above 41 degrees and leads to death.

Internal temperature is also classified into other types as follows:

hypothermia. When temperatures are below 35.5 degrees;
normal temperature. It ranges from 35.5-37 degrees;
hyperthermia. The temperature is above 37 degrees;
feverish condition. The readings rise above 38 degrees, and the patient experiences chills and paleness skin, marble mesh.

Rules for measuring body temperature

All people are accustomed to the fact that, according to the standard, temperature indicators should be measured in the armpit. To complete the procedure, you must follow several rules.

The armpit should be dry.
Then take a thermometer and carefully shake it down to a value of 35 degrees.
The tip of the thermometer is located in the armpit and pressed tightly with your hand.
You need to hold it for five to ten minutes.
After this, the result is evaluated.

You should be extremely careful with a mercury thermometer. You cannot break it, otherwise mercury will pour out and release harmful fumes. It is strictly forbidden to give such things to children. As a replacement, you can have an infrared or electronic thermometer. Such devices measure temperature in a matter of seconds, but the values from mercury may differ.

Not everyone thinks that temperature can be measured not only in the armpit, but also in other places. For example, in the mouth. At this method measurements normal indicators will be within 36-37.3 degrees.

How to measure the temperature in the mouth? There are several rules.
To measure the temperature in the mouth, you need to be in the room for five to seven minutes. calm state. If in oral cavity If you have dentures, braces or plates, they should be removed.

After that mercury thermometer you need to wipe it dry and place it under the tongue on either side. To get results, you need to hold it for four to five minutes.

It is worth noting that oral temperature differs significantly from measurements in axillary area. Temperature measurements in the mouth may show a result higher by 0.3-0.8 degrees. If an adult doubts the indicators, then a comparison needs to be made between the temperature obtained in the armpit.

If the patient does not know how to measure the temperature in the mouth, then you can stick to the usual technology. During the procedure, you should follow the execution technique. The thermometer can be installed both behind the cheek and under the tongue. But clamping the device with your teeth is strictly prohibited.

Reduced body temperature

After the patient has found out what temperature he has, it is necessary to determine its nature. If it is below 35.5 degrees, then it is customary to talk about hypothermia.

The internal temperature may be low for some reasons, which include:

weakened immune function;
severe hypothermia;
recent illness;
diseases of the endocrine system;
use of certain medications;
low hemoglobin;
failure in the hormonal system;
presence of internal bleeding;
intoxication of the body;
chronic fatigue.

If the patient's internal temperature is very low, he will feel weak, weak and dizzy.
To increase the temperature at home, you need to put your feet in a hot place foot bath or on a heating pad. After this, put on warm socks and drink hot tea with honey, an infusion of medicinal herbs.

If the temperature indicators decrease gradually and reach 35-35.3 degrees, then we can say:

about simple overwork, strong physical activity, chronic lack of sleep;
O poor nutrition or following a strict diet;
O hormonal imbalance. Occurs during pregnancy, during menopause or menstruation in women;
about violations carbohydrate metabolism due to liver disease.

Increased body temperature

The most common phenomenon is elevated body temperature. If it stays at levels from 37.3 to 39 degrees, then it is customary to talk about infectious lesion. When viruses, bacteria and fungi enter the human body, severe intoxication occurs, which is expressed not only in an increase in body temperature, but also a runny nose, lacrimation, cough, drowsiness, and deterioration in general condition. If the internal temperature rises above 38.5 degrees, then doctors advise taking antipyretics.

The occurrence of temperature can be observed with burns and mechanical injuries.
In rare situations, hyperthermia occurs. This condition is caused by an increase in temperature above 40.3 degrees. If such a situation occurs, you must call an ambulance as soon as possible. When the indicators reach 41 degrees, it is customary to talk about critical condition which threatens later life patient. At a temperature of 40 degrees, irreversible processes begin to occur. There is a gradual destruction of the brain and deterioration in the functioning of internal organs.

If the internal temperature is 42 degrees, the patient dies. There are cases when the patient experienced such a condition and survived. But their number is small.

If the internal temperature rises above normal, then the patient exhibits symptoms in the form of:

fatigue and weakness;
general painful condition;
dry skin and lips;
lung or . Depends on temperature indicators;
pain in the head;
aches in muscle structures;
arrhythmias;
decreased and complete loss of appetite;
increased sweating.

Each person is individual. Therefore, everyone will have their own normal body temperature. Someone with readings of 35.5 degrees feels normal, but if they rise to 37 degrees they are already considered sick. For others, even 38 degrees may be the normal limit. Therefore, it is also worth focusing on general condition body.

Human body temperature is the most important indicator of health. What is the normal human body temperature? What does increased or low temperature human body? This is what our article is about.

Normal human body temperature

The normal human body temperature at rest in the middle of the day is +36.6°C. In the morning, the temperature of a healthy person may be slightly lower (0.5-0.7 degrees). In the evening, body temperature may rise slightly (by 0.3-0.5 degrees).

However, experts say that the normal human body temperature should not be lower than +35.9°C and higher than +37.2°C.

Anything that does not fit into this range - serious reason for concern.

Low human body temperature

Body temperature is considered very low from +34.9°C to +35.2°C.

Important! If a person’s body temperature is below +34.9°C, call an ambulance immediately!

What does a temperature of about +35°C mean? This is a signal from the body that you have problems with the blood, or dysfunction of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Also, a similar temperature occurs after radiation exposure, a course of antibiotics and other aggressive therapy. Severe hangover- another reason for the sudden drop in temperature to +35°C.

Moderately low body temperature from +35.3°C to +35.8°C can be individual feature person, but can also signal diseases. Such as: VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia), CFS (syndrome chronic fatigue), depression, initial stage type 2 diabetes, asthenic syndrome, disruption of the liver and gallbladder, disruption of protein absorption by the body, etc.

Low-grade body temperature

Body temperature from +37.0°C to +37.3°C is called “subfebrile”. This temperature in in rare cases maybe for someone individual norm. But, usually, it indicates some problems in the body, for example, a low-grade inflammatory process.

Also, low-grade fever can “signal” about the onset of a cold, hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), diseases of the blood and lymph, food poisoning, O internal bleeding etc.

Subject to availability low-grade fever no need to take antipyretic drugs. It is also contraindicated to take anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal medications without a doctor's recommendation.

High human body temperature

Body temperature from +37.4°C to +40.2°C is considered elevated and high.

This temperature indicates that the body goes spicy inflammatory process. Medical intervention is simply necessary.

Depending on the patient’s condition, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment. However, reducing the temperature with the help of antipyretic drugs usually starts at +38.5°C.

Important! An increase in body temperature to +40.3°C and above most often leads to death. Only special medications can reduce this temperature.

Conclusions

Any deviation of body temperature from the norm indicates a problem in the body. Therefore, there is no need to wait until it “goes away on its own.” Consult a doctor!

In the distant ancient times and medieval times The temperature was determined simply - by placing a hand on the patient’s forehead, they exclaimed: “You have a fever!” Oddly enough, measurement in the current way (using a mercury thermometer) began relatively recently, in the mid-19th century.

Now it seems completely natural that if you feel unwell, chills, or, conversely, fever, the first thing you need to do is look for a thermometer in the house to measure the temperature, which is generally considered to be important indicator approaching illness.

“I have a temperature”, “Do you have a temperature?”, omitting the definition (what kind), everyone already understands that it is elevated, that is, in order not to say many words, they use one thing, implying the body’s reaction to the influence unfavorable factors. Doctors add the word “low-grade, febrile”, call it fever, but in any case mean its deviation from normal values and, as a rule, upward.

Deviation options

A person does not notice his normal body temperature. Endocrine and nervous system engage in thermoregulation and maintain it at a certain level. If something is wrong in the body, the thermometer crosses the red number of 37°C, forcing you to be wary and find out the reason for what happened. But what is the temperature and where is its normal range? So, they distinguish:

The temperature is normal– this is a difference of approximately 1°C on a mercury thermometer located in a home medicine cabinet ( from 36 to 37°, if the measurement was made in the armpit). Meanwhile, sometimes under the influence physiological processes or depending on the time of day, this interval may expand (35.6 – 37.3°), but at the same time not give cause for concern;
Low-grade fever, which is characterized by an increase in the indicator up to 38 degrees, such values usually indicate that an infectious agent has entered the body and caused immunological reaction, that is, the human body reacted and began active struggle. How to bring the temperature down to 38° C (even to 38.5) is usually not a question, because reducing it can suppress natural immunity and the disease will drag on. The only exceptions are certain circumstances (history of convulsions during fever in the child, presence of cardiovascular pathology, liver and kidney diseases);

Febrile fever - up to 39 degrees and above, which, depending on the value of the indicator, is divided into pyretic(39-40°) and hyperpyretic(above 41°C) In such cases, you can, of course, try to bring down the temperature with home remedies, but only to alleviate suffering, to give the person a rest, but not to solve all the problems. At a temperature of 39 degrees, it is no longer necessary to call the local doctor, but an ambulance team. As for very high temperature(close to 40-42°C), then probably every adult understands how dangerous this is.

It should be noted that the temperature of the skin, which comes into contact and interacts with the environment, and at the same time adapts to it, is somewhat lower than inside the body. This difference in other cases can reach 10°, but not all organs have direct access, so you have to take their word for it.

Table: normal human body temperature

Meanwhile, this feature must be taken into account when measuring body temperature at various points:

The most common measurement site in adults is axillary area, expected rate – 36.6° does not always coincide with real values, however, as mentioned above, deviations in one direction or another by a few tenths of a degree should not cause concern;
For seriously ill bedridden people, the most accessible place for thermometry is oral cavity, there the indicators approach or slightly exceed 37°C;
The mother most often takes the baby's temperature in the rectum, holding it tightly with your buttocks mercury thermometer. She is probably already aware that at this point the normal temperature will be approximately 37.5°C. The same indicators can be expected normally when measuring temperature in other “warm” places ( ear and vagina).

Circadian rhythms, gender, age and other circumstances

People have long noticed that different times body temperature changes during the day, the most high performance are observed in the evening, while somewhere between 5 and 7 am they can barely reach 36°C. These are physiological daily fluctuations associated with the activity of the body, so a temperature of 35.8 degrees in the early morning, exactly like 37.2 after an evening run, should not be perceived as something unusual.

Body temperature (measured in the axillary zone) changes with age and minor degree depends on gender. Beyond the infant age, children restore their temperature in different ways:

Girls complete the process by the age of 13-14;
Boys are “pushing” until they reach adulthood.

In adult women this indicator on average 0.6° higher than their male peers.

In addition, everyone knows that the temperature in children rises more often and shows higher numbers, and children tolerate it better. The child has a temperature of 38 and above, but he runs and jumps like a healthy person. The body of elderly people and the elderly, due to decreased immunity and disruption of thermoregulation processes (due to age and various chronic diseases), is no longer able to react so quickly to various factors. Therefore, other viral infections can occur against the background of normal body temperature.

The cause of a short-term increase in temperature may be:

A state of intense excitement;
Intense mental and physical activity;
Nightmares.

The temperature decreases with prolonged exposure to the cold. We have all ever been frozen for a short time (we didn’t turn on the heating, there was no bus for a long time, etc.), in this case it is not difficult to increase the temperature at home: hot tea, warm room- and everything is fine. The chill quickly passes, the cheeks turn pink, the arms and legs become warm.

Newborns and infants are a special category of citizens

In a newborn baby, the thermoregulation system, like other vital processes, is imperfect, the baby is just beginning to adapt to new conditions, therefore, being in a heated room and being warmly dressed, he will give a temperature of 37.4°C, which will correspond to its norm for existing conditions, which, however, should be changed. Also, the baby will quickly cool down if left naked. That is why the question of how to dress a baby is constantly on the agenda of a young mother.

It is easy for a child to become overheated and overcooled, it does not yet have established thermoregulation mechanisms. However, of these two extremes, perhaps high temperature is more dangerous for him than hypothermia, After all, the child’s heat transfer noticeably slows down, while the exchange is in full swing.

TV shows periodically show stories about leaving newborn children in the cold air (unfortunately, there are such “woe-mothers” who try to get rid of unnecessary “cargo” in any way). It would seem that there is so much of it, but, clinging to life, the baby spends not a single hour in the cold, despite everything, it survives and later grows healthy, only, unfortunately, in an orphanage. But in an excessively warm room, infants feel much worse, so the desire of parents to wrap up the child, since he is small and defenseless, is not always justified.

A newborn and infant are more comfortable at 18 – 22 degrees, than in temperature conditions approaching human body temperature. Being in such a “tropical” climate, the child’s body has no choice but to increase its own temperature.

Temperature high and low

High temperature is a sign of a very wide range of diseases, which are simply not possible to list, since one would have to remember all the known pathological conditions. Most often, body temperature rises due to infectious and inflammatory processes or poisoning, causing the body to resist:

Produce antibodies to a foreign substrate;
Rebuild the thermoregulation mechanism in order to create unfavorable conditions for pathogenic microorganisms that actively multiply, for example, in the intestines during poisoning with poor-quality products.

High temperature in such cases is considered as defensive reaction organism, which follows its initiative.

In addition, due to certain circumstances, often quite serious, the body itself lowers the temperature level, for example, Low body temperature is observed when:

Reduced temperature can also be observed:

Asthenics who are underweight;
In patients debilitated by disease or diet;
As a result of overwork;
When blood sugar decreases (prolonged fasting or use of insulin in an inadequate dose);
Due to insufficient income ascorbic acid(vitamin C) into the body;
With vegetative-vascular dystonia (especially in a state of crisis);
For intoxication (acute and chronic).

However, it happens that a person finds himself in unusual conditions due to certain life situations, When body temperature is raised or lowered by the environment. We will return to this towards the end of the story.

More about rising temperatures

The body often copes with elevated temperatures on its own, and sometimes we simply don’t notice it.

Most often, the temperature rises when encountering an infection, viral or bacterial:

While relying on the body’s capabilities, it should be borne in mind that a child’s temperature, even not reaching 38°C, can result in the development of seizures, so this for children it can be reduced starting from 38 degrees. Similar actions are intended for adults suffering from heart, liver and kidney diseases.

The thermometer approaching 39 means that measures need to be taken, even if there are no symptoms of infection. In any case, the body will not feel normal in conditions of high temperature: headache, chills, body aches and others signs of temperature will not pass unnoticed. If a temperature of 39 degrees and above is accompanied by symptoms of infection, then it also becomes obvious that the body is “losing its ground”, antibodies stop being synthesized, because they, being protein structures, coagulate (collapse) after 38.5 degrees, in general, important process antibody formation is suspended.

Video: elevated temperature in a child - Doctor Komarovsky

No one is immune from the cold and its manifestations

If there is confidence that the cause of an unacceptable increase in temperature ( above 38.5° in adults, 38°, and sometimes lower in children) is also a respiratory infection, then at home it is not only possible, but also necessary, to reduce it, however, the use of such It is still advisable to avoid the popular aspirin. In the case of a viral infection, it, by thinning the blood, can aggravate hemorrhagic manifestations in respiratory tract(impaired microcirculation, swelling) and further complicate the course of the disease. In addition, aspirin is “not indifferent” to the gastric mucosa and this also needs to be taken into account. Other tablets for fever are now somehow a thing of the past, they have been replaced by mixtures based on paracetamol with vitamin C- both tasty and effective.

As for children, it is problematic to give pills to many of them, especially if the child is small. Aspirin Pediatricians not only do not recommend - they prohibit until the age of 16, others medicines in tablets can cause a huge protest on the part of the baby. Thank God, now such things have been invented for the little ones dosage forms like candles and syrups, active substance which are listed paracetamol or ibuprofen.

In addition to tablets, other remedies are used at home: warm linden or raspberry tea with honey, lubricating the skin with vodka or vinegar, thermal procedures are excluded. At the same time, parents should remember that such favorites among adults folk remedies may not be suitable for a child:

Honey and raspberries are classified as hyperallergenic foods;
Raspberries themselves, in addition to all their advantages, contain natural salicylates, due to which they have an antipyretic effect, therefore, contrary to the recommendations of grandparents, when viral infections It is better to refrain from using this tasty and fragrant jam;
The use of alcohol, vodka, and vinegar should be strictly dosed, because these liquids are absorbed through the pores of the delicate skin, and inhalation of vapors may not be harmless if too much occurs.

Video: when paracetamol does not help - Doctor Komarovsky

Hyperthermic syndrome in case of poisoning

Poisoning is also different. Let’s say a person ate “something wrong” and after a while received signs of poisoning: he began to feel sick, vomited, had diarrhea, the temperature rose a little, but the condition did not look threatening. By using activated carbon, diets, chamomile tea, mezima after a couple of days everything was somehow restored, and soon it was completely forgotten. But there is another version of the flow acute poisoning– with development life-threatening syndromes (pain, respiratory failure, circulatory disorders, convulsions, acute renal failure... and hyperthermic syndrome).

In case of poisoning accompanied by toxic damage brain, against the background of respiratory and circulatory disorders leading tissues to oxygen starvation, the hypothalamic zone of the brain is excited, resulting in a significant increase in body temperature. This - hyperthermic syndrome. The thermometer in these situations can reach 42°C, which, of course, requires emergency assistance. Having called an ambulance, loved ones should try to help the patient’s body increase heat transfer in order to lower the temperature somewhat. At home, the range of activities is not wide, fever pills are useless as an antipyretic and are harmful to the stomach, but here’s what you can do:

IN winter time open the window to cool the room;
Cover the patient with ice packs (or whatever is in the freezer of your home refrigerator);
Moisten the body with water or quickly evaporating liquids - alcohol, vodka (with caution in children!).

By performing these simple steps, already at the prehospital stage, you can achieve certain successes that may save a person’s life.

Temperature and symptoms

There is a temperature, but there are no symptoms - is this possible?

Some people often take their temperature with or without signs of illness, and just as often wonder why the number 37 becomes commonplace. The reason for this increase may be:

Neuroses and neurosis-like conditions;
Ovulation phase and pregnancy;
The onset of an infectious disease;
Chronic sluggish inflammatory processes.

Of course, a temperature of up to 37° and slightly higher can rise from overheating, excitement, or mental stress, but in such cases a person is usually in no hurry to grab a thermometer, and therefore does not know anything about it.

A temperature of 38°, and even more so 39 degrees, is unlikely to be completely without symptoms, because the fever itself immediately makes itself felt with chills, headache, unpleasant sensations in bones, etc., which an adult can talk about, but will not say small child, he will just cry and be capricious.

A child’s temperature without signs of infection may also be a precursor to it or accompany teething. Previously, pediatricians completely rejected any manifestations of the disease (fever, anxiety, indigestion) during teething, they say, by blaming it on the teeth, you can miss serious pathology. This is, of course, true, but it has long been scientifically proven that the baby experiences pain akin to the sensations during childbirth. In addition, it is unlikely that the baby will like the redness and itching of the gums, and he will remain calm and healthy. Children are nervous, cry, sleep poorly - the body temperature rises, and other symptoms may appear ( loose stool, signs respiratory infection). In such cases you need to call your local doctor so that he can look, listen to the baby and dispel or confirm doubts about another disease.

Symptoms of the disease without fever

In other situations, the opposite picture can be observed: the disease is obvious, there are symptoms, but the thermometer stands at normal levels, rooted to the spot. We will not list all the cases separately; let us consider as an example some of the most common symptoms that often accompany febrile conditions:

How to raise the temperature for the treasured reference?

Careless schoolchildren and students, using the capabilities of the World Wide Web, continue to search for recipes for raising their temperature in order to obtain an acquittal document in case of truancy. How to increase body temperature if there are no signs of illness? Basically, the advice found on the Internet involves artificially creating conditions for illness (cold milk, ice, an open window in winter and God knows what else...), but you can get so sick that you will regret it later.

Students of the last century rubbed their armpits with irritating substances, calling local inflammation– it’s unpleasant, but it doesn’t hurt in other places (walk – I don’t want to). But the doctor, suspecting deception, can measure the temperature at other points or ask to show axillary area? And not everyone can do this.

And one more thing, also from the last century: there was this toothpaste“Pomorin”, so they mixed it with water and drank it. The temperature may have increased, but repeated vomiting was ensured, so no one used this method more than once. And we don't recommend it. In addition, the pasta has long disappeared from store shelves.

The temperature can be increased by filling the bath hot water, after running around the house, overheating in the sun on a hot day, but then you need to read the next section about hyperthermia again (what it is and what it leads to) and decide whether it’s worth risking your health for the sake of some extra day of rest. And rest may be questionable.

Hyper- and hypothermic states

It was said above that deviations in body temperature from the norm can be caused by environmental conditions. Since such conditions can be dangerous, we will dwell on this in more detail.

A decrease in body temperature is designated by the concept "hypothermia", and to increase, accordingly, the word is used "hyperthermia", and we're talking about not about some tenths of a unit of measurement, but about several degrees, which, moving in one direction or another, can significantly disrupt all vital processes and lead the body to death.

Sun, air and water are not always the best friends

Against the backdrop of influence external factors carrying heat, the human body temperature can rise unacceptably, causing various changes in organs and systems, thereby disrupting their functional abilities. Warmth in human body is formed as a result of ongoing metabolic processes and the work of the muscular system - why in a healthy person the temperature drops during sleep (muscles at rest), and in a patient it increases due to the acceleration of metabolism. The body constantly releases the accumulated heat to the external environment (sweating, breathing, etc.) and, thus, maintains a balance between production and output.

Temperature rise air environment up to 25 - 30 degrees increases heat transfer, but reduces its formation. However, heat transfer decreases in proportion to the increase in “degree” on the street or in a hot room - at a temperature of 34.4° it approaches 0, but is still shaky due to the evaporation of sweat. Particularly sensitive to increases in ambient temperature children's body, because his heat transfer processes are still poorly developed, and his metabolism is high.

If you are active in hot weather physical activity, drink alcoholic beverages, stay under the scorching sun for a long time, and even with high humidity (and if all together?), then heat transfer can stop altogether: at 37 degrees and above human body stops giving off excess heat, using it for its own heating.

At first, the body desperately tries to increase heat transfer for which:

Dilates blood vessels;
Increases heart rate (tachycardia) and breathing movements to ensure sufficient ventilation and oxygen supply to tissues;
Increases sweat secretion.

Meanwhile, remaining in conditions elevated temperature, the body cannot bear for long additional load: “hail sweat” leads to an imbalance of water and electrolyte balance, and this is fraught with loss of fluid from the cells, the development of hypovolemia and a fall blood pressure. Increased metabolism in the brain does not at all increase its blood supply, therefore cerebral structures experience oxygen starvation: a person loses consciousness and convulsions appear. Clinical manifestations depend on how long a person spent in an unfavorable climate and how much his body reacted:

Treatment depends on the degree of overheating: minor overheating does not require hospitalization; it is enough to place the patient in a cool place and give him cool water to drink. In other cases, at home, you also need to place the patient in a cool room, wrap him in a damp, cold sheet and call an ambulance team, because you can bring down the temperature yourself with tablets and powders from home first aid kit It won't work anymore.

A special problem of the Far North and Siberia

It is possible to get hypothermia in all climate zones, but, of course, there is a risk of feeling negative impact The cold in northern latitudes is still higher. Overall Impact cold air on the body leads to hypothermia and a decrease in body temperature to 35 degrees and below. Strong wind, high humidity significantly aggravate the situation, and then A person can freeze to death at a seemingly not-so-low temperature (from -4 to +10 degrees). How and how hypothermia will end depends on the victim’s body, the time of exposure, the environment and the thermometer reading.

Hypothermia, leading to death, occurs at 0°C for 10-12 hours; in water this process accelerates, therefore, if a person falls through the ice, he dies within 5-10 minutes. Especially, such nuances should be kept in mind by people performing heavy physical work in the cold or for those who like to warm themselves up with alcoholic drinks– they freeze faster and don’t feel it themselves.

The body’s struggle goes through 2 phases:

First, all of its own mechanisms are stimulated: the body tries to actively produce heat without releasing it to the external environment.
Intensive work on thermoregulation ultimately leads to the depletion of energy reserves and the fading of the body's functional abilities.

At the first stage, changes occur in the structures of the central nervous system:

Inhibition in the cortex cerebral hemispheres and the occurrence of pathological excitation in the subcortex (impaired consciousness, delirium, convulsions);
The process involves the sympathetic-adrenal system, which responds to the effects of cold by producing catecholamines, increasing blood sugar levels, increasing cardiac output, spasm in the microvasculature;
The body's compensatory capabilities soon dry up, tissues experience oxygen starvation, and the function of the central nervous system is disrupted;
Thermoregulatory abilities are inhibited, body temperature drops.

At the second stage:

Body temperature progressively decreases;
Cardiac and respiratory activity is impaired;
Other organs and systems of the body refuse to work.

Breathing stops when body temperature drops to 20 - 15 degrees, however, the heart continues to contract for several minutes. The dying process at low temperatures takes longer than at other temperatures pathological conditions, which in other cases makes it possible to carry out successful resuscitation in a more late dates, that is, hypothermia conditions add chances to bring a person back to life in 30 minutes or even an hour.

Help with hypothermia

With general cooling, 3 degrees of severity are also distinguished, but regardless of them, the patient must be taken to a hospital to provide qualified assistance. Raising body temperature outside the hospital is very problematic, because it is not only an indicator of the degree of freezing, but also the cause of all disorders and disorders in the body. The best thing that can be done for the patient is to prevent further exposure to cold:

Bring the patient into a warm room;
Remove wet clothes;
Wrap yourself in a warm blanket or blanket (whatever you have on hand);
Under no circumstances should you use any traditional methods such as rubbing with snow, alcohol, wool, etc.;
Call an ambulance.

It should be noted that when cold, a person may lose the ability to adequately think and assess the situation, so there is no need to react particularly to refusal of hospitalization and treatment. Home conditions for similar condition(critical decrease in body temperature) are absolutely not suitable.

In general, body temperature is an indicator that reflects the functioning of the entire organism, and a change in it is almost always a sign of pathology, therefore both an increase and a decrease require control and deliberate actions. Quickly lowering the temperature or raising it for some purpose is perhaps not a difficult task, but one must take into account how justified such artificial regulation is and what consequences this may have.