There are many reasons why you can be hot without having a fever. Environmental and lifestyle factors, medications, age, hormones and emotional state all have an impact. In some cases, persistent heat can indicate an underlying health problem. Depending on the cause, a person who is hot will sweat excessively or not at all. She may appear hot, with redness or itchy skin, or her skin may show no change. In this article, we look at 13 possible causes of flushing without a fever, treatment options, and when to see a doctor.
What is the temperature of a fever?
You can easily check that you don’t have a fever by taking your body temperature with a thermometer. A digital thermometer is the best option as glass thermometers can be dangerous.
To take your temperature, it’s best to do this when you’re not taking antipyretic drugs like ibuprofen. If an adult’s body temperature is 38°C or higher, they have a fever. However, with a normal body temperature of 37°C, he does not have a fever. A child has a fever when their body temperature is 37.5°C (99.5°F).
Causes related to the environment or lifestyle
Many lifestyle and environmental factors can cause a person to feel hot but do not produce a temperature. These factors are:
1 Heat-Related Illnesses
Hot or humid weather is hard on the body and can affect some people more than others. In hot weather, a person may feel irritable, tired, or have trouble concentrating. In some cases, extreme temperatures or prolonged exposure to the sun can cause heat-related health problems such as sunburn, heat exhaustion, and less commonly, heat stroke. Sunburn occurs when the sun damages the skin, making it feel hot and painful. Heat exhaustion occurs when a person loses too much water and salt through sweating.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion are:
– heavy sweating
– cold and damp skin
– Nausea or vomiting
– Tiredness or weakness
– Headache
– Dizziness
– Weakness or muscle cramps
Children with heat exhaustion may be excessively tired, thirsty, and have cold, clammy skin. A person with heat exhaustion should cool down, drink fluids, and refrain from all physical activity until they feel better. If the person does not cool down or feel better within an hour, they should see a doctor immediately.
If heat exhaustion is not treated, it can progress to heat stroke, which can be life-threatening. Symptoms include confusion, hot, dry, or discolored skin, fainting, or loss of consciousness. If a person shows signs of heat stroke, call for help right away.
2 Exercise or strenuous activity
Exercising or performing physical tasks can increase a person’s body heat, especially if they:
– is not used to exercising regularly
– Exercise or physical tasks in a hot or humid environment
– she’s trying too hard.
Athletes who train in hot weather should be alert for signs of heat-related illness and discontinue training if they feel weak or faint. Avoiding exercise during the hottest times of the day, drinking more water, and keeping a brisk pace can help people avoid overheating during exercise.
3 food and drink
Some foods and drinks may feel warmer than usual. These include:
– the alcohol
– caffeine
– Spicy foods
– Food and drinks at high temperatures
People may feel extra heat on their skin or sweat more than usual during and after eating these foods.
4 clothes
Tight, restrictive, or dark-colored clothing can increase body heat and prevent airflow around the skin. Synthetic fibers can also retain heat and prevent sweat evaporation. This can lead to excessive heat and increased sweating.
5 medical causes
A number of conditions and disorders can also cause a person to feel hot to the touch. These include in particular:
6 fear
When a person is feeling stressed or anxious, they may experience physical symptoms, including flushing and sweating. This occurs during the “fight-or-flight” response, which increases the person’s heart rate and blood flow to their muscles.
A person who is feeling anxious or stressed may also observe the following symptoms:
– increased heart rate
– palpitations
– tense muscles
– rapid breathing.
7 Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism occurs when a person’s thyroid gland becomes overactive and produces too much thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones affect how the body uses energy. People with hyperthyroidism often experience heat intolerance, along with other symptoms such as:
– shaking hands
– a fast or irregular heartbeat
– Diarrhea or frequent bowel movements
– difficult sleeping
– fatigue
8 Anhidrosis
Sweating is the means by which the body cools down. Anhidrosis describes the inability to sweat. This symptom can affect a small or large part of the body. This can be due to an underlying medical condition, medications, or blocked or damaged sweat glands. If a person cannot sweat at all, or cannot sweat over a large part of their body, it can be dangerous. A person with this symptom should speak to a doctor.
10 Diabetes
People with diabetes may be more sensitive to heat than others. This happens for several reasons:
– Dehydration: People with diabetes become dehydrated more quickly in hot weather. Not drinking enough fluids can also raise blood sugar levels, causing the person to urinate more. This further aggravates dehydration.
– Complications: Diabetes can lead to complications that damage blood vessels and nerves, which in turn can affect a person’s sweat glands. This can mean a person sweats less, making it harder for them to stay cool.
The symptoms of diabetes are as follows
– frequent urination, especially at night
– Feeling thirsty and very hungry
– blurred vision
– Tingling in the hands or feet
– fatigue
– unintentional weight loss
other causes
People can feel warm for a variety of other reasons, including:
11 Pregnancy and Menstrual Cycle
It is relatively common for pregnant women to feel warmer than usual. This is due to hormonal changes that increase blood flow to the skin’s surface.
Pregnant women can also sweat more. It is common for temperature to rise during the ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle.
12 Menopause and perimenopause
Women can experience hot flashes during, before, and after menopause. Hot flashes are caused by changes in estrogen levels. Hot flashes can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes.
Other symptoms of a hot flash include:
– Redness of the face and neck
– heavy sweating
– Night sweats, which can disturb sleep
– a feeling of coldness or shivering afterwards
13 drugs
Some medications have heat or sweating as a side effect. Medications that can cause a feeling of warmth include:
– analgesics,
– Cardiovascular drugs
– hormonal drugs such as thyroid drugs and testosterone
– Gastrointestinal medications
– skin treatments,
– psychotropic drugs
– certain antibiotics and antiviral drugs
If a person thinks their medication might be causing side effects, they can talk to their doctor to discuss their options.
treatment
Treatment for flushing without fever depends on the underlying cause. People who feel hot due to environmental or lifestyle factors, such as sun exposure, may feel better if they adjust their daily habits, such as eating.
– wear light, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing
– stay in air-conditioned rooms
– Take a cool shower or bath
– Drink plenty of fluids and replace electrolytes lost through sweat
– avoid spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol.
These strategies can also help pregnant women and those with hot flashes. People who are hot from anxiety or stress can also benefit from relaxation techniques that calm the nervous system. These techniques include deep breathing, yoga and tai chi. Since stress can make hot flashes worse, these techniques can also help people in perimenopause or menopause
When to see a doctor
If a person often or constantly feels hot without having a fever, they should see their doctor. The doctor may need to do tests, such as blood or urine tests, to diagnose the underlying cause. If symptoms of heat exhaustion do not improve within an hour, or if symptoms of heat exhaustion develop, emergency services should be contacted.
summary
People can be hot for many reasons without having a fever. Some causes can be transient and easy to identify, such as: B. eating spicy foods, a humid environment, or stress and anxiety. However, some people often feel hot for no apparent reason, which can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. If people are unsure why they feel hot without having a fever, they can consult their doctor.
* Presse Santé strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO CASE can the information given replace the advice of a doctor.
