Fever in Adults – When to Worry?

Causes of Fever 

Fever is the rise of your core body temperature. This rise in temperature is controlled by a small gland in your brain called the hypothalamus. When certain organisms infect you, they release substances called pyrogens that can raise your body’s temperature set point. In response to these organisms, your body produces certain substances like cytokines that can change this set point in the hypothalamus, causing fever. Meanwhile, your body works on heat production through shivering and reduced heat loss via peripheral vasoconstriction.

This elevated temperature helps the body fight off the infection by creating an environment less favorable for the organism to thrive. During fever, your body releases a special protein called heat shock proteins. These proteins help your cells survive the stress related to infection and inflammation. Fever is an adaptive response that enhances your immune system’s ability to combat infections. Elevated body temperature can improve the efficiency of immune cell function, increase the affinity of antibodies for antigens, and inhibit the replication of certain pathogens. This way, fever enhances your body’s protective mechanism. 

So now you know that fever is not a bad thing; it’s a way for your body to fight infection. I hope this was helpful. Follow ehealthyinfo for more information like this.