What temperature should be lowered and is ibuprofen harmful for coronavirus? Talked to a therapist

Serebryakova

Oksana Evgenievna

Experience 26 years

Local therapist, candidate of medical sciences, member of the Russian Scientific Medical Society of Therapists

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High temperature is an unpleasant symptom, characteristic of many diseases, and a sure indicator of the presence of a disease. Reducing the reading to normal does not mean being cured, and you also need to know what temperature to lower. It is necessary not only to achieve a decrease in temperature, alleviating the patient’s condition, but also to eliminate the source of the inflammatory process.

To effectively fight the disease, you need the help of a qualified doctor who will determine the cause of the condition, which manifests itself:

• with chills of varying severity;
• feeling of loss of strength;
• headache, aches and pains;
• increased sweating;
• arrhythmia;
• loss of appetite;
• dry lips and skin.

The concept of normal for body temperature

Normal body temperature is considered to be 36.6°C, but this figure can fluctuate. The lowest value is observed in the morning, the maximum in the evening. An increase in temperature is facilitated by eating, drinking alcohol, exercising, stimulating the nervous system, being under the sun, or in a steam room. It is considered normal if a person’s temperature is 36.2°C in the morning and 36.7°C in the evening. A peculiarity of the female body is that the temperature decreases a few days before ovulation and increases when ovulation occurs.

The norm for an adult is considered to be between 35°C and 37°C, for children under 3 years of age – up to 37.5°C. In summary, a temperature of 35°C should not cause panic.

How to measure temperature:

• if you measure under the armpit, then a value of 36.6°C is considered normal;
• if in the mouth, then the indicator is half a degree higher;
• if in the rectum, then to get the result subtract 1 degree from the value on the thermometer.

The range from 37.1°C to 38°C is considered to be above normal. If low-grade fever persists for a long time, measures must be taken. An indicator of 38.1°C is already a high temperature that requires urgent help for the body.

Release forms of antipyretics

Medicines for fever may differ not only in the active substance, but also in the form of release.

It is selected based on the patient’s age, hyperthermia tolerance, the presence of chronic pathologies, and intolerance to certain substances.

Main types:

• capsules and tablets. They have a lower price compared to other forms and are universal in use. One piece is enough to reduce the indicator for 6-8 hours. Suitable for fever in adults, but not prescribed for small children and unconscious patients;
• water-soluble tablets and powders. The action develops faster, but their price is more expensive than conventional fever tablets;
• solutions for injections and systems. Used in hospitals to provide emergency assistance to avoid seizures, to relieve fever in unconscious persons. The advantage is that the medicine immediately enters the bloodstream, there is no contact with the mucous membrane of the stomach or intestines;
• suspensions and syrups. They are produced for children, contain flavorings and dyes, and are equipped with a dosing device or measuring spoon. May cause allergies.
• suppositories for rectal administration. Prescribed to children, patients with intolerance to oral medications, and incapacitated patients. They act quickly and effectively and do not irritate the stomach.

Why is it dangerous when the temperature rises above 38°C?

If a high temperature occurs, then this is a sure sign of a sharply worsening pathology. In 99% of cases this is an inflammatory process. If the condition is long-term, it means that the malfunction in the body is serious, so you cannot do without qualified medical care. The patient's body reacts to the infection by stimulating the immune system, accelerating metabolism, producing antibodies, and increasing blood circulation.

At this time, microbes lose activity, but the respiratory and cardiac systems bear an increased load. The nervous system takes a hit, the body loses water. If the condition does not change, the temperature remains, then blood circulation in the internal organs will deteriorate. The most dangerous stage is when the indicator rises above 41°C. Before the doctor arrives, the patient must take antipyretics for fever.

Medicines for high fever for children

For young children, medication for fever should be prescribed by a pediatrician. Children are prescribed rectal suppositories and syrups, preschoolers - syrups and suspensions, schoolchildren - antipyretic tablets in solid or effervescent form, powders for making drinks.

Main drugs:

• Tsefekon D suppositories with paracetamol are indicated for children from one month to 12 years. Available in dosages of 50, 100 or 250 mg for different ages;
• Nurofen suspension for children from three months, 5 ml contains 100 mg of ibuprofen;
• Paracetamol or Panadol in syrup, can be used in children from three months;
• Efferalgan solution based on paracetamol from 1 month;
• Nimesulide suspension or tablets when paracetamol and ibuprofen are ineffective in children over 12 years of age.

Why is the temperature rising?

Sometimes it seems that a fever appears for no reason. But any inflammatory process can cause this condition. Inflammation can occur due to fungi, viruses, and bacteria. Often, a temperature of 38.5°C is a concomitant symptom, for example, with pain in the ear or throat, against the background of signs of ARVI. Patients are frightened by asymptomatic fever, which is observed:

• at the early stage of influenza, ARVI - when there are no catarrhal signs yet;
• with a sore throat - simultaneously with a sore throat;
• with chickenpox – in the first 2-3 days of illness a fever appears and then a rash;
• with an abscess - in the fight against pus, temperature peaks are replaced by normal values ​​during the day;
• for glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis - for inflammation in the kidneys;
• with appendicitis - often without pain;
• with hemorrhagic fever - with the bite of wild animals, muscle pain, rash;
• with encephalitis, meningitis - simultaneously with tension in the neck muscles, if it is impossible to lower the chin to the chest, pain in the head, blurred vision, nausea.

How to lower an adult's temperature?

The first thing I want to warn you about is to avoid aspirin and take it only if you don’t have other medications at hand. It thins the blood and becomes especially dangerous against the background of the flu (which you may not immediately know about) due to the high vascular permeability caused by the disease.

Please note: aspirin is strictly contraindicated for asthmatics and stomach ulcer sufferers!

To bring down the temperature during a cold, it is better to use familiar drugs: • Paracetamol: 500 mg 3-4 times a day. The maximum daily dose for an adult is 4 grams. • Naproxen: 500-750 mg 1-2 times a day. The maximum daily dose for an adult is 1.75 grams.

• Ibuprofen: 200-400 mg every 4-6 hours. The maximum daily dose for an adult is 1200 mg.

These drugs are available at any pharmacy. Ideally, you should always have them in your first aid kit, just in case. Just pay close attention to the expiration date and throw away expired medications.

After suffering from a cold (and even more so, other viral diseases), you need to see a therapist. Tell us what medications you took and in what dosage, what symptoms you had and how you feel now.

After a short examination, the doctor will assess the real state of your health, determine the risks or presence of complications - and, based on this information, make recommendations for final recovery.

What should you do if you notice a symptom?

If the patient is either cold or hot, what to do with the temperature? When he gets chills, he should cover himself with a blanket, and when it gets hot, put on dry, light clothes. You can cover yourself with a sheet. The patient's main regimen is bed. If the child does not want to lie down, make sure that he does not engage in too active games, preventing the body from overheating.

It is necessary to ensure that the air in the room is periodically renewed. While airing, the patient can go to another room. You need to constantly replenish fluid reserves in the body by gradually drinking green tea, diluted juices, fruit drinks, and compotes. Water procedures cannot be taken; only wiping adults with a solution of water and vinegar 9% in a 1:1 ratio is allowed. Rubbing yourself with alcohol or cool water can make your fever worse.

Urgently call an ambulance for chills

If the temperature becomes high, it is recommended to call an ambulance in the following cases:

• headache and temperature above 38.5°C, drowsiness, lethargy;
• stomach pain and fever, especially if there is also vomiting and diarrhea;
• rash;
• convulsions, other severe conditions;
• lack of effect from taking antipyretics;
• overcoming the mark of 39.5 °C.

The ambulance service of JSC "Medicine" (clinic of Academician Roitberg) in the Central District of Moscow provides medical assistance around the clock in case of emergency. An urgent call to the team can be made by calling +7 (495) 229-00-03.

When should you go to the doctor?

If fever and blood pressure, cough, and aches appear simultaneously, you should not self-medicate. It is recommended to make an appointment with a doctor. JSC "Medicine" (academician Roitberg's clinic) in the center of Moscow invites you to use the services of experienced therapists who will diagnose the disease and prescribe the correct treatment. You don’t want to put your health at risk, so make an appointment immediately to prevent complications from developing! The clinic has a modern diagnostic department, laboratories for testing, and a hospital. If the need arises, a full range of medical services can be obtained without leaving the clinic.

What happens in the body?

In order to determine the purpose of our actions (when and what temperature to lower), let’s consider the mechanism for increasing it.

The thermoregulation center of every person is located in the brain (in the hypothalamus). When pathogenic particles enter the body, it triggers the process of activating the immune system. Specific interferon proteins - pyrogens - are produced, and antibodies are synthesized. All of them are capable of fighting foreign particles and at the same time trigger a mechanism for increasing temperature. For example, the higher the temperature rises, the more interferon is produced. Thus, the body is capable of defeating even the most dangerous microorganisms on its own, and a temperature of 38 degrees indicates this fight. It is not advisable to knock it down to give your own immunity a chance.

There is only one problem with this: all pathogenic bacteria are “burned” by temperatures above 40 degrees (pneumococci, gonococci, spirochetes), but humans are also living organisms and they are also destructive for them. This means that there is a limit, having crossed which, it is vital to bring down the temperature.

Symptom treatment

To figure out how to bring down the temperature, you need a correct diagnosis. An experienced doctor, based on the results of tests and studies, determines the cause of the fever, prescribes medications, procedures, or refers to a specialist for additional research. The goal is to identify the source of the inflammatory process in order to find the right treatment complex. Treatment for high fever depends entirely on the underlying cause and may include antipyretics, antibiotics, probiotics, etc.

Symptom during pregnancy

The temperature in pregnant women rises above the normal limit due to acute respiratory viral infections and influenza. It can harm the baby, especially if the mother takes medications containing aspirin. Therefore, pregnant women with fever need urgent consultation with a doctor to prescribe the correct dose of medications. If the temperature jump is small, you can take homeopathic remedies prescribed by your doctor.

Along with the tablets in the 1st trimester, you can drink herbal teas, fruit drinks, compotes, and juices. At later stages, drink concentrated herbal infusions, which are not consumed in large quantities to avoid swelling. Decoctions of leaves, raspberries, coltsfoot, plantain, and infusion of white willow bark have healing properties. Rubbing with a vinegar solution helps.

Treatment at home

If you find cold symptoms and a temperature above 37°C and weakness, you can start taking home remedies to support the body. If the value on the thermometer does not exceed 38.5°C and the body feels more or less well, there is no need to lower the temperature. At this time, harmful bacteria die, and the immune system works at full capacity.

However, if the patient’s condition is serious, he does not tolerate the temperature well, it needs to be brought down. At 40°C the blood begins to thicken and coagulate, so you should take antipyretics. In order not to cause negative effects on internal organs, many patients prefer folk remedies with a mild effect.

Folk remedies for fever for children:

• children's enemas with a soda solution (1 tsp of soda for 1 glass of water) or chamomile decoction;
• wipe the child’s body with green grape juice;
• put on socks moistened with a solution of water and vinegar in a 1:1 dilution for 15 minutes;
• Infants and children under 3 years of age can be briefly wrapped in a wet sheet or towel to relieve the condition.

If the temperature is 39°C or 40°C in adults, it must be brought down:

• wiping and a cold compress - a cotton cloth is moistened with water at room temperature or a solution of water and vinegar;
• drinking plenty of fluids - it is necessary to prevent dehydration of the body by taking drinking water, freshly squeezed juices or warm herbal infusions, honey water (1 tsp of honey for 1 glass of warm water);
• fasting - give the body a rest (food is a load), concentrate energy on fighting inflammation.

Maxicold

The drug "Maxicold" contains paracetamol. This antipyretic drug perfectly relieves all symptoms of ARVI. In addition to Maxicold, you can buy Maxicold Rhino at the pharmacy, which will effectively relieve a runny nose and swelling of the nasal mucosa thanks to phenylephrine and pheniramine (vasoconstrictor and antiallergic effects). Maxicold contains vitamin C, a natural antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and helps the body fight colds.

Maxicold

JSC Pharmstandard-UfaVITA, Russia

- symptomatic treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases (including influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI)), accompanied by fever, chills, nasal congestion, headache, pain in the bones and muscles, in the throat and sinuses.
from 39

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Maxicold Rhino

OJSC Pharmstandard-Leksredstva, Russia

- symptomatic treatment of colds, acute respiratory viral infections, flu, accompanied by high fever, chills, headache, runny nose, pain in the sinuses and throat, nasal congestion, sneezing and pain in muscles and joints.
from 53

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When does a temperature of 37.5 to 38°C occur without symptoms?

Temperature without symptoms in the range between 37.5-38°C is observed:

• for problems with the thyroid gland;
• tuberculosis;
• allergies;
• neurological diseases;
• oncology;
• pneumonia;
• gastroenterocolitis;
• viral hepatitis A.

Do not forget about such serious diseases that occur with an increase in temperature, such as:

• systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatism, other autoimmune processes;
• endocarditis, myocarditis;
• syphilis, gonorrhea, genitourinary infections;
• rubella, measles, other viral infections.

What products can pregnant women use?

The period of waiting for a child imposes restrictions on the woman’s choice of medications. Not all antipyretic pills are allowed during pregnancy, so it is necessary to coordinate the issue with a therapist or gynecologist.

In addition, it is not necessary to take medicine in all cases; sometimes a slight increase in temperature is an indicator of a change in a woman’s hormonal levels.

The safest medicine is Paracetamol without any additives and in the minimum dosage. The duration of use should be minimal - until positive dynamics appear.

The second drug is Ibuprofen, but it is strictly prohibited in the middle of pregnancy with increased uterine tone and the threat of miscarriage. In the third trimester, admission is prohibited.

Prohibited products include Ibuklin, drugs based on analgin, acetylsalicylic acid, Next.

What to do if a fever appears after vaccination?

Fever after vaccination is not always a complication. Often its appearance is a normal reaction of the body to a foreign body, pathogens. The immune system receives a load and intensifies the fight against the disease, which occurs in a mild form. How the body will react to the introduction of substances, no physician can make an accurate prediction. Not everyone gets sick after vaccination.

You should remember about contraindications to vaccination and do not vaccinate during or after suffering from infectious diseases, exacerbations of chronic diseases, allergies, complications from previous vaccination, and other cases that your doctor will remind you about. For a full consultation, you can contact JSC “Medicine” (clinic of academician Roitberg).

Nimesil

The active ingredient of the antipyretic drug is nimesulide. These are NSAIDs with pronounced anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects. You can buy Nimesil at the pharmacy in individual sachets. Among the contraindications to taking Nimesil are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (the full list is listed in the instructions, so be sure to read it before taking the drug). "Nimesil" should be used only after consultation with a doctor.

Nimesil

Berlin-Chemie/Menarini, Germany

Treatment of acute pain (back pain, lower back pain; pain syndrome in the musculoskeletal system, including injuries, sprains and dislocations of joints, tendonitis, bursitis; toothache);
— symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis with pain syndrome; - algodismenorrhea. The drug is intended for symptomatic therapy, reducing pain and inflammation at the time of use. from 24

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How and why to measure basal temperature?

Basal temperature is measured at the moment of awakening. It helps determine the day of ovulation to plan conception and try to determine the sex of the unborn child. Basal thermometry is carried out in the first minutes after sleep, before physical activity. The oral cavity, rectum, and vagina are suitable for measurements. The gynecologists of JSC “Medicine” (clinic of academician Roitberg) in the Central Administrative District will tell you more about the methods for determining the day of ovulation. After consultation, you will be able to plan your pregnancy down to the day, and also try to influence the gender of your unborn baby.

Causes of temperature 39

Since ancient times, temperature has been considered the main and oldest indicator of a person’s internal state. So, if the temperature is 39 without symptoms, then this may indicate the occurrence of an inflammatory process caused by one of the factors:

• common infectious diseases (flu, sore throat, ARVI, pneumonia, dysentery);
• rare infections (malaria);
• development of an inflammatory (purulent) focus after operations, injuries;
• thermal burns;
• endocrine disorders (pancreatitis);
• exacerbation of inflammation previously present (pyelonephritis, hepatitis, adnexitis).

A high temperature depends on the reactions occurring in the body, and not on the severity of the disease. The younger the person and the stronger his immunity, the stronger the temperature reaction.

There are other temperature changes associated with age. For example, in children during teething, the limits of temperature increase can reach 39.

Ways of development of temperature reaction

The temperature reaction develops in two ways:

1. A sudden reaction to an emerging infection despite yesterday’s well-being.
2. When the temperature begins to rise after surgery.

In the first way, a temperature of 39 often occurs suddenly at night, although in the evening there were no prerequisites for this. The person begins to get sick, feel a fever that gradually increases, but he does not feel any other symptoms other than malaise.

In the second case, you need to consult a doctor without delay; a temperature of 39 may be a signal about the proliferation of pathogenic organisms. All surgical interventions involve the use of antibiotics and other medications, the main goal of which is to prevent inflammation. Fever indicates otherwise.

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