Fever

A fever is a temporary rise in body temperature. It’s one part of an overall response from the body’s immune system. A fever is usually caused by an infection.

For most children and adults, a fever may be uncomfortable. But it usually isn’t a cause for concern. For infants, however, even a low fever may mean there’s a serious infection.

Fevers generally go away within a few days. A number of over-the-counter medications lower a fever. But you don’t necessarily need to treat a fever if it’s not causing discomfort.