Temperatures in the allies!

You know that the temperature does not always need to be knocked down, so you endure a little malaise. But here the column of the thermometer rises to the level of 38 ° C - and a lot of questions arise before you. What does this increase mean? Is it necessary to take measures?

Body temperature is the balance between the formation of heat as a result of metabolic processes in the body and its flow through the surface of the body, the lungs and excretory system. The deeper inside the body is the organ, the higher its temperature and the slower it cools. In addition, in different parts of the skin a different temperature (colder than the entire foot - their temperature is about 25 ° C).

It all starts in the head
The body is able to maintain a constant body temperature regardless of external factors. Provides such an important and continuous process of the thermoregulation center, which is located in the brain (in the hypothalamus) and acts as a thermostat in the radiator - that is, tuned to a certain temperature. When it is reached, the thermostat switches off and works to maintain a stable temperature. And how does the brain understand that it has become cold and it is necessary to keep heat inside the body? It turns out that he receives signals from receptors that are on the skin, in the spinal cord and in the very center of thermoregulation. Some receptors react to cold (about 250 thousand), others - to heat (about 30 thousand). Vessels narrow down, sweating decreases - and less heat is given. The center of thermoregulation (hypothalamus) controls the level of temperature rise, so even in acute conditions it rarely exceeds 41 ° C.

Exogenous and endogenous pyrogens provoke a temperature increase. The first include infectious agents (viruses, bacteria), protein decay products (with necrosis, hematomas, burns), allergens, immune complexes and other substances. They affect the thermal center not directly, but through endogenous pyrogen - a protein that produces blood and tissues of the liver, spleen, lungs. With some tumorous diseases, such a protein begins to be produced by itself - therefore, they are usually accompanied by a fever.

The temperature rises even without the participation of pyrogens - for example, as a result of disruption of the endocrine system (thyrotoxicosis), autonomic nervous system (neurocirculatory dystonia), and drug fever (temperature increase under the influence of certain drugs: antibiotics, antihistamines, glucose and other drugs).

Temperature dependence
Temperature factors are affected by a variety of, sometimes even paradoxical factors.

Time of day . Typically, the minimum temperature is observed in the early morning, and the maximum - in the period from 14 to 16 and from 18 to 22 hours. The difference between the morning and evening temperatures should not exceed 1 ° C.

Motion. Motor activity significantly increases heat production. The more intense the physical load, the more heat is produced by the body. With very severe muscular work, heat generation increases by 500%! The temperature may drop after sleeping or resting for a long time.

Weather. Low ambient temperature significantly affects the thermoregulation process. If the street is cold, even in the absence of movement, the body produces heat much more intensively than usual.

The temperature can tell a lot about the state of health. If you correctly and regularly make measurements, you can make a clear picture of the course of the disease. The temperature indicates that the body is struggling with the disease, or indicates an improvement in the condition. In the case of a viral or bacterial infection, the temperature should be measured every 4 hours. In the period of recovery do it in the morning and in the evening (at the same time). If there was a chill, pulse and breathing became more frequent, and eyes shine, be sure to measure the temperature. The results are better recorded.

Where and how to carry out the measurement?
In the armpit. Shake the thermometer to 35 ° C. Wipe the underarm area with a towel or wash it with water - this will prevent the thermometer from cooling. Put it so that it fits snugly against the body. After 10 minutes, evaluate the result. This most common method of measurement is considered the most unreliable. In addition, in the left and right armpits there is a different temperature. If the difference is more than 0.5 ° C, this may indicate a local inflammatory process on the side where the temperature is higher.

In the rectum. Measured in unconscious and children. Patient turn over on his side. For 3 minutes enter into the rectum washed and oiled with petroleum tip of the thermometer. With one hand, hold the thermometer, the other - the patient.

In the oral cavity. Washed by cold water with soap and a thermometer with a special soft tip, put it under the tongue (the mouth is tightly closed, so that the air does not penetrate inside, but the teeth do not close). Hold it for 5 minutes. Do not measure in this way the temperature of people without consciousness or children.

In the vagina. So the basal temperature is measured (can be replaced by measurement in the rectum or in the mouth). Do this in the morning without getting out of bed. Insert the thermometer carefully into the vagina. Measure 5 minutes.
It is most convenient for a small child to measure the temperature in the ear with a special ear thermometer. The result can be read right away.

Thermometer tells about women's health
The basal temperature (BT) reflects the changes associated with the response of internal organs to changes in the hormonal background on certain days of the menstrual cycle. BT should be measured (in the rectum or in the mouth) every morning, without getting out of bed and without fail immediately after sleep. The results are plotted. BT helps to determine how correctly and clearly the ovaries release hormones (depending on the day of the cycle), establish the fact of ovulation, find out whether pregnancy has occurred. As a rule, within two weeks before ovulation BT does not exceed 36.7 ˚С, after ovulation the mercury column rises to 37-37.5 ˚С. This period is the most favorable for conception. A couple of days before the start of menstruation, BT starts to decrease.

Homeopathy for temperature!
Already in the XIX century, homeopaths had their own position with regard to high fever, treating fever as a protective reaction of the body, stimulating vital forces. Modern homeopathy supports this theory, believing that fever can be the only diagnostic and prognostic indicator of the disease. Antipyretic therapy "obscures" the clinical picture of the disease, gives the patient a sense of false safety and the illusion of good health. In this case, the natural process of recovery is delayed. Against the background of classical homeopathic treatment, patients are more likely to tolerate fever. After all, she talks about the activation of immunological protection, increased production of interferon, stimulation of the production of antibodies to pathogens of the disease. Homeopathic treatment facilitates the course of diseases and prevents the development of complications.

Homeopathists have a special attitude towards temperature: they do not knock it down, but eliminate the causes of its occurrence. Rationally the appointment of homeopathic grains with a preventive purpose in the pre-epidemic period. It is advisable to have in the house a homeopathic first-aid kit for the whole family, which must be made by a homeopath doctor, who watches the whole family for a long time. He selects drugs for each family member. Regular consultations of a homeopath will save you from many health problems.

When the fever for the good
If you are healthy, the thermoregulation center maintains a temperature around 37 ° C. At the beginning of the disease there is a fever - a protective reaction of the immune system and the brain. When the temperature rises, all metabolic processes are markedly accelerated, the production of antibodies and lymphocytes responsible for the destruction of microbes increases. Ultimately, the multiplication of bacteria and viruses is difficult, and they will not cause harm to the body.

By knocking down the temperature with medication, you do not necessarily get well - on the contrary: at an elevated temperature, your body's defense mechanisms work very efficiently, and interferon, attacking viruses, is intensively produced. And its artificial reduction will turn the inflammation into a sluggish one, and it will be much more difficult to be cured. The World Health Organization (WHO) testifies to the use of antipyretics for body temperature above 38.5 ° C.

Heroism is inappropriate
Heat often goes hand in hand with chills. The sensations of the sick person are not pleasant: the head hurts, joints break, appetite disappears, nothing is desirable. Do not portray a heroine - immediately to bed! The organism needs to concentrate on fighting the disease - make it easier for him. At the beginning of the disease, the best medicine for you is sleep and plenty of drink.

When you sleep, the body is easier to cope with the disease, so take advantage of the opportunity and miss the work day, lying at home. If you can not sleep, drink tea with melissa. Do not let dehydration! Drink juices from fruits and vegetables, still mineral water (so as not to irritate the throat) or herbal teas. Do not drink alcohol to keep warm: at a temperature forget about mulled wine. Do not think that strong coffee will quickly put you on your feet - on the contrary, the state of dehydration may soon come.

Mom, I'm hot!
Fever in a child in more than 70% of cases is caused by a viral infection. If the heat lasts longer than three days, most often it indicates a bacterial infection - treatment may require antibiotics. Short-term temperature increase in infants is often associated with teething or carrying out preventive vaccinations. If the crumb does not tolerate the temperature, put candles (for example, vi- borciol) or give homeopathic granules.

In addition, fever is a constant companion of childhood infections (such as measles, rubella, parotitis). With appropriate treatment and compliance with the disease, as a rule, the disease does not pose a serious danger, and its transfer promises immunity for life. How to help the baby? If the thermometer's column has exceeded the 38 ° C mark, take care of the temperature drop, since 4% of children from 9 months to 5 years experience a convulsion as a result of the heat.

Especially dangerous is the high temperature for babies suffering from diseases of the nervous system. If once at a very high temperature the child did not have seizures, this does not guarantee their absence when the temperature rises in the future. A child under 12 years of age should not be given aspirin and medications containing it! Aspirin can provoke a rare but life-threatening reaction - Reye's disease. Better knock down the baby's temperature with safer means.

How, after all, to shoot down?
Methods of mass: mechanical, medicinal, natural. Choose them depending on the age of the patient and individual tolerability. For example, children are often prescribed cool enemas (after the procedure the baby should be warmly dressed). Adults will help wrap with a cold cloth. But this can not be done without consulting a doctor, because with intensive cooling of the skin from the outside, a vasospasm can occur and the temperature of the internal organs will increase, and this is dangerous! The doctor will prescribe drugs that relieve spasm, and professionally assess the patient's condition.

Of medicamentous antipyretic drugs, paracetamol is considered the safest - it is prescribed even to pregnant women and newborn babies. But this drug can cause allergic reactions, so if you did not drink it before and did not give the baby, it is better to start with small doses. Well proven herbal antipyretic - the same broth of raspberries. This is the most effective diaphoretic, which acts better than many medications! But, eating a decoction of raspberries, you must drink many other drinks - to sweat intensively. Sometimes the temperature rises without symptoms characteristic of a cold or flu. In this case, be sure to consult a doctor!

Attention: unfamiliar "friends"!
Paracetamol (panadol, efferalgan) is the least toxic antipyretic drug, but can cause allergies. With prolonged use, it affects the liver and kidneys. It is undesirable to take more than 3 consecutive days, especially to children.

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) - anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic. Contraindicated for children under 12 years. Negatively affects the gastric mucosa. In case of an overdose, aspirin is harmful to the liver, causes bronchospasm, tinnitus and gastric bleeding.

Analgin (baralgin, tempalgin) - has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effect. In some cases, depresses hematopoiesis and causes allergies. It is often used in combination with other drugs.

Nimesulid (nayz, nimesuline) is an antipyretic drug. Children under 12 years are contraindicated (prohibited for use in children in the US, Canada, Australia, Turkey and most countries in Western Europe). In India, deaths among children due to an overdose of nimesulide were documented. Toxic. Prolonged use provokes liver and kidney damage, allergies, dizziness, drowsiness, gastric bleeding (rarely).

Normal temperature
• in the armpit 36,3-36,9 ° С
• in the oral cavity 36,8-37,3 ° С
• in the rectum 37.3-37.7 ° С
• in the vagina 36.7-37.5 ° С