Why is my temperature 103

Doctors have a few ideas about why this is, including lower metabolic rates, lower rates of infection and more advanced thermometers.

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Search Physician Referral Menu. WELL Search Close Search. Schedule Chat. Let us help you find the right doctor for your needs. Explore Your Options. Fever in infants and children. Bennett JE, et al. Temperature regulation and the pathogenesis of fever. Elsevier; Accessed March 25, Kliegman RM, et al.

In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Accessed April 6, Ward MA. Fever in infants and children: Pathophysiology and management. Schmitt BD. American Academy of Pediatrics; Marx JA, et al. Pediatric fever. Accessed May 9, Infant fever age 90 days or younger. Mayo Clinic; Emergencies A-Z. American College of Emergency Physicians. Accessed May 18, Fever in the adult patient. Bor DH. Approach to the adult with fever of unknown origin. Accessed May 30, Febrile seizures fact sheet.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Accessed May 31, It will also talk about what you should do if you have a low or high fever. Usually, fevers are a good thing. They're one of the ways your body naturally fights off infections.

A part of the brain called the hypothalamus acts as a thermostat for your body. Most of the time, it keeps body temperatures around When you get sick, though, the hypothalamus raises the temperature to make it hard for germs to live and multiply in the body.

It's great when a fever fights against the germs in your body. But it's not so great when the fever gets so high that it could harm you. A lot of things can cause high fevers. Some of the causes typically begin with low-grade fevers that can turn into high-grade ones, such as:.

If you don't receive treatment for your fever or your body doesn't respond to treatment, the fever can become dangerous. Some medical conditions are associated with high-grade fever.

These medical conditions include:. As your fever rises, it may cause new symptoms. Low-grade fever pyrexia symptoms include:. Early high-grade fever hyperpyrexia symptoms may still include those from the list above, plus:. Persistent or worsening high-grade fever can also cause:. Longer-lasting high-grade fever or temperatures above Adults who have fevers over degrees need medical attention to prevent serious, long-term consequences.

While high fevers, especially those that last a long time, can lead to brain damage and death, this is extremely rare. Brain damage can occur if a fever goes above According to a study, heatstroke is the most deadly heat-related illness. Among survivors, most make full recoveries. But some may have long-term organ damage. Organs that can be damaged by a prolonged high fever include:.

Proper treatment is the key to preventing severe complications of high-grade fevers. If someone has a fever but feels fine for the most part, treatment isn't necessary. In fact, because the fever's job is to help kill an infection, treating a low-grade fever can interfere with the body's efforts to fight germs. When it comes to children who have a fever, a rule of thumb is that if they're playing and have energy, there's no immediate danger.

These medications provide only temporary results. They work for four to eight hours and then wear off. This means your fever may come back, and you'll need to take more. This doesn't mean something is wrong or that it didn't work. Children and teenagers should not be given aspirin for a fever. They run the risk of getting Reye's syndrome , a rare and serious illness that causes brain and liver damage.

Rest and plenty of liquids can help your body fight against the fever and underlying illness as well. Other home remedies may help, but you need to know which ones are safe and effective.