What is the Difference Between Fever and Hyperthermia

Fever and hyperthermia are two terms related to increased body temperature. The normal human body temperature is the typical temperature range of 36.5 – 37.5 °C (97.7–99.5 °F) observed in humans. Increased temperature is the single most commonly noted abnormal finding in medical checkups.

The key difference between fever and hyperthermia is their cause. Fever is an elevation of body temperature above the normal variation due to an infection, malignancy, inflammatory disease, or other causes, while hyperthermia is an elevation in core body temperature due to the failure of thermoregulation.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Fever 
3. What is Hyperthermia
4. Similarities – Fever and Hyperthermia
5. Fever vs Hyperthermia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Fever vs Hyperthermia
7. FAQ – Fever and Hyperthermia

What is Fever?

Fever is a condition caused by an increase in the hypothalamic set point temperature due to the body’s adaptive response to a pathological state. The symptoms of fever may include feeling unwell, feeling hot and sweaty, shivering or shaking, chattering teeth, and flushed face. Fever can be triggered by infection, malignancy, inflammatory disease, or other causes.

Figure 01: Fever

Treatment options for fever are taking paracetamol or ibuprofen in appropriate doses to help bring down the temperature down, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding alcohol, tea and coffee and taking prescription drugs such as antibiotics and antivirals.

What is Hyperthermia?

Hyperthermia is a condition in which the body temperature of an individual is elevated beyond normal due to failed thermoregulation. The symptoms of hypothermia may include blurred vision, dizziness, fatigue or weakness, low blood pressure, fast breathing or heart rate, headache, muscle aches or cramps, light-headedness or fainting, nausea, and vomiting. Physical exertion in very hot, humid weather is the most common cause of hyperthermia.

Figure 02: Hyperthermia

Treatment options for hyperthermia are taking antipyretic (ibuprofen or aspirin), getting the person out of the heat right away, encouraging the person to bathe, shower, or sponge off with cool water, applying a cold, wet cloth around the body, water intake or intravenous fluid to treat dehydration,  and avoiding alcohol and caffeine.

Similarities Between Fever and Hyperthermia

1. Fever and hyperthermia are two conditions that are characterized by increased body temperature.
2. Both conditions can show similar symptoms, such as fatigue, dizziness, and headache.
3. They can be diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation.
4. They can be treated with specific therapies.

Difference Between Fever and Hyperthermia

Definition

1. Fever is a condition caused by an increase in the hypothalamic set point temperature, which is the body’s adaptive response to a pathological state such as infection, malignancy, inflammatory disease, or other causes.
2. Hyperthermia is a sudden and uncontrolled increase in body temperature due to a failure of the body’s thermoregulatory mechanism.

Causes

1. Fever can be caused by infection, malignancy, inflammatory disease, or other causes.
2. Hyperthermia can be caused by physical exertion in hot, humid weather.

Cytokine Involvement

1. Cytokines are involved in fever.
2. Cytokines are not involved in hyperthermia.

Symptoms

1. Symptoms of fever include feeling unwell, feeling hot and sweaty, shivering or shaking, chattering teeth and flushed face.
2. Symptoms of hyperthermia include higher than normal body temperature, dry or hot skin, feeling confused, heavy sweating, losing conciseness, quick heart rate, seizures, and slurred speech.

Treatment

1. Fever can be treated by taking paracetamol or ibuprofen in appropriate doses to help bring down the temperature, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding alcohol, tea, and coffee, and taking prescription drugs such as antibiotics and antivirals.
2. Hyperthermia can be treated by taking antipyretic, stopping physical activity and resting in a cool, well-ventilated environment, removing heavy or tight clothing, drinking slightly salty water to replace electrolytes, applying a cool compress to the skin, keeping irritated skin dry, and gently starching any muscle that is cramping.

The following table summarizes the difference between fever and hyperthermia.

Summary – Fever vs Hyperthermia

Fever and hyperthermia are two conditions characterized by increased body temperature. Fever is caused by pyrogens, which alter the hypothalamic temperature set point, while hyperthermia is a condition in which a person’ body temperature is elevated beyond normal due to failed thermoregulation. This is the basic difference between fever and hyperthermia.

FAQ: Fever and Hyperthermia

1. What causes a fever?

• Any infection, such as bone infections (osteomyelitis), appendicitis, skin infections or cellulitis, meningitis, respiratory infections such as colds or flu-like illnesses, sore throats, ear infections, sinus infections, mononucleosis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, can cause a fever. The other causes are malignancy and inflammatory diseases.

2. What are the symptoms of fever?

• The symptoms of fever include sweating, chills, shivering, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, irritability, dehydration, and general weakness.

3. How to cure fever?

• Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen in appropriate doses to help bring the temperature down. Drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding alcohol, tea and coffee, sponge exposed skin with tepid water and avoiding taking cold baths or showers, also help with fever.

4. What causes hyperthermia?

• Hyperthermia, or heat illness, is usually caused by doing too much physical activity in hot, humid weather. Infants, the elderly, athletes, and people with strenuous outdoor occupations are at the highest risk for hyperthermia.

5. How to prevent hypothermia?

• Hyperthermia can be prevented by drinking plenty of fluids and staying in air-conditioned spaces when it’s hot outside, cool compresses and fluids and seeking medical attention immediately if have heat stroke, or a body temperature of 106 degrees or higher.

Reference:

1. “What Is Considered a Fever?” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Hyperthermia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Recovery.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Depiction of a child suffering from Rheumatic Fever” By Myupchar.com (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia

2. “Hyperthermia Treatment For Cancer, Sonotherm 1000 by Labthermics” By Gracefairchildfisher – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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