Depending on the cause, a person who feels hot may sweat excessively or not sweat at all. They may look hot, with flushed or irritated skin, or their skin may look unchanged.
In this article, we look at 13 possible causes for feeling hot without a fever, treatment options, and when to see a doctor.
A person can check that they do not have a fever by using a thermometer to measure their body temperature. A digital thermometer is the best option as glass ones can be dangerous.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that people measure their temperature when they are not taking fever-reducing medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
If an adult’s body temperature is 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, they have a fever. However, if their body temperature is normal, at 98.6°F (37°C), then they do not have a fever.
A child will have a fever if their temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C).
Find out more about fevers in adults and children here.
Environmental or lifestyle causes
Many lifestyle and environmental factors can make a person feel hot but not produce a temperature. Factors include:
Heat-related illness
Hot or humid weather is taxing for the body and may affect some people more than others. In hot weather, a person might feel irritable, tired, or find it difficult to concentrate.
In some cases, extreme temperatures or prolonged exposure to the sun can cause heat-related health conditions, such as sunburn, heat exhaustion, and less commonly, heatstroke.
Sunburn occurs when the sun damages the skin, causing it to feel hot and sore. Heat exhaustion occurs when a person loses too much water and salt through sweating. According to the CDC, symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
