Normal body temperature range. What should be the body temperature of a person

normal temperature body is one of the most important indicators of human health. What should be the temperature? What does it depend on? Should I be worried if it goes down? What to do when it rises?

People belong to warm-blooded organisms, therefore, throughout their lives they are “forced” to maintain their temperature within the limits determined by nature, and regardless of the characteristics environment. Only under this condition, life processes will 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 arm, 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 normal temperature is considered to be in the range of 35.5–37.4 0C.

At a temperature level below 35.2 0C, they speak of hypothermia, if the temperature is above 37.3 0C, hyperthermia.

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

What does body temperature depend on?

Human body temperature is a variable value, it changes depending on the time of day, environmental temperature conditions, health status and existing diseases.

The most low temperature body is noted in the morning, at about 6:00, then it rises by 0.5–1 0С and reaches a maximum in the evening. Interestingly, 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, the human 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. With an increase in body temperature 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 more widely than in adults. In girls, the temperature level stabilizes by the age of 13-14, in boys - by 18 years. In adult women, body temperature is about half a degree higher than in men, it drops in the middle menstrual cycle, during the period of ovulation and the maximum level of estradiol, then increases by the time of the next menstruation or in the event of pregnancy.

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

Hypothermia and its causes

Hypothermia, or a drop in human body temperature below 35.2 0C, is an indication to see a doctor, as well as fever. The condition is accompanied by chilliness, trembling in the body, weakness, drowsiness, a decrease in heart rate, and impaired coordination of movements.

Body temperature: what does it depend on and what should it be? Hyperthermia, or elevated body temperature, can be caused by an increase in heat production and a violation of its return to the environment. Most often, the condition is accompanied by the 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 heat stroke, disruption of cardiac activity and clouding of consciousness.

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

with severe muscle work and during exercise

with nervous tension

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

when eating hot and spicy food,

in violation of the autonomic nervous system (VSD),

with some chronic diseases,

in diseases of the blood and lymphatic system,

for most dental diseases

with occult bleeding

in case of poisoning

with hyperthyroidism.

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

Bring down the heat?

Body temperature: what does it depend on and what should it be? 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 humans. Bringing down such a temperature is not worth it, because in most cases it is a protective reaction and helps the body fight infection and inflammation, except, of course, in those cases when hyperthermia is caused by other reasons.

The maximum and minimum temperature of a person cause irreversible effects that can lead to lethal outcome, therefore, knowing the limits of the human body allows us to keep it in healthy condition. That is why it is important to know what the maximum and minimum temperature a person can have.

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 fixed in the late afternoon, in the time interval 16.00-18.00.

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

Our body adapts to changes in temperature and defends itself in the following way: when the temperature rises, we begin to sweat more, when the temperature drops, the muscles begin to contract rapidly, trembling occurs.

Maximum human temperature

The maximum human temperature 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 essential 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, due to which the cells of the body 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, respiratory failure, convulsions, irregular heartbeat, exhaustion, weakness, loss of appetite.

The maximum body temperature is especially dangerous for pregnant women, children, as well as for the elderly.

Minimum human temperature

The minimum temperature of a person is considered to be a temperature of 15-23 degrees, when the body is cooled to such a temperature, death can occur.

A condition characterized by a drop in temperature below 35 degrees is called hypothermia. The main cause of hypothermia is hypothermia and areactive sepsis. Frostbite may occur with hypothermia caused by exposure to cold various parts skin.

The symptoms of hypothermia are: drowsiness, pallor, weakness and loss of coordination, slurred speech, difficulty in thinking, apathy, loss of consciousness, weak pulse, slow shallow breathing.

Hypothermia is dangerous to health and requires urgent medical care.

Minimum and maximum human temperatures are life-threatening conditions that can lead to death. Avoid hypothermia, treat viral and bacterial infections, go regularly medical checkup, lead healthy lifestyle life - all this will help you avoid health threatening hyperpyrexia and hypothermia.

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

People are used to the fact that with changes in body temperature it is customary to talk about a violation of health. Even with a slight hesitation, a person is ready to sound the alarm. But it's 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 each. normal temperature regime it is considered when a person feels completely healthy, able-bodied 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 is kept at 36 degrees, and in Australia, the body temperature rises to 37 degrees.

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

Human temperature is divided into several types, which include:

body. Her performance falls below 35.5 degrees. This process is called hypothermia;
normal body temperature. Indicators can range from 35.5 to 37 degrees;
elevated body temperature. It rises above 37 degrees. However, it is measured in armpit;
. Its limits range from 37.5 to 38 degrees;
febrile body temperature. The indicators are from 38 to 39 degrees;
high or pyretic body temperature. It rises to 41 degrees. This is the critical body temperature, which leads to a violation metabolic processes in the brain;
hyperpyretic body temperature. A lethal temperature that rises above 41 degrees and leads to death.

Also, the internal temperature is classified into other types in the form:

hypothermia. When the temperature is below 35.5 degrees;
normal temperature. It ranges from 35.5-37 degrees;
hyperthermia. The temperature is above 37 degrees;
feverish state. The indicators rise above 38 degrees, while the patient has chills, blanching skin, marble mesh.

Rules for measuring body temperature

All people are used to the fact that, according to the standard, temperature indicators should be measured in the armpit. To perform the procedure, you must follow a few rules.

The armpit should be dry.
Then a thermometer is taken and gently shaken to a value of 35 degrees.
The tip of the thermometer is located in the armpit and is pressed tightly by the hand.
Keep it on for five to ten minutes.
After that, the result is evaluated.

With a mercury thermometer, you should be extremely careful. You can’t break it, otherwise the mercury will pour out and will release harmful vapors. It is strictly forbidden to give such things to children. Instead, you can have an infrared or electronic thermometer. Such devices measure the temperature in a matter of seconds, but the values \u200b\u200bfrom mercury may differ.

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

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

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

It should be noted that oral temperature differs significantly from measurements in axillary zone. Temperature measurements in the mouth can show a result higher by 0.3-0.8 degrees. If an adult doubts the indicators, then a comparison should 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 follow the usual technology. During the procedure, it is worth observing the execution technique. The thermometer can be placed behind the cheek or under the tongue. But clamping the device with your teeth is strictly prohibited.

Decreased body temperature

After the patient has learned what temperature he has, you need 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 several reasons, which include:

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

If the patient's internal temperature is greatly reduced, then he will feel weak, prostration and dizziness.
To increase the temperature indicators at home, you need to put your feet in a hot foot bath or on a heating pad. After that, 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 sleep deprivation;
about malnutrition or following a strict diet;
about hormonal failure. Occurs at the stage of gestation, with 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 keeps at marks from 37.3 to 39 degrees, then it is customary to talk about infectious lesion. When viruses, bacteria and fungi penetrate the human body, severe intoxication occurs, which is expressed not only in an increase in body temperature, but also in a runny nose, tearing, coughing, drowsiness, and deterioration in the 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 is observed. This condition is caused by an increase in temperature indicators above 40.3 degrees. In such a situation, you need to call an ambulance as soon as possible. When the indicators reached 41 degrees, it is customary to talk about critical condition which threatens later life patient. At a temperature of 40 degrees, an irreversible process begins to occur. There is a gradual destruction of the brain and deterioration of the internal organs.

If the internal temperature is 42 degrees, then 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 the hole, then the patient manifests symptoms in the form of:

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

Each person is individual. Therefore, everyone will have their own normal body temperature. Someone with indicators of 35.5 degrees feels normal, and when it rises to 37 degrees, it is already considered sick. For others, even 38 degrees may be the limit of the norm. Therefore, it is worth focusing on general state organism.

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

Normal human body temperature

Normal human body temperature in the middle of the day at rest is +36.6°C. In the morning, the temperature of a healthy person may be slightly lower (by 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.

Everything that does not fit into this range - serious reason for worry.

Low human body temperature

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

Important! If a person's body temperature is below +34, 9 ° C - urgently call an ambulance!

What does the temperature around +35°C indicate? 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 a 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, impaired absorption of protein by the body, etc.

Subfebrile body temperature

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

Also, subfebrile temperature can "signal" about the onset of a cold, hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), diseases of the blood and lymph, food poisoning, about internal bleeding etc.

In the presence of subfebrile temperature no need to take antipyretics. It is also contraindicated to drink anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal drugs 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 body goes spicy inflammatory process. Medical intervention is essential.

Depending on the condition of the patient, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment. However, lowering the temperature with 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 preparations can reduce such a temperature.

conclusions

Any deviation in body temperature from the norm indicates a malfunction in the body. Therefore, you do not need to wait until "it will pass by itself." Consult a doctor!

In the distant ancient and medieval times the temperature was determined simply - putting a hand on the patient's forehead, they exclaimed: "Yes, you have a fever!". Oddly enough, but the measurement in the current way (using a mercury thermometer) began relatively recently, from the middle of the 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 in order to measure the temperature, which is considered to be important indicator approaching illness.

“I have a temperature”, “do you have a temperature?”, Omitting the definition (what), everyone already understands that it is elevated, that is, in order not to say a lot of words, they use one thing, implying the body’s reaction to influence adverse factors. Doctors add the word "subfebrile, febrile", they call it fever, but in any case they mean its deviation from normal values and usually upwards.

Deviation Options

A person does not notice normal body temperature. Endocrine and nervous system engage in thermal regulation and maintain it at a certain level. If something is wrong in the body, the thermometer goes over the red number 37 ° C, makes you alert and find out the reason for what happened. But what is the temperature anyway and where is its norm? So, they distinguish:

temperature normal- this is a run-up of approximately 1 ° C on a mercury thermometer located in a home first-aid kit ( from 36 to 37° if the measurement was taken in the armpit). Meanwhile, sometimes under the influence physiological processes or depending on the time of day, this interval can expand (35.6 - 37.3 °), but at the same time not give cause for concern;
subfebrile temperature, 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 down the temperature to 38 ° C (even to 38.5) - usually the question is not worth it, because reducing it can suppress natural immunity and the sickness will linger. The only exceptions are some circumstances (history of convulsions at a temperature in a child, the presence cardiovascular pathology, diseases of the liver and kidneys);

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, of course, you can try to bring down the temperature with home remedies, but only to alleviate suffering, give the person a rest, but not solve all problems. At a temperature of 39 degrees, it is no longer necessary to call a district doctor, but an ambulance team. As for the very high temperature(close to 40-42 ° C), then, probably, every adult understands how dangerous it is.

It should be noted that the temperature of the skin in contact with and interacting with the environment, and at the same time adjusting 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 our 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 armpit, 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 excitement;
In bedridden seriously ill people, the most accessible place for thermometry is oral cavity, where indicators approach or slightly exceed 37°C;
Mom often takes the temperature of the baby in the rectum, tightly squeezing his 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 in the norm when measuring temperature in other "warm" places ( ear and vagina).

Daily rhythms, gender, age and other circumstances

People have long noticed that different time days, body temperature changes, most high performance are observed in the evening, while somewhere between 5 and 7 o'clock in the morning they can hardly 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 taken as something unusual.

Body temperature (meaning the measurement in the axillary zone) changes with age and in insignificant degree depends on gender. Bypassing the age of the baby, children restore their temperature in different ways:

Girls complete the process by the age of 13-14;
Boys "pull" to adulthood.

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

In addition, everyone is well aware 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, and he runs and jumps like a healthy one. The body of the elderly and the elderly, due to a decrease in immunity and a violation of thermoregulation processes (due to age and various chronic diseases), is no longer able to respond so quickly to various factors. Therefore, other viral infections can take place against the background of normal body temperature.

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

A state of great excitement;
Intense mental and physical stress;
Nightmares.

The temperature decreases with prolonged exposure to the cold. We have all froze for a short time (did not turn on the heating, there was no bus for a long time, etc.), in this case, raising the temperature at home is not difficult: hot tea, warm room- and everything is in order. The chill passes quickly, the cheeks turn pink, the hands and feet become warm.

Newborns and infants are a special category of citizens

In a newborn child, the thermoregulation system, like other life 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 out the temperature in 37.4°С, 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.

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

On TV, stories periodically flash on the topic of leaving newborn children in the cold air (unfortunately, there are such “unfortunate mothers” who seek to get rid of unnecessary “burden” 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, survives and later grows up healthy, only, unfortunately, in an orphanage. But in an overly warm room, babies feel much worse, so the desire of parents to wrap up a child, since he is small and defenseless, is not always justified.

The newborn and the baby are more comfortable at 18 - 22 degrees, than under temperature conditions approaching human body temperature. Being in such a "tropical" climate, the child's body has no choice but to raise 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 you have to remember all the known pathological conditions. Most often, body temperature rises due to infectious and inflammatory processes or poisoning, forcing the body to resist:

Develop antibodies to a foreign substrate;
Rebuild the mechanism of thermoregulation in order to create unfavorable conditions for pathogens that actively multiply, for example, in the intestines when poisoned by poor-quality products.

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

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

A low temperature can also be observed:

In asthenics with a lack of weight;
In patients debilitated by disease or diet;
As a result of overwork;
With a decrease in blood sugar (prolonged fasting or the use of insulin in an inadequate dose);
Due to insufficient income ascorbic acid(vitamin C) in the body;
With vegetative-vascular dystonia (especially in a state of crisis);
With intoxication (acute and chronic).

However, it happens that a person finds himself in unusual conditions for himself 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

With elevated temperature, the body often copes on its own, and sometimes we simply do not notice it.

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

Relying on the capabilities of the body, it should be borne in mind that the temperature in a child, even not reaching 38 ° C, can turn into the development of seizures, therefore, such for children, it can be reduced starting from 38 degrees. Similar actions prescribed for adults with heart, liver and kidney disease.

A thermometer approaching 39 means that you need to take action, even if there are no symptoms of infection. In any case, the body in conditions of high temperature will not feel normal: headache, chills, aches all over the body and others signs of temperature won't go unnoticed. If a temperature of 39 degrees and above is accompanied by symptoms of an infection, then it also becomes obvious that the body is “losing its ground”, antibodies cease to be synthesized, because they, being protein structures, coagulate (fold) after 38.5 degrees, in general, important process antibody production stops.

Video: fever in a child - Dr. Komarovsky

No one is immune from the common cold and its manifestations.

If there is confidence that the cause of the unacceptable rise 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 popular aspirin is still desirable to avoid. In the case of a viral infection, it, by thinning the blood, can aggravate hemorrhagic manifestations in respiratory tract(violation of microcirculation, edema) and further complicate the course of the disease. In addition, aspirin is "not indifferent" to the gastric mucosa and this must also be taken into account. Other temperature tablets 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 generally problematic for many of them to give pills, especially if the child is small. Aspirin pediatricians not only do not recommend - they prohibit up to 16 years, others medicines in tablets can cause a huge protest from the side of the baby. Thank God, now such dosage forms like candles and syrups active substance which is listed paracetamol or ibuprofen.

In addition to tablets, other means are used at home: warm linden or raspberry tea with honey, lubrication of the skin with vodka or vinegar, thermal procedures are excluded. Wherein, parents should remember that such loved ones in adults folk remedies may not suit the child:

Honey and raspberries are classified as hyperallergenic foods;
Raspberry itself, plus all its advantages, contains natural salicylates, due to which it has 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, vinegar should be strictly dosed, because these liquids are absorbed through the pores of delicate skin, and inhalation of vapors may not be harmless if there is a bust.

Video: when paracetamol does not help - Dr. Komarovsky

Hyperthermic syndrome in case of poisoning

Poisoning is also different. Let's say a person ate "something wrong" and after a while got signs of poisoning: he began to feel sick, vomiting appeared, he 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 way acute poisoning- with development life threatening syndromes (pain, respiratory failure, circulatory disorders, convulsions, acute kidney failure... and hyperthermia syndrome).

In case of poisoning accompanied toxic damage of the brain, against the background of respiratory and circulatory disorders, leading tissues to oxygen starvation, the hypothalamic zone of the brain is excited, as a result of which the body temperature rises significantly. It - 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 bring down the temperature somewhat. At home, the range of activities is not wide, temperature pills are useless as an antipyretic and harmful to the stomach, but you can do this:

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

By performing these simple steps, already at the pre-hospital stage, you can achieve certain successes that may save a person's life.

Temperature and symptoms

There is a temperature, 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 states;
Ovulation phase and pregnancy;
The onset of an infectious disease;
Chronic sluggish inflammatory processes.

Of course, the temperature can rise to 37 ° and slightly higher from overheating, excitement, 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, moreover, 39 degrees, is unlikely to happen at all without symptoms, because the fever itself immediately makes itself felt with chills, headache, unpleasant sensations in the bones, etc., which an adult can tell about, but will not say Small child, he will just cry and act up.

A temperature in a child without signs of infection may also be a harbinger of it or accompany teething. Previously, pediatricians completely rejected any manifestations of the disease (temperature, anxiety, indigestion) during teething, they say, attributing it to the teeth, you can skip serious pathology. It is, of course, true, but it has long been scientifically proven that the baby experiences pain, akin to sensations during childbirth. In addition, it is unlikely that the redness and itching of the gums will please the baby, and he will remain calm and healthy. Children are nervous, cry, sleep poorly - body temperature rises, other symptoms may join ( liquid stool, signs respiratory infection). In such cases you need to call the local doctor so that he looks, listens to the baby and dispels or confirms doubts about another disease.

Symptoms of the disease without fever

In other situations, you can observe the opposite picture: the disease is obvious, there are symptoms, and the thermometer stands at normal levels, as if rooted to the spot. We will not list all the cases separately, consider as an example some of the most frequent symptoms that often accompany feverish conditions:

How to raise the temperature for the treasured reference?

Careless schoolchildren and students, using the capabilities of the World Wide Web, continue to look for recipes for raising the temperature in order to obtain an excuse in case of absenteeism. How to increase body temperature if there are no signs of illness? Basically, the advice found on the Internet provides for the artificial creation of conditions for the disease (cold milk, ice, an open window in winter and God knows what else ...), but you can get so sick that you will have to regret later.

Students of the last century rubbed their armpits with irritating substances, causing local inflammation- unpleasant, but in other places it does not hurt (walk - I don’t want to). But the doctor, suspecting fraud, can measure the temperature at other points or ask to see axillary region? Yes, and not everyone can do this.

And yet, also from the last century: there was such toothpaste"Pomorin", so they stirred it with water and drank it. The temperature may have risen, but repeated vomiting was ensured, so no one used this method more than 1 time. And we do not recommend. In addition, pasta has long disappeared from store shelves.

The temperature can be raised by filling the bath hot water running around the house, overheating in the sun on a hot day, but then you need to re-read the next section on hyperthermia (what it is and where it leads) and decide whether it is worth risking your health for some extra day of rest. Yes, and rest can 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.

The decrease in body temperature is denoted by the concept "hypothermia", and to increase, respectively, apply the word "hyperthermia", moreover, we are talking 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 best friends

Against the backdrop of influence external factors that carry heat, the temperature of the human body may rise unacceptably, causing various changes in organs and systems, thereby violating their functional abilities. Heat in human body It is formed as a result of incessant metabolic processes and the work of the muscular apparatus - why does the temperature in a healthy person drop in a dream (muscles at rest), and in a patient it rises due to the acceleration of metabolism. The body constantly gives the accumulated heat to the external environment (sweating, breathing, etc.) and, thus, maintains a balance between production and return.

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 "degrees" on the street or in a hot room - at a temperature of 34.4 ° it approaches 0, but it still goes shaky-roll due to the evaporation of sweat. Particularly sensitive to rising ambient temperatures children's body, because the processes of heat transfer are still poorly developed in him, 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 at high humidity (and if everything is together?), then heat transfer can stop altogether: at 37 degrees and above human body ceases to give off excess heat, using it already for its own heating.

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

Expands blood vessels;
Increases the heart rate (tachycardia) and respiratory movements to ensure adequate ventilation and supply of tissues with oxygen;
Enhances perspiration.

Meanwhile, while remaining elevated temperature, the body can not bear for a long time additional load: "hail sweat" leads to a violation of the water-electrolyte balance, and this is fraught with the loss of fluid from the cells, the development of hypovolemia and a fall blood pressure. Increased metabolism in the brain does not increase its blood supply, therefore cerebral structures experiencing oxygen starvation: a person loses consciousness, convulsions appear. Clinical manifestations depend on how long a person has been in an unfavorable climate for himself and how his body has reacted:

Treatment depends on the degree of overheating: a slight overheating does not require hospitalization, it is enough to place the patient in a cool place and give cool water to drink. In other cases, at home, you also need to place the patient in a cool room, wrap him with 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 won't work anymore.

Special problem of the Far North and Siberia

Getting hypothermia is possible in all climatic zones, but, of course, the risk of feeling Negative influence cold in the northern latitudes is still higher. General 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 ends depends on the body of the victim, exposure time, environment and thermometer readings.

Hypothermia, leading to death, occurs at 0 ° C for 10-12 hours, in water this process accelerates, therefore, having fallen through the ice, a person dies in 5-10 minutes. Especially, such nuances should be borne in mind by people performing heavy physical work in the cold or those who like to warm up with the help of alcoholic beverages- they freeze faster and do not feel it themselves.

The struggle of the body 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 extinction of the functional abilities of the body.

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

Inhibition in the cortex hemispheres and the occurrence of pathological excitation in the subcortex (impaired consciousness, delirium, convulsions);
The process includes the sympathetic-adrenal system, which responds to the effects of cold with the formation of catecholamines, an increase in blood sugar, an increase in cardiac output, spasm in the microvasculature;
The compensatory capabilities of the body soon run out, the tissues experience oxygen starvation, the function of the central nervous system is disturbed;
Thermoregulatory abilities are inhibited, body temperature drops.

At the second stage:

Progressive decrease in body temperature;
Cardiac and respiratory activity is disturbed;
Refuse to work other organs and systems of the body.

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

Help with hypothermia

With general cooling, 3 degrees of severity are also distinguished, however, regardless of them, the patient must be taken to the 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 to a warm room;
Take off wet clothes;
Wrap with a warm blanket, blanket (what can be found on the farm);
Under no circumstances should any folk methods such as rubbing with snow, alcohol, wool, etc.;
Call an ambulance.

It should be noted that when cooling down, a person may lose the ability to adequately think and assess the situation, so there is no need to particularly respond to the 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 whole organism, and its change is almost always a sign of pathology, therefore, both an increase and a decrease require control and deliberate action. To bring down the temperature quickly or to raise it for some purpose may be a simple matter, but one must take into account how justified such artificial regulation is and what consequences this may have.