Stay Healthy Research

No one likes their temperature and seeing the thermometer display a number in the triple digits. For the record, a fever is a higher-than-normal body temperature. For adults, this means anything over 100.4℉, and for children, anything higher than 99.5℉ when measured orally, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Often, a fever is a sign of illness and is accompanied by some unpleasant symptoms, such as coughs, chills, stomach aches, and body aches.

But according to doctors, there are a whole lot of myths surrounding fevers going around—including that having one is always a bad thing. Here, doctors set the record straight on seven myths about fevers they want everyone to stop believing.

Here are seven common myths about fevers that doctors want people to stop believing:

1. Fevers are bad: Fevers are the body’s natural response to fight infection and can actually be beneficial.
2. Having a fever means you have a virus: Fevers can be caused by various factors, including infections, heat exhaustion, inflammatory conditions, immunizations, and certain medications.
3. Fevers are always contagious: Whether a fever is contagious depends on its cause. For example, fevers from heat exhaustion or certain conditions are not contagious.
4. You should see a doctor any time you have a fever: Not all fevers require a doctor’s visit. It’s important to monitor the fever and seek medical attention if it doesn’t respond to home treatments, exceeds 103°F, or lasts more than three days.
5. Leaving the house with wet hair can cause a fever: Going out with wet hair won’t cause a fever. Fevers are caused by viruses, not cold temperatures.
6. Drinking coffee can cause a fever: Consuming caffeine may temporarily increase blood pressure but won’t cause a fever.
7. It’s okay to power through and go to work with a fever: It’s best to stay home when you have a fever to recover and prevent spreading illness to others.