You May Be Sick Without A Fever
Filed under: Health and Fitness
You may have heard stories from friends about someone who they knew had been ill and then seemed a little better,then surprised everyone by having to be admitted to a hospital, and may even had passed away. ” He was fine” “He didn’t even have a fever” What could have happened so fast?
There are times when an illness takes an unexpected course,and complications arise.
In an attempt to control the spiraling cost of health care.Your visit to your doctor as well as the length of a hospital stay has been shortened.This makes it even more necessary to be aware of the importance of your own self care, and of those in your family.
This will never replace medical care, but will make you a partner in maintaining the health of your family, as well as your own.
It is reasonable to consider the education of patients in a hospital a high priority in the health care system.This does in most communities reach into the community,with home health care,pharmacy support and education, and doctors offices that will see you with out an appointment.
Most often when we are ill with an infection, we will have a fever. Maybe a low grade fever that we hardly notice, or it can be 99-100.5 and may be self limiting.That is ,it runs a course with maybe sniffles or a slight cough. Most viral illness’ and some bacterial infections will be of this nature.Within a week or two you feel progressively better and then return to your usual state of health.
But if you are ill,with a cough,sore throat,ear ache, or generalized discomfort, and have an elevated temperature of 101 or greater. It is best to see your doctor.Although this too can be viral,it is best to keep on top of it, and see that it does not worsen. If you are unable to take fluids and feel progressive weaker. Going back to your doctor a second time, is not a waste of time or a mistake,it is a wise decision.
You may be put on another antibiotic if the first one has not cleared up your infection. If at anytime during the course of your antibiotic,you develop a rash or it makes you feel ill.Contact your doctor again.
But, there is also something else that is important for you to know.If after an infection , you are not feeling quite like yourself,but maybe a little worse . There is a chance that you have developed SEPSIS. If you feel worse then you did before,don’t be fooled by the fact that you do not have a fever.
SEPSIS at times develops in a quiet way, and can easily be missed,but it is critical that it not be ignored in it’s early stages. You can then be admitted to the hospital and receive intravenous fluids and antibiotics. You then will be monitored until you are stable again.
The very young and the elderly are at great risk for SEPSIS, as well as people who are under going chemotherapy or radiation treatments. People who have an illness where their immune systems are compromised ,such as HIV and AIDS , as well as some other illness’ are also at risk for SEPSIS.
Some signs that you need to get to your doctor or your hospital Emergency Room as soon as you can are:
An awareness that your pulse rate is rapid,or your heart is “fluttering.” Have a increased breathing rate, chills or feel clammy or damp, have a feeling of fatique, weakness,and lethargy ,have decreased or no urine output.
Remember,you may have a fever or NO FEVER WITH SEPSIS !
What has happened is that the infection, has caused your body to have an overwhelming inflammatory response, that is affecting every organ in your body. IT MAY BECOME CRITICAL IF MEDICAL INTERVENTION DOES NOT TAKE PLACE.
Smart living and healthcare monitoring, lead to optimum health care maintenence.
Tags: Be Aware Of Sepsis
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