Instead, they are symptoms of other problems, such as an infection or injury. Viral or bacterial infections cause most fevers. However, in hyperpyrexia, that is not always the case.
In hyperpyrexia and most other cases of fever, the brain tells the body to raise its baseline temperature above normal. This reaction normally happens as a result of an infection or trauma.
Hyperpyrexia differs from hyperthermia, a medical term for the uncontrolled rise in body temperature due to excess amounts of body heat generated. In hyperthermia, the brain is not regulating the rise in temperature the way it does with other fevers.
Rather, the body cannot handle the heat from environmental causes, and so it overheats. Cases of heat stroke are due to hyperthermia, and not to hyperpyrexia. Usually, instances of hyperpyrexia are associated with viral or bacterial infections. Some other causes include the following:. In some cases, bleeding in the brain known as intracranial hemorrhage causes hyperpyrexia. Accidents or other traumas and strokes are the most likely cause of intracranial hemorrhage.
In rare cases, hyperpyrexia may result from sepsis. Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening response to an infection caused by the immune system. The overwhelming immune system response gets into the blood, which may cause organ damage or failure.
People may experience hyperpyrexia due to a direct side effect of general anesthesia, occurring when there is an underlying disease of muscle. Kawasaki syndrome or disease is a potential cause of hyperpyrexia, especially in children.
Kawasaki syndrome causes inflammation to the medium-sized arteries throughout the body. One sign of Kawasaki disease is high fever, which can result in hyperpyrexia if left untreated.
Symptoms of hyperpyrexia vary from person to person, depending on how long the condition lasts and if it worsens. Early symptoms may include:. As the high temperature persists or gets worse, the severity of the symptoms can increase.
Unless the fever is caused by an outside source hyperthermia or there is already a neurological problem, there is almost no chance that this will happen. Looking to avoid getting the flu? Our free guide has everything you need to stay healthy this season. Sign up and get yours today. American Academy of Pediatrics. Febrile seizures. Updated November 30, National Institutes of Health. When to call the pediatrician: fever. Updated November 21, National Institutes of Health: MedlinePlus.
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Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. 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. If you have serious fever symptoms, let your doctor know if you have recently traveled to a different country or attended an event that had lot of people. This may help your doctor find out the cause. Some adults may have a higher risk of getting a fever.
If you have a chronic health condition or have been treated for a severe illness, you may be more likely to get a serious fever. A fever is not normally harmful on its own.
Most fevers go away within a few hours to days as your body defeats an infection. Help yourself feel better with these at-home flu remedies :. Over-the-counter medications can help ease your fever and symptoms, like headaches and muscle pain:. You may need treatment from your doctor for more serious causes of a fever. The treatment depends on the cause. Your doctor may prescribe medications to treat serious infections:. Get emergency medical attention by going to the ER or calling an ambulance if you have any of these symptoms:.
A fever in adults is usually not harmful on its own. It is a sign that your body is dealing with an infection or other illness. In some cases a high or long-lasting fever can be a sign of a serious illness. You may need urgent medical treatment. Do not ignore a fever. Get plenty of rest and fluids to help your body heal.
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