Variations in body temperature

[Just Older]

Yesterday, my boyfriend decided to inform me that he's sick. Now, I've seen him sick before, and he's one of those annoyingly 'unsick' looking people. He's complaining of feeling like he's been hit by a transport truck, but he looks normal.

As the title of this post suggests, I have only one way to tell that he's as sick as he says. He's cold. So cold I couldn't bear him touching me.

That's odd. Usually, he runs about 10 degrees higher than average. Well, it feels like 10. He was commenting today about his weakened immune system making his blood run cold, but I don't get it.

When you're sick, do you not usually run a fever? Should he feel like a little ice cube?

[Guest Fay]

I was sick once where my body temperature actually dipped, and it was lower than normal. I think I was at 96-95 degrees F, where as I'm normally 97-98 F. When your body is fighting off a nasty infection, going below normal isn't common, but can be just as dangerous as if you had a really high fever.

[Vetinari]

It depends on his core temperature more than anything else. He could still have a raised temperature but cold extremities (hands and feet). A significant drop in CORE temperature is generally a very bad sign but if that was happening he wouldn't look normal.

[chui]

there are certain instances where a fever will begin, and as it progresses, the body attempts to compensate, by dropping the temperature as well. also, in normal illnesses, the body will shunt blood (and all of the immune system cells, chemicals, molecules, etc that it carries) to the organs and tissues most likely to be affected i.e., heart, lungs, liver, etc... with most of these being deep within the core of the body. as the blood rushes into them, it tends to not make it to the extremities, leading them to be cooler, like Vet said. in general, as long as it isnt too prolonged, it isnt a bad thing.

[Lynne]

Colds very rarely produce fevers... at least they're not meant to. That's supposed to be one of the main distinctions between colds & flu I always feel really cold when I'm coming down with something.