What is dangerous low temperature. Low body temperature: causes

Body temperature- is an indicator of the thermal state of the body, which displays the ratio of heat production of various organs, tissues and heat exchange between them and the external environment.

Average body temperature most people fluctuates between 36.5 - 37.2 ° C. This indicator is . But if your body temperature is slightly higher or lower than the generally accepted norm, and at the same time you feel great, this is the normal temperature of your body. An exception is if the deviation in one direction or another is 1-1.5°C.

If the temperature deviates by 1-1.5 ° C from your normal temperature, be sure to consult a doctor.

Decreased body temperature- a decrease in temperature from the norm by 0.5-1.5 ° C, but not less than 35 ° C.

Low temperature body– drop in body temperature below 35°C. Low body temperature is also called - hypothermia.

Body temperature and its fluctuations depend on:

• time of day;
• health conditions;
• age;
• impact on the body environment;
• pregnancy;
• characteristics of the organism;
• other unexplained factors.

Decreased or low body temperature, as well as, is a symptom, as the body's response to some deviations from its normal state, performance, and conditions of stay.

A low and low body temperature carries no less danger than a high one, because if the temperature does not fall to the critical 32-27 ° C, a person dies, although there have been facts in history when a person survived even at a temperature of 16 ° C.

The lowest body temperature in the world was recorded in a 2-year-old girl from Canada, on February 23, 1994, who spent 6 hours in the cold.

In any case, even with small fluctuations in temperature, be attentive to your well-being, and if there are any deviations, consult a doctor. It is especially important to monitor the temperature of the child, because. the child's body is in the development stage, and unlike an adult, it is more sensitive to various disorders in the functioning of organs.

Hypothermia of the body (decrease in body temperature) in most cases is accompanied by the following symptoms:

- general malaise of the body;
- loss of strength, lethargy,;
- trembling;
- cold and skin;
— ;
- increased drowsiness;
- lethargy;
- possible increased irritability;
- decrease in heart rate;
— .

At too low a temperature (below 34 ° C), bodies can experience:

- strong trembling;
- slurred speech
- difficulties in moving the body, up to immobilization;
- the skin becomes ash-gray, may begin to turn blue;
- weak pulse;
- hallucinations (it may seem that it is very hot).
- loss of consciousness.

Body temperature below 32°C can be fatal.

Causes of low and low body temperature

There are many reasons for low temperature for doctors to develop a whole specificity of diagnosing the body, which will be discussed in the next paragraph. The reason for the low body temperature, or, lies mainly in the hypothermia of the body, so you should always remember the rules of behavior on frosty days outside.

Consider the most common causes of a decrease in body temperature ...

The main factors that can provoke low and low body temperature:

Low temperature in children, especially those under 3 years of age, is often one of the symptoms, which is associated with an incompletely formed thermoregulation system of the body, for which the hypothalamus is responsible. At the same time, it is better to warm the body not by rubbing, but by hot drinks and warm clothes but it's still best to see a doctor.

In addition, as already mentioned at the beginning of the article, a person’s body temperature can change due to a change in the time of day, lowered in the morning, and over time, as the person is active, increase.

Diagnosis (examination) at low body temperature

Examination at low body temperature may include the following diagnostic methods:

- general examination of the patient;
— ;
— ;
— ;
- Analysis of urine;
— ;
— ;
- pulse oximetry;
- hourly diuresis;
— monitoring.

Now that you and I, dear readers, have armed ourselves with the necessary knowledge about low and low body temperature, we will consider the question, what to do at such a temperature? How to adjust thermoregulation? How to warm up the body?

Low body temperature due to hypothermia. What to do?

At temperatures below 34 ° C, call an ambulance, and at this time, try to do the following:

1. Lay the patient in bed, preferably in a horizontal position, or in a place protected from the cold.

2. Cover the patient, especially the limbs, while leaving the head and chest area open, which is associated with different indicators temperature in these parts of the body.

3. If a person has wet clothes, for example after falling into water, change them as soon as possible.

4. If the patient shows signs of limbs, do not warm them with warm water, but apply heat-insulating bandages to frostbitten hands and feet.

5. Attach to chest heating pad, electric blanket.

6. Give the victim a hot drink - tea, fruit drink. Categorical in this state, you can not take alcohol or coffee.

7. For warming, lavage (washing) with warm solutions (37-40 ° C) of the abdominal or pleural cavity is sometimes used.

8. You can also use warm baths, with a water temperature of 37 ° C.

9. If the patient is fainting, and his pulse is not felt, start doing and.

In severe hypothermia, the patient requires active rewarming (but gradual) as in this case, the body cannot independently regulate its temperature. If this is not done, or done incorrectly, the patient may die.

Low body temperature due to malnutrition, diet. What to do?

Due to the fact that the decrease in body temperature due to diet is associated with a lack of fats, carbohydrates, and minerals in the body, it is necessary to replenish their reserves.

From vitamins, special attention must be paid, because. it has a beneficial effect on the immune system, which weakens during a hunger strike or malnutrition. Weakened immunity can cause many diseases. Children are additionally recommended to take.

Decreased body temperature due to disease. What to do?

If you experience a decrease in temperature, accompanied by symptoms of various diseases - pain, colic, hallucinations, etc., be sure to consult a doctor, because. self-medication can only aggravate the possible disease of a particular organ. The doctor will prescribe necessary funds and procedures.

Other causes of low body temperature. What to do?

For simple warming, if you are slightly cold, take a relaxing bath, you can add a few drops of aroma oil. Drink hot tea. Wrap yourself in a warm blanket, lie down, relax. Get enough sleep.

If you don’t have the strength for a bath, put your feet in a basin of hot water, put warm socks on your feet, and under the covers.

In some cases, for example, with a breakdown, to normalize the temperature, you can take cold and hot shower, go for a massage.

Additionally, you can do small physical exercises, to which it is desirable to accustom your body. Try to spend your time actively, for example, you can ride a bike, play football, etc.

Eat a nutritious diet, consuming mostly fresh vegetables, fruits and juices.

If you are pregnant and have low temperature, while you are not bothered by various ailments, there is no reason to worry, in other cases, consult a doctor.

If your temperature drops due to or during overwork, most often, to normalize the work of the body, you just need to rest, sleep, take a walk in the fresh air. At the same time, you can drink a sedative.

Do not forget about the correct mode of the day.

An excellent remedy for strengthening immunity, as well as normalizing the work of the human thermoregulatory system, is a remedy made from the following components: raisins, dried apricots, prunes and, filled with. This mixture should be taken in the morning. It can be called natural energy.

The following herbs normalize the regulation function of the body:,

Every person is thrown into a fever from time to time, and there are a great many reasons for this: from a sudden surging feeling of love, to a banal cold. There is nothing surprising and out of the ordinary in this, the situation is completely ordinary. We put a thermometer, measure the body temperature, and if it exceeds 38 ° C, we take antipyretic drugs.

But another, diametrically opposite picture is also possible: the body temperature is lowered, general weakness, “loss of strength”, drowsiness, and sometimes slight dizziness are felt. Despite the fact that low body temperature is much less common than elevated, serious attention should be paid to it. the site will tell you what low body temperature indicates.

What temperature should be considered normal?

A decrease in human body temperature by only a few degrees is quite capable of disrupting work internal organs and damage the normal functioning of the body. Moreover, in some cases, even death is possible.

For example, a constant body temperature not higher than 35 ° C clearly indicates the presence of a serious chronic disease, a decrease to 29.5 ° C entails loss of consciousness, at 27 ° C a person can fall into a coma, and a decrease in temperature to 25 ° C already considered incompatible with life.

Considering that most people have individual characteristics the work of the body, small deviations from generally accepted indicators may not go beyond the normal. So, if a person does not experience any unpleasant symptoms, does not complain of weakness, feels alert and efficient, if the examination does not show any deviations, and the body temperature is constantly below the generally accepted figures, then this can be considered as a kind of normal variant.

However, the average normal body temperature is considered to be the interval from 35.5 to 37 ° C. It should also be borne in mind that during the day the temperature can vary within 1 ° C, reaching a peak by 16 hours. And in women, in addition to daily fluctuations, there are also temperature changes that depend on the menstrual cycle.

What are the causes of a decrease in body temperature?

Body temperature can drop both due to a serious illness, in which case it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination, and for simpler and more understandable reasons: reduced immunity, lack of vitamins, transferred infectious diseases, surgical interventions, stress, physical exhaustion.

As a rule, a person who has determined a low temperature in himself does not take any measures to normalize it. This approach is completely unacceptable, especially in cases where reduced level temperature is observed for one to two days, and there is no logical explanation for its decrease. It is important to know that in order to determine the causes of hypothermia and make the correct diagnosis, you must first contact a therapist. Since body temperature is only an external manifestation of the hidden problems of the body, it is necessary to carefully study the other symptoms and laboratory results that are available.

First of all, the general practitioner will refer the patient to an ECG and biochemical analysis blood, which will exclude any serious disease and determine the presence of just a temporary ailment, as a result of a possible weakening of the immune system. In this case, it will be enough just to adjust the diet by including vitamins and immune preparations in it, and change the daily routine, making it more physiological and sparing.

What does low temperature mean?

If, however, the therapist still has reason to believe that there is some serious internal disease, the patient must undergo a comprehensive examination, consult with narrow specialists, such as an endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, neurologist, and even an oncologist, because the reasons for lowering body temperature may lie in the development of certain oncological diseases, for example, brain tumors. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of oncology, it is urgent to conduct a tomographic examination.

Other causes of a decrease in body temperature

In addition, a low temperature can signal the presence of chronic inflammatory diseases, various endocrine disorders, anorexia, intoxication, AIDS. In any case, you should never resort to self-medication, because if you take it uncontrollably medicines, not prescribed by a doctor, but chosen independently, the body may not be able to cope with the real reason malaise and failure.

But, fortunately, most often the cause of a decrease in body temperature is just banal fatigue, which is greatly facilitated by a frantic rhythm modern life. And even if a person spends his working day sitting at his desk in the office, chronic fatigue can overtake him there too.

What does low temperature mean?

A sedentary lifestyle, constant mental stress, a constrained posture lead to overwork, and at the same time to a decrease in temperature, not to mention such pathologies as varicose veins, osteochondrosis and curvature of the spine. Correcting this situation is quite easy, it is worth getting up, stretching, doing a few simple exercise, drink tea or coffee, and even treat yourself to a forbidden, completely non-dietary chocolate bar.

Temperature from birth is one of the main signs of health or, on the contrary, ill health of a person. Almost everyone knows about the causes of fever, as well as ways to eliminate this symptom are not a secret. Lower temperature is usually not given special attention, although very often it is a low temperature that is a signal of a disease or simply a deplorable state of the body.

Decreased body temperature

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Normal body temperature is 36.6 degrees Celsius, a temperature of 35.5 degrees and below is considered low.

Causes of the "fall" in body temperature

The most obvious reason for a decrease in temperature is hypothermia of the body.

This is exactly the case when, in order to solve a problem, it is enough to change the conditions in which a person is located in order for the situation to change. Only prolonged hypothermia is dangerous, which can lead to irreversible consequences for the body.

Very often, a low temperature indicates serious overwork or stress. Such changes in the usual way of life invariably affect the body, if stress or overwork is strong enough or lasts long enough, the consequences for the body are inevitable. If this is the reason for the decrease in temperature, the most successful recommendation would be a calm, fairly long and regular sleep, a variety of stress relief techniques - from breathing exercises to drugs with a slight calming effect (for example, motherwort or valerian).

If symptoms persist, a doctor's consultation is required. The reasons for the decrease in body temperature below an acceptable threshold may be more serious.

These reasons include:

• exacerbation of chronic diseases
• dysfunction thyroid gland
• adrenal disease

Sometimes pregnancy can provoke a low temperature. However, remember that a temperature of 35 degrees can cause loss of consciousness. In such a situation, you need to urgently consult a doctor.

Exacerbation of chronic diseases. Any chronic disease has a negative impact on the functioning of the body as a whole, during an exacerbation chronic diseases cause severe stress to the body. The optimal solution problems in this case is a vigilant attitude towards one's health, compliance with the instructions of the attending physician, which will minimize the very likelihood of an exacerbation. If it was not possible to avoid an exacerbation, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner, be sure to inform him of all the symptoms, including low temperature.

Reduced function of the thyroid gland, which, in turn, provokes hormonal imbalance, dysfunction in the work of internal organs.

Prolonged neglect of abnormalities in the functioning of the thyroid gland can lead to the development of serious illnesses, therefore, special attention must be paid to low temperatures.

If the temperature doesn't rise enough long time and there are no other obvious reasons for its decrease, you should consult a doctor to check the condition of the thyroid gland and further treatment.

Exacerbation of diseases of the adrenal glands. It must be removed strictly under the supervision of a doctor, but it is quite possible to avoid exacerbation on your own. To do this, it is enough to drink enough water, choose the appropriate nutrition, for example, it is recommended to eat melons and watermelons, which stimulate the functions of the adrenal glands and cleanse the body.

Another reason for the decrease in body temperature may be unreasonable self-medication. When using drugs without a doctor's prescription or if the dosage is violated, the body may react differently to the drug, including a decrease in temperature. It is extremely important to avoid self-medication, all medications taken should be taken strictly according to the doctor's prescription and in the dosage recommended by him.

If, as a result of self-treatment, the condition worsens, and the temperature does not rise to normal for a long time, you should consult a doctor to prescribe a suitable solution, and, if necessary, cleanse the body

In young children, low body temperature can be a symptom of stress or overwork. Also, a decrease is often a symptom of a change in the biochemical composition of the blood, this age-related process should not cause anxiety, but the pediatrician still needs to be informed.

Thus, whatever the reasons for lowering the body temperature below the normal threshold, in all cases they are very serious and require a doctor's consultation, and sometimes very serious treatment. Downward temperature fluctuations must be taken as seriously as temperature rises.

Equals 36.6oC. In fact, this value is not the only correct one - deviations of a few tenths of a degree are permissible both in one direction and in the other. If the body temperature falls below 36.2°C, then it is considered low.

It is important that the healthy person body temperature varies with the time of day and many other reasons. So, the body temperature of a person who has just woken up is significantly lower than that of him by the middle of the day. Only if it remains low for two or three days, it is worth taking action.

Why is low body temperature dangerous?

In addition, a decrease in body temperature entails general weakness and impaired concentration, which can lead to injury through negligence. If the body temperature continues to drop and reaches 32oC, then death occurs.

What measures to take if the body temperature is lowered?

Low body temperature is quite rare in medicine, but it is no less dangerous. A severe drop in temperature leads to death. Even slight deviations from the norm indicate a malfunction in the body. In an adult and a child reduced rate occurs with weakened immunity, hypothermia, internal bleeding and poisoning.

As a rule, a lower temperature is characteristic of a breakdown. It can manifest itself after a serious illness, in which case the patient needs to undergo a full course of therapy.

In medicine, low body temperature in a child and an adult is denoted by the concept of hypothermia.

Etiology

Quite often, people are faced with the problem of lowering body temperature. In this regard, they are interested in the question of why this happens, and what becomes the cause.

For a person, the optimal temperature is 36.6 degrees when measured in the armpit. This indicator can be shifted by 0.5 degrees. However, if the body temperature begins to drop, and the difference is already 1-1.5 degrees, then this indicates the appearance of pathologies in the body.

The causes of abnormal cooling of the human body are interrelated with various factors. The indicator may decrease for the following reasons:

• violation immune system;
• lack of vitamins;
• infectious diseases;
• operations;
• stressful situations;
• physical ailment.

A small or significant drop in temperature can also occur from hypothermia, poisoning with drugs or alcoholic beverages, as well as a sharp change blood pressure, development, and other ailments.

The manifestation can also be formed under the influence of other factors:

• time of day;
• the person's age;
• impact of factors from the environment;
• pregnancy;
• body's individuality.

With the smallest changes in temperature and suspicious signs, a person needs to seek qualified medical help.

It is especially important to monitor the condition of the child, since children during the development period are quite vulnerable and sensitive to various disorders in the functioning of organs.

Symptoms

Low temperature in a child and an adult has characteristic symptoms, which indicate certain changes. If the indicator is below 36 degrees, then the patient feels the following signs:

• weakness and malaise;
• drowsiness and fatigue;
• irritability.

If the patient's body temperature is below 35 degrees, then the symptoms become more intense and are noted:

• trembling in the body;
• confused speech;
• heaviness in the whole body;
• skin ash gray or blue;
• weak pulse;
• hallucinations;
• fainting.

If the lowered body temperature of a person reaches 32 degrees, then death occurs.

Indicate the appearance of a disease in the body will be a low temperature, accompanied by other signs:

• general worsened condition;
• lethargy;
• shiver;
• cold skin;
• drowsiness;
• lethargy or irritability;
• decrease in heart rate;

Quite often, women experience low temperatures during pregnancy. In this case, the expectant mother will be overcome by additional symptoms:

• loss of appetite;
• vomiting attacks;
• chilliness in the lower extremities;

Diagnostics

In case the low body temperature in a child or an adult persists for a long time - more than three days, then you should seek help from a doctor. The physician must prescribe an examination, which will reveal the cause of the anomaly. The results of laboratory and instrumental examinations help to identify what was the root cause of the decrease in body temperature.

Treatment

A low temperature in a child is most often manifested from a common cold. In this case, parents need to call a pediatrician at home. If the doctor says that nothing terrible has happened to the baby, then you should not worry. At the time of treatment, the child needs to stay at home and undergo a course of therapy.

Also, low body temperature during a cold is treated with warm tea, but with such a disease, you can not go to the bath with hot water. Whole body heat can be fatal. It is necessary to limit walks with the child on the street and dress warmer even in the house. Doctors recommend giving warm natural juices from berries that are rich in vitamin C.

It should be noted which situations are considered critical and when to call the hospital. You will definitely need professional help if:

• the patient lost consciousness;
• the temperature has dropped to 35 degrees and continues to decline;
• symptom manifested in a person old age;
• with the appearance of other symptoms - bleeding, hallucinations, vomiting, impaired speech and vision.

During pregnancy, there is often a change in body temperature. This may be due to malnutrition due to frequent, due to disruption of work endocrine system or the common cold. The method of therapy for each patient is determined individually.

It happens that the temperature drops very quickly, but after a while it returns to normal. Such differences can be diagnosed both as a physiological manifestation and as pathological. Therefore, when a patient is restless, it is better to seek the help of a doctor.

To treat the condition of hypothermia, doctors prescribe to patients:

• physiotherapy;
• balneotherapy - use mineral waters and conducting spa treatment.

Such simple ways can also be used in preventive measures.

In addition to traditional methods of treatment, there are also non-traditional methods in medicine. Folk remedies help not only strengthen the immune system, but also increase the tone, and improve the functioning of the digestive tract. For these recipes traditional medicine include the consumption of foods rich in vitamins, in particular vitamin C.