Is your temperature rising?

When I was still in high school, I never really knew the underlying reason why I get fever. I’ve always regarded having fever then as a chance for me to request and eventually get to eat my requested fruits, my choice of tasty dish and drinks (Royal True Orange!). However, I never really liked and felt comfortable when my body temperature is above the normal 98.6 ºF (37.0 ºC) because then I would start feeling truly sick. When I was lying on my back shivering, in pain and with fever (not to mention unable to go out with my friends), this is always the time that I would will my body temperature to return to normal and get well like I’m some kind of superhero with super powers. Talk about getting my own dose of medicine.

During my University years, I learned that fever is in itself not a disease but a symptom of a disease. Fever is described as an increase in internal body temperature to levels above normal. In addition, most fever is beneficial and even helps the body fight off infections as it’s one of the body’s defense mechanisms to try and neutralize the fever-causing bacteria or virus by allowing the body to reach high temperatures that causes an unbearable environment for some pathogens. So, guys, don’t drink Acetaminophen (commonly known as paracetamol, the active ingredient in Biogesic) just yet! In this suitable environment (i.e., increased temperature), white blood cells (read: body’s front line armies of defense ever ready to kill the infectious disease and foreign materials) rapidly proliferate to also fight off the microbes that invades the body. However, a person is considered to have a significant fever when the temperature is above 100.4 ºF (38.0 ºC). When this happens, don’t make any decision about your health and/or your family’s (1) without consulting your family doctor with questions about your family members’ individual condition(s) and/or circumstances, and (2) without running laboratory tests. Neither should one buy over-the-counter medicines readily available without a prescription nor drink medications without, again, consulting your doctor. Mommies and Daddies, you don’t want to use the wrong formulation of the medicine, and we surely don’t want our loved ones to end up like one of my favorite actors Heath Ledger.

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