Do I have a fever after surgery? Do I have an infection? Should I worry?

Posted on April 14, 2020

I just got a call from a patient. She is less than one day out, and said “I have a fever.”  Her temperature is 99. With her, I do not consider this a fever. And the likely reason for her temperature is because of her pain, she is taking shallow breaths. The treatment is to take deep breaths, hold them in, and then exhale. But when do you worry about a temperature?

So, I thought I would write a blog.

What qualifies as a fever?

Normally, your temperature should be 98.6.  If it is above that, we don’t consider it a fever until you are 101.5.  There are natural variations in your body temperature.  When taking your temperature, an oral thermometer or one you put in your bottom are more accurate than ear or forehead temperature probes.

What causes fever after surgery?

People always worry “OH NO! I have an infection.”  This is typically not the case. The most likely cause of your temperature varies with how far out you are from surgery. These are GENERAL points. Every person is different

So bottom line?

Have good pain control. Take deep breaths. Hydrate. And keep clean.

And if you have a temperature over 101.5, alert your doctor.