How to Know if You Have a Fever Without Thermometer

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Having a fever ways having a body temperature over the normal range of 36.59 °C (97.86 °F).^[1] Fevers can back-trail many types of disease, and depending on the cause, fevers can be an indication that something beneficial or serious is going on. The most authentic way to measure out a fever is with a thermometer, only in the absenteeism of one, there are some ways to read symptoms to tell yous if y'all demand to seek medical attending.

1. 1

   Feel the person's forehead or cervix. The most common way to check for a fever without a thermometer is to feel the person's forehead or neck to see if it feels hotter than usual.

   • Apply the dorsum of your mitt, since the skin on your palm isn't every bit sensitive as these other areas.
   • Do not feel their easily or feet to cheque for a fever, every bit these can feel cold when a person's body temperature is in fact high.
   • Go on in mind this is the kickoff footstep to figuring out if something might be wrong, only it tin can't accurately tell you if someone has a dangerously high fever. Sometimes a person's peel can feel absurd and clammy when they have a high fever, and sometimes their skin might feel very hot even though they don't have a fever.
   • Brand certain to check the person's pare temperature in a room that isn't too hot or cold, and don't check correct later on the person has been sweating due to exercise.

2. 2

   Cheque if the person's pare is flush or red. A fever volition usually crusade the peel on the person's cheeks and face to plough red. However, this may be more difficult to notice if the person has darker peel.

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3. 3

   Notice if the person is lethargic. A fever is oftentimes accompanied by sluggishness or extreme fatigue, similar moving or speaking slowly or a refusal to become out of bed.

   • Children with fever may complain of feeling weak or tired, refuse to go out and play or have a loss of appetite.

4. 4

   Ask the person if they feel achy. Body aches in the muscles and joints too often happen at the same time equally a fever.

   • Headaches are also unremarkably experienced by people along with fever.

5. 5

   Find out if the person is dehydrated. When a person has a fever, information technology's easy for him or her to become dehydrated. Ask the person if they are very thirsty or if their mouth feels dry out.

   • If the person has urine that is brilliant yellow, this could be an indication that he or she is dehydrated and may accept a fever. Darker colour urine than normal is likewise an indication of more than serious aridity.

6. half dozen

   Inquire the person if they feel nauseous. Nausea is a fundamental symptom of a fever and other maladies similar the flu. Pay close attending if the person feels nauseated or is vomiting, and can't go on nutrient down.

7. seven

   Discover if the person is shivering and sweating. As the person's body temperature goes upwardly and downwards, information technology's common for the person to shiver and feel cold, even when everyone else in the room feels comfortable.

   • The person may also alternate betwixt feeling hot and cold as the result of a fever. As your temperature goes up and downwards it is mutual to shiver and feel very common cold fifty-fifty when those around you are feeling comfortable or even hot.

8. 8

   Treat any febrile convulsions. A febrile convulsion is a kind of seizure that happens either only before or while a child has a high temperature. Seek medical treatment if your child has a delirious earthquake, especially if they don't appear to recover readily.^[2] About 1 in 20 children under 5 years old will have a delirious convulsion at some point. Although it tin can be upsetting to watch your child experience a febrile convulsion, it does not crusade permanent damage to your child. To treat a febrile convulsion:

   • Place your child on their side in a clear space or area on the flooring.
   • Do not attempt to hold your child during the fit and do not try to put anything in your child's mouth during the fit, equally they will not swallow their tongue.
   • Stay with your child under the convulsion stops later 1-2 minutes.
   • Lay your child on their side in a recovery position while they recover.

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1. ane

   Get medical help if the fever is above forty °C (104 °F). If you take a high temperature, get evaluated past your primary care doctor. Or, if you lot accept a low fever of 38.3 °F (3.5 °C) for 3 or more days, get medical attention.^[3]

2. 2

   Seek immediate medical attention if your kid'due south febrile convulsions terminal longer than three minutes. This may exist a sign of a more serious condition. Call 911 for an ambulance and stay with your child, keeping them on their side in the recovery position. You should also get immediate medical attention if the febrile convulsions are accompanied past:^[4]

   • Vomiting
   • A stiff neck
   • Animate issues
   • Extreme sleepiness.

3. iii

   Call a doctor if your child's symptoms persist or worsen. If your child is younger than 36 months and has a rectal temperature of or above 38 °C (100 °F), their fever is clinically significant. A bacterial infection could be the crusade of the fever, so seek the advice of your child'due south pediatrician.^[5]

4. 4

   Get medical intendance for a fever, stiff neck, headache, and rash. These may be symptoms of meningitis, an infection that requires prompt medical treatment.^{[half dozen]}

5. 5

   Call a medico if the person is agitated, confused, or experiencing hallucinations. These could all be signs of a virus or a bacterial infection like pneumonia.

6. half dozen

   Become medical care if there is blood in their stool, urine, or fungus. These are also signs of a more serious infection.^[7]

7. 7

   Seek medical intendance if the person's allowed system is already weakened by another affliction like cancer or AIDS. The fever could be a sign their allowed system is under attack or experiencing other complications or weather condition.

8. 8

   Hash out other serious conditions that could cause a fever with your doctor. Fevers are caused by a variety of different maladies. Ask your doctor if the fever might exist an indication of the post-obit illnesses:

   • A virus
   • A bacterial infection
   • Heat exhaustion or sunburn
   • Arthritis
   • A tumor that's malignant.
   • Sure antibiotics and blood pressure drugs
   • Immunizations like the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccines

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1. 1

   Treat the fever at home if it is under 103 °F (39.4 °C) and you are over the age of xviii. The fever is your body'due south way of trying to heal or recover and well-nigh fevers go away on their own afterwards a few days.

   • A fever can be brought down by the right kind of treatment.
   • Drink plenty of fluids.^[8] Taking medication is not necessary, but information technology may increase your comfort level. Use an over-the-counter fever reducer like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.^[9]
   • Call your md if your symptoms last more than than 3 days and/or more severe symptoms develop.

2. 2

   Treat the fever with rest and fluids if your child does non brandish any severe symptoms. Children and teens should not accept aspirin as information technology is linked to a condition called Reye's syndrome.^[10]

   • se acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fevers in children.
   • Visit the md if the fever persists over iii days and/or more severe symptoms develop.

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Add New Question

• Question

  What if your fever is 94?

  

  Carlotta Butler is a Registered Nurse in Arizona. Carlotta is a member of the American Medical Writers Association. She received her Masters of Public Health from the Northern Illinois University in 2004 and her Masters in Nursing from the University of St. Francis in 2017.

  

  Registered Nurse

  Expert Answer

  

  Support wikiHow by unlocking this good respond.

  94 typically is on the opposite end of the spectrum and not classified as a fever. Body temps less than 95 are hypothermic. This ways that your body is losing heat faster than it makes. Dangerously depression body temps such equally 94 mean you need to seek medical attention.

• Question

  I take had a fever for three days now and I am getting overheated at dark. What should I do?

  

  Carlotta Butler is a Registered Nurse in Arizona. Carlotta is a member of the American Medical Writers Clan. She received her Masters of Public Health from the Northern Illinois University in 2004 and her Masters in Nursing from the University of St. Francis in 2017.

  

  Registered Nurse

  Expert Answer

• Question

  What should I do if I'm are tired and struggling to breathe?

  

  Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a lath certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Avant-garde Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Avant-garde Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Edifice, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Scientific discipline in Nursing (MSN) from the Academy of Tennessee in 2006.

  

  Chief's Caste, Nursing, University of Tennessee Knoxville

  Proficient Answer

  

  Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

  At any time you experience like information technology is difficult for y'all to breathe, you should seek medical care immediately. Feeling tired and struggling with animate can be a sign of a serious and life-threatening condition. Prompt medical attention tin can brand yous feel amend and potentially save your life

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VideoRead Video Transcript

• If the kid is under 3 months and has a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), see a medico.

• It'southward important to note that the near accurate way to cheque for a fever at domicile is to take an authentic temperature reading with a thermometer. The best places to bank check for a temperature are the rectum and under the tongue, or with a tympanic (ear) thermometer. Armpit temperatures are less accurate.^[eleven]

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• Practice not rely on diagnosing a fever through touch. Unfortunately, it's non an accurate way to guess torso temperature.^[12]

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Article Summary Ten

To check a fever without a thermometer, feel your forehead or cervix with the dorsum of your hand to see if it feels hot, which could be a sign that you have a fever. Also, check if your face is redder than usual, which can too be a fever symptom. If you're experiencing fatigue, body aches, nausea, or chills in addition to a hot brow or red confront, you could accept a fever and you may want to take a fever-reducing medication to alleviate your symptoms. To larn more from our Registered Nurse co-author, such as when to seek medical attention, go on reading!

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