Fever virus lingering

In babies and toddlers even a slight fever may be a sign of a serious illness. In adults a fever is not usually serious or life-threatening. However, sometimes a fever in adults can be a warning signal that something is not right. A high or persistent fever might be a sign of a serious health condition.

A fever is normally a short-term rise in temperature that helps your body get rid of illness. A fever begins when your immune system makes more white blood cells to fight an infection. The increase in white blood cells triggers your brain to heat your body up. This causes a fever. In response, your body tries to cool itself off by tightening up on blood flow to your skin and contracting muscles. This makes you shiver and may cause muscle aches.

You may have a fever if your temperature rises above this. Adults typically have a fever if their body temperature increases to This is called a low grade fever. Most fevers usually go away by themselves after 1 to 3 days. A persistent or recurrent fever may last or keep coming back for up to 14 days.

A fever that lasts longer than normal may be serious even if it is only a slight fever. This is because a recurrent fever might be a sign of a more serious infection or health condition. Common fever symptoms in adults include:. Get medical help if you have any kind of fever for more than three days. Let your doctor know if your symptoms get worse or if you have any new symptoms. Some patients without a history of mental health issues were said to experience mild to severe hallucinations.

Doctors said the symptom could be because of low levels of oxygen going to the brain, or a result of the virus' direct attack on the brain. Doctor Saurabh Rajpal, assistant professor of cardiology at The Ohio State University, said if you had Covid and start to notice chest pain, shortness of breath, or a racing heart while doing the same level of exercise that you did before your infection, call your doctor and get checked out.

Blood clots are another troubling symptom doctors have noted, along with high blood sugar in some older adults. Researchers are also looking into a possible connection between Covid and hearing loss, AARP reports. Because omicron symptoms can be mistaken for the common cold or flu, doctors urge anyone experiencing them to isolate until symptoms subside. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided a list of emergency warning signs that need immediate emergency medical care:.

Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have Covid, the CDC advised. Jump directly to the content. Sign in. With limited proven treatment options, some physicians like Rhonda Mattox, MD , a board-certified psychiatrist and physician in Arkansas, are working with their patients on strategies for managing and, ideally, reducing ongoing symptoms like brain fog and fatigue by paying close attention to their diet.

This is not to say that changing a patient's eating habits will make all of their post-COVID symptoms disappear, but if they're also deficient in vital nutrients, dealing with that could assist their body as it recovers from COVID. Mattox explains. Mattox says that people who are magnesium deficient are more likely to experience insomnia that leads to fatigue the following day, while those who lack iron tend to deal with low energy levels, in addition to fatigue.

Similar to the wide range of symptoms, the recovery process and timeline can vary significantly between COVID patients. At this point, it's still unclear what exactly causes some cases to be more severe than others.

This condition, officially referred to as "Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID" PASC , but better known as "long-hauler" syndrome, still very much remains a mystery, and, for that reason, is the subject of a wave of new research.

According to Dr. Cornwell, patients with PASC "frequently experience profound fatigue, weakness, and difficulty or complete inability to exercise or participate in normal activities of daily living," along with brain fog and the sensation of a racing heartbeat. Not only can these symptoms persist for several months, but some people who were infected in March and April are still dealing with them more than a year later, with no clear end in sight.

People with health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease that put them at at high risk for flu complications should seek treatment right away.

As for home remedies, there is evidence that zinc , taken by mouth in the form of lozenges, tablets, or syrups, can help reduce the length of colds if taken within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health NCCIH.

The NCCIH adds that zinc can cause nausea and gastrointestinal issues, and that it can interact with other medication, such as antibiotics.

Acetaminophen Tylenol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen Advil, Motrin, and Ibuprin are effective treatments for fever and aches caused by either a cold or the flu.

People with either illness should also be sure to rest and drink plenty of fluids. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Health Topics. Health Tools. Reviewed: March 27, Medically Reviewed. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking. Common Cold. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 6, Key Facts About Influenza. September 13,