I Have a High Fever: Wait It Out or Go to Urgent Care?

Your body has an impressive ability to fight things that could hurt it. Part of your immune system response might mean increasing your body’s temperature in an effort to fend off certain illnesses like infections. 

So on the one hand, that fever could be a good sign — it indicates that your body is doing what it should to keep you healthy. On the other hand, though, a body temperature that stays higher than normal can put you at risk of health complications.

That doesn’t mean you should rush off to the doctor anytime you feel a little warm. But it does mean you should monitor your fever and know when it’s time to visit one of our SmartClinic Urgent Care offices in West Covina and Santa Clarita, California. With our urgent care services, you can get the fast medical attention you need when your fever gets too high. 

When your fever requires a doctor’s visit

When should you seek medical attention for your fever? As a general rule, adults should go to urgent care when your fever reaches or exceeds 103 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s the point at which your fever is deemed “high grade.” If it climbs any higher, it can be dangerous to your long-term health.

You should also head to urgent care if your fever comes with any of these symptoms:

• Trouble breathing
• Stomach pain
• A bad headache 
• A rash
• Sensitivity to light
• Earaches
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Neck pain
• A productive cough with mucus that’s green, yellow, or bloody

If you have these symptoms along with your fever, it indicates that your body is fighting a serious infection. Seeking prompt medical care means you can receive treatment to help your body do that important work. 

Addressing your fever

At SmartClinic Urgent Care, our team can help you find out what’s causing your high fever. It could be anything from bronchitis to the flu. 

To diagnose the root cause of your fever, we talk with you about your symptoms and use the appropriate diagnostic tools. Once we know what’s causing your fever, we tailor a treatment plan to help your body fight the infection and bring your temperature back down.

In some cases, treatment might be as simple as a prescribed antibiotic. Viral infections are more difficult to treat, but we can help you make adjustments to ease your symptoms as your body’s immune system goes to work.

Ultimately, a low fever is probably safe to monitor at home. But if your thermometer reads 103 or more or your high temperature comes with other symptoms, it’s time to visit our urgent care. 

You can walk into either of our SmartClinic Urgent Care offices, call the location nearest you, or save your spot with online check-in. Our dedicated medical team is available seven days a week with extended hours.