Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding Psychogenic FeverWhat’s the Difference Between Psychogenic Fever and Regular Fevers?How Does Stress Cause a Fever?How Do You Get Rid of Psychogenic Fever?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Understanding Psychogenic Fever
What’s the Difference Between Psychogenic Fever and Regular Fevers?
How Does Stress Cause a Fever?
How Do You Get Rid of Psychogenic Fever?
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We know that too muchstressis never a good thing. It keeps us up at night, makes us feel drained and affects our relationships with friends and family. In fact, stress can actually lead to a fever. Here’s what you need to know about psychogenic fever.
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One study looked at the age distribution and gender differences of psychogenic fever in Japan. It showed that the highest number of cases occurred for 13-year-olds. The study found that psychogenic fever is more common among females.Although adolescents are more likely to experience psychogenic fever, it also occurs among adults.
Causes and Symptoms of Psychogenic Fever
Annie Miller, a licensed psychotherapist and the owner and founder of DC Metro Sleep and Psychotherapy with significant training in brain and psychologically-based symptoms explained that psychogenic fever stems from our complex mind-body connection.
Psychogenic symptoms are where psychological stressors manifest as physical symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, and even as an unexplained fever. Anxiety,trauma, and emotional distress can all contribute to the onset of psychogenic fever episodes.
Liz Hughes, MEd, LPCC, founder and therapist of Mind Body Therapy shared key differences that distinguish a psychogenic fever as it relates to causes and symptoms.
Dr. Julia Kogan, PsyD, a health psychologist with a background in neuropsychology and a specialty in chronic stress, sleep, and health behaviors explains that the key factor that distinguish a psychogenic fever is the absence of an infection or other organic or inflammatory cause of the elevated body temperature.
A psychogenic fever is one in which the general core body temperature is also higher than expected but there is no associated infection, virus, or illness to explain it and is thought to be related to stress.
“The main differentiator will be the presence of an inflammatory process in the body that is causing the fever. If testing has ruled out any condition, infection, medication or other common fever source, then it is more likely associated with a psychogenic fever,” explained Dr. Kogan.
Lastly, Dr. Kogan shared that common anti-inflammatory drugs will generally help to reduce most fevers. However, research has shown that these medications generally do not help to reduce psychogenic fevers, whilepsychotropic medications,therapy, and other forms of stress reduction can.
Dr. Kogan explained that it isn’t fully understood how stress leads to psychogenic fever. More research is still needed on this topic in humans; however, animal studies suggest that in some individuals the stress response induces the sympathetic nervous system to activate brown adipose tissue. One of the functions of brown adipose tissue (a type of body fat) is to maintain our temperature in cold environments.
Psychological factors such as anxiety, fear, or emotional distress may contribute to the development of psychogenic fever
Miller says that mechanisms underlying psychogenic fever involve intricate interactions between the brain and the body.
“When under significant psychological stress, the brain activates the sympatheticnervous system, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can then influence the hypothalamus, which regulates body temperature, leading to a rise in temperature characteristic of psychogenic fever,” explains Miller.
It’s difficult to know how long a psychogenic fever will last. Some people will experience a high fever of up to 105.8°F (41°C) after a stressful event. Others who experience chronic stress may develop a persistent low-grade fever between 98.6°F and 100.4°F (37–38°C) that can last months or even years.
Address Underlying Factors
The best way to get rid of a psychogenic fever is to address the underlying cause.
A 2015 study discussed the case of a 15-year-old female who developed a high psychogenic fever of up to 105.8°F (41°C) only on school days. Upon returning home, her fever would disappear. She had no signs of inflammation. During an interview, the student revealed she was having a difficult time at school due to classmates who were bullying her friend. After she changed schools, her psychogenic fever went away.
Adopt Coping Strategies and Self-Care Practices
Miller shared it’s essential to address underlying psychological stressors andpractice self-compassion. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation anddeep breathing exercises, can help you tune into your body and calm the nervous system.
“You can train yourself to tune into your symptoms with a sense of calm, rather than fear or distress. For instance, reminding yourself that the fever isn’t dangerous, and you can relax, which reduces the stress around the symptoms themselves,” advised Miller.
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Use a Holistic Approach
Our mind and body are intimately connected. Treating our minds well can create a positive impact on our bodies and vice versa. Dr. Kogan emphasized that a holistic and well-rounded approach to managing acute and chronic stress is not only important for reducing psychogenic fever in those susceptible to it, but also mitigating other negative impacts of stress on the body.
According to Dr. Kogen, a holistic approach includes practicing deep relaxation, addressing any unhelpful and anxious thoughts that contribute to high stress, and addressing lifestyle factors contributing to high stress, includingquality sleep, balanced eating, exercising, and having stress outlets.
Seek Health Professional Support
It’s important for individuals experiencing recurrent or persistent unexplained fevers to consult with a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and management.
“If you are experiencing any type of fever, I would first recommend visiting your primary care doctor to rule out organic causes of the fever. Your doctor can support you in deciding which resources would be best once an organic cause is ruled out, such as relaxation techniques, CBT therapy, and stress management techniques,” advises Hughes.
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3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Oka T, Oka K.Age and gender differences of psychogenic fever: a review of the Japanese literature.Biopsychosoc Med. 2007;1:11.Kaneda Y, Tsuji S, Oka T.Age distribution and gender differences in psychogenic fever patients.BioPsychoSocial Medicine. 2009;3(1):6.Oka T.Psychogenic fever: how psychological stress affects body temperature in the clinical population.Temperature (Austin). 2015;2(3):368–378.
3 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Oka T, Oka K.Age and gender differences of psychogenic fever: a review of the Japanese literature.Biopsychosoc Med. 2007;1:11.Kaneda Y, Tsuji S, Oka T.Age distribution and gender differences in psychogenic fever patients.BioPsychoSocial Medicine. 2009;3(1):6.Oka T.Psychogenic fever: how psychological stress affects body temperature in the clinical population.Temperature (Austin). 2015;2(3):368–378.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Oka T, Oka K.Age and gender differences of psychogenic fever: a review of the Japanese literature.Biopsychosoc Med. 2007;1:11.Kaneda Y, Tsuji S, Oka T.Age distribution and gender differences in psychogenic fever patients.BioPsychoSocial Medicine. 2009;3(1):6.Oka T.Psychogenic fever: how psychological stress affects body temperature in the clinical population.Temperature (Austin). 2015;2(3):368–378.
Oka T, Oka K.Age and gender differences of psychogenic fever: a review of the Japanese literature.Biopsychosoc Med. 2007;1:11.
Kaneda Y, Tsuji S, Oka T.Age distribution and gender differences in psychogenic fever patients.BioPsychoSocial Medicine. 2009;3(1):6.
Oka T.Psychogenic fever: how psychological stress affects body temperature in the clinical population.Temperature (Austin). 2015;2(3):368–378.
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