Do Fevers Cause Brain Damage?
Do Fevers Cause Brain Damage? It has long been believed that high fevers can cause brain damage, especially if left untreated. So how much truth is there to this claim? It really depends on the situation. Answer: Most fevers are caused by viral or bacterial infections, but they can also be caused by toxins, cancers or autoimmune diseases. A fever is just a symptom of illness, not an illness itself. When an otherwise healthy person has a fever because of an illness, it is extremely unlikely to cause brain damage. Even febrile seizures, which occur in children, do not cause any permanent damage. The time to be concerned about a high fever is when it is not caused by an illness, but because of overheating. This is actually heat stroke (hyperthermia), which is completely different than a fever. Hyperthermia can be caused by overexposure to high temperatures and under consumption of water. In these cases, the
