Author: Selena Belisle, Owner/Instructor, CE Institute LLC, Miami FL
A fever is a temporary increase in your body temperature, often due to an illness. Having a fever is a sign that something out of the ordinary is going on in your body. For an adult, a fever may be uncomfortable, but usually isn't a cause for concern unless it reaches 103 F or higher.
Fever occurs when an area in your brain called the hypothalamus — also known as your body's "thermostat" — shifts the set point of your normal body temperature upward. When this happens, you may feel chilled and add layers of clothing or wrap up in a blanket, or you may shiver to generate more body heat, eventually resulting in an elevated body temperature.
Normal body temperature varies throughout the day — it's lower in the morning and higher in the late afternoon and evening. Although most people consider 98.6 F normal, your body temperature can vary by a degree or more — from about 97 F to 99 F — and still be considered normal.
Fever or elevated body temperature might be caused by:
- A virus
- A bacterial infection
- Heat exhaustion
- Certain inflammatory conditions (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis)
- A malignant tumor
- Some medications (i.e. antibiotics, seizure or blood pressures medications)
- Some immunizations
- Sometimes the cause of a fever cannot be identified[i]
A fever can be a sign of a more serious medical illness, which could include infectious or contagious disease. It is usually best to refer a feverish client to a physician, and in some cases, request approval and/or direction from the physician for massage therapy, spa or salon services.
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Author Selena Belisle is the Founder of CE Institute LLC in Miami FL. She is a retired professional athlete and has been practicing massage therapy for over 30 years. Selena is an approved CE Provider with NCBTMB & the Florida Board of Massage. She now teaches full time for the Complementary and Alternative Health Care Industries. You can learn more about Selena’s training and CE classes at www.CeInstitute.com
[i] Mayo Clinic Staff. “Fever.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 July 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fever/symptoms-causes/syc-20352759.
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