Diagnosing a case of fever
Fever is not a standalone disease, and identifying its origin is the main key to successful treatment. The treatment of some causes of fever can irreversibly harm a patient of another cause. After hearing the patient’s complaint, the doctor will proceed to measure their temperature and perform a thorough physical examination including:
- Assessing vital signs like pulse and blood pressure. Pulse is normally elevated in any case of fever by 10 beats per minute for every 1 degree rise of temperature. Some bacterial infections dull such rise including typhoid fever.
- Examining the main site of complaint, which is commonly the throat in upper respiratory infections or the abdomen in case of gastrointestinal infections. Your doctor may also listen to your breathing sounds and examine your chest if they suspect pneumonia.
- Full examination of joints or any other tender musculoskeletal site. Infections like osteomyelitis or arthritis can be missed or hidden. Any tender site can also mean an abscess.
- In infants who present with persistent crying or vomiting, the doctor will exclude meningitis using special clinical tests.