What is it about ?
We talk about prolonged fever in adults when:
- The person has had a body temperature above 38 ° C at various times of the day for more than 3 weeks;
- No diagnosis could be made for fever by routine examinations.
Causes of prolonged fever in adults
- 1 in 3, a infection (for example pneumonia, sinusitis, urinary tract infection, mononucleosis, tuberculosis, HIV, etc.);
- 1 in 5, a malignant affection ;
- 1 time out of 7, a autoimmune disease (when the immune system attacks its own cells) (for example rheumatoid arthritis, muscular rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus or systemic lupus) Where other ailments (for example hyperthyroidism, Crohn’s disease).
- Fever can also be theside effect of a drug, but it’s rare.
1 time out of 7, the cause remains unknown.
How to recognize it?
The following symptoms may occur with fever:
- Usually the person feels sick.
- The muscles and the joints hurt.
- The person shivers.
- Sometimes she sweats, then she gets cold again.
How is the diagnosis made?
Discussion
The doctor will ask you questions about your complaints and your symptoms. This discussion, followed by careful clinical examination, is very important in finding out what is causing the fever.
- How long have you been feverish?
- Are you gone on a trip lately?
- Do you drinkalcohol regularly?
- Do you smoke ?
- Do you use intravenous drugs?
- Have you (had) unprotected sex?
- Have you had a dental procedure in the past month?
- Have you been exposed to humidity in a building for a long time?
- Do your loved ones suffer from rheumatic diseases?
The doctor will also ask you questions about your medical background and will check the presence ofother complaints, like the headache, a stuffy nose, pain in the jaws or throat, joint pain, stomach pain or skin lesions.
Clinical examination and additional analysis
The doctor will examine your heart, lungs, abdomen, nose, neck and ear area, teeth, skin, and lymph nodes. A blood test and urine analysis are also carried out.
If he does not find the cause of the fever with all these examinations, the doctor will carry out (or have carried out) a series of additional examinations:
- A blood test and urine analysis more in-depth;
- A test HIV ;
- A x-ray of the lungs ;
- a electrocardiogram of the heart ;
- Possibly, a stool analysis.
In many cases, these tests should help the doctor find the source of the fever.
If no cause is found, we will speak of a fever of unknown origin. In this case, the doctor will refer you to a specialist for further analysis, as this is usually a serious condition that can be treated.
What can you do ?
- If you have a fever, take paracetamol. You will feel better afterwards and paracetamol helps to make the symptoms go away.
- Take your temperature regularly, ideally with a digital thermometer placed under the tongue or in the ear, and note the evolution of your temperature in a notebook. Heat-sensitive labels to be placed on the forehead provide less precision.
Also, write down any other symptoms you have. This information can help your doctor find the cause of your fever.
What can your doctor do?
- The doctor will prescribe medication to relieve your complaints.
- In case of infections, you will receive antibiotics.
- Any illnesses that cause fever will need to be treated. This is why it is important for the doctor to find the exact origin of the fever through a targeted strategy.