To Determine the Cause of the Patient’s Condition.

When a person becomes ill, one of the first things that must be done is to determine what disease, injury, or other factor is responsible. Some problems, such as pneumonia and heatstroke, cause the body to become warmer than normal.

Some problems, such as generalized hypothermia and some forms of shock, cause the body to become cooler than normal. Many other problems will have little or no effect upon the body’s temperature. Determining whether the patient’s temperature is normal, higher than normal, or lower than normal can be important in determining what is wrong with the patient.

To Determine the Effectiveness of Treatment. If the patient’s condition has caused his body to become warmer or cooler than normal, then his temperature should return to normal as he becomes healthier. Change or lack of change in the patient’s temperature may indicate if the treatment being used is actually working.