what happens when a fever ‘breaks’? What’s with the grand finale of sweat
In: Biology
When your body is sick, one if it’s defense mechanisms is to heat itself up, which can help make it harder for bacteria and viruses to reproduce. However, this same heating is not good for the body under normal function, so if/when the body senses that the infection has been defeated, it switches over to maximum heat rejection, hence why you sweat.
Your body has a thermostat–much like the one in your house. It says “I want to be at this temperature.”
During a fever, the thermostat is raised; instead of 98.6 degrees, your body wants to be at 102 degrees (or whatever that particular fever is). When your body raises its desired temperature, the rest of your body tries to get there–this is why people who have a fever often feel chills, as their body is reporting that it is way under its desired temperature.
When the fever’s done, your body sets the thermostat back to where it should be. But, suddenly, the body is way too hot for its desired temperature. So your body tries to cool itself in the only way it knows how–sweating.
It’s essentially your body trying to return to normal temperature. The sweat cools your body down as it evaporates (carries heat with it). As for “what happens”, many things, including reducing inflammation responses, a decrease in some types of white blood cell count etc.
Latest Answers