There is a simple yet fairly reliable method of determining a fever if one doesn't have a thermometer to hand. First, one needs to know one's pulse at rest (mine is about 60). For every ten beats that it rises at rest, one may add 1°F or 0.555°C to one's temperature. With last week's attack of rheumatic fever, my pulse rose +65 above normal at rest. That suggests a 40.6°C temperature (105.1°F), which is into the danger zone, above 40°C. By the time I saw a doctor, I thought it had dropped. However, he said it was "very high". I just forgot to ask how high. OBSERVATION: It's just a rule of thumb, but it can be useful. Rheumatic fever is now making a comeback in the northern United States. Incidentally, it does not always require a noticeable fever.
POSTSCRIPT: Later tests suggested that COVID-19 was more likely (my doctor's opinion fell on the side of rheumatic fever). If the temperature estimate above was correct, I had less than 60% chance of survival, according to Healthline.
No comments:
Post a Comment