Are you worrying too much about a fever after surgery?

🩺 How to distinguish between a “good fever” and a “concerning fever”

If your fever suddenly rises after surgery… anyone would feel anxious, right?😰

You may find yourself wondering, “Could something be wrong?” “Is it an infection?” “Should I contact the hospital immediately?”

But in fact, not all fevers after surgery are dangerous.

Rather, a fever from immediately after surgery through the following day is often a “normal sign that your body is trying to recover”💪

🌡️ Why does a fever occur after surgery?

🔍 In fact, there is also such a thing as a “good fever”

If you have undergone surgery, you may remember your body temperature rising a while after waking up from anesthesia.

There is actually no need to worry about this fever✨

Fevers after surgery can be broadly divided into two types: “good fevers” and “concerning fevers.”

💡 Why does body temperature rise after surgery?

Surgery causes various changes in the body.

Through the action of the immune system, the body’s temperature-regulation set point shifts to around 38°C.

As a result, after surgery, the body reacts by trying to raise its temperature to around 38°C.

In fact, this fever helps significantly enhance the body’s defenses against infection.

In other words, an early postoperative fever is a purposeful biological defense response🛡️

😌 Two types of normal postoperative fever

📍 Absorption fever

This fever occurs as blood, exudate, necrotic tissue, and other substances released from tissues damaged by surgery are absorbed by the body.

It is a symptom caused by the body’s natural biological defense response and is considered a normal reaction after surgery.

📍 Inflammatory fever

This fever occurs as the body attempts to recover after surgery or another invasive procedure.

When body tissues are damaged by surgery, substances called cytokines are produced.

When cytokines are released, the body initiates a biological defense response, causing body temperature to rise.

✅ Characteristics of absorption fever and inflammatory fever

• Often appears within 2–3 days after surgery

• Usually reaches its highest point around 11 hours after surgery

• Average temperature increase of 1.4°C

• Resolves naturally (because it is a biological defense response)

📊 Postoperative fever timeline

🕐 Day of surgery to the following day (0–2 days)

For example, if surgery ends in the evening, your temperature may rise to 38°C the following morning along with chills and shivering.

Infections are rare causes of fever during this period.

💭 You may also experience symptoms like these

• Chills and rigors (shivering intensely from the cold)

• Cold hands and feet

• Body tremors

These are normal reactions as the body tries to raise its temperature, so there is no need to worry excessively😊

🕐 3–7 days after surgery

If a fever of 38.5°C or higher occurs from the third postoperative day onward, it is necessary to consider the possibility of complications such as the following.

⚠️ Possible causes of fever from the third day onward

• Surgical site infection (SSI)

• Urinary tract infection (such as cystitis)

• Respiratory infection (postoperative pneumonia)

• Infection of an indwelling venous catheter

• Drug-induced fever (fever caused by a medication side effect)

• Venous thrombosis or embolism

🚨 Contact the hospital immediately in these situations

If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact the hospital where you had surgery as soon as possible.

⚠️ Warning signs checklist

✓ A fever appears or continues from postoperative day 3–4 onward

✓ Redness, swelling, or severe pain around the wound

✓ Pus coming from the wound

✓ Shortness of breath

✓ Persistent severe fatigue

✓ Symptoms do not subside even after one week

If you have any of these symptoms, complications such as an infection may be involved, so contacting the hospital promptly is the safest option📞

💊 Characteristics of a wound infection

A postoperative wound infection is a bacterial infection near the surgical site caused by surgery.

When a bacterial infection occurs, the following symptoms may appear.

📋 Main symptoms of a wound infection

• Increasing pain or swelling at the wound

• Increasing redness

• A feeling of warmth in the area

• Fever as a systemic reaction

However, a postoperative wound infection can occur even without a fever, so it is important to carefully monitor the condition of the wound👀

💊 Using antipyretics

🤔 Should you always take an antipyretic if your temperature is 38°C or higher?

The answer is “NO”❌

Just because your temperature reaches 38°C or higher does not mean you must take an antipyretic.

 The appropriate approach is: “Take an antipyretic when your temperature is 38°C or higher and you want one or feel uncomfortable.”

If you do not feel particularly unwell, it is more reasonable not to lower your fever unnecessarily with an antipyretic.

This is because, as mentioned above, an early postoperative fever helps enhance the body’s defenses against infection💪

⚠️ Precautions when using antipyretics

🚨 Important precautions

Antipyretics will lower your fever, but they do not treat the underlying cause itself, such as an infection.

Because they can make symptoms more difficult to notice, it is dangerous to continue taking them based on your own judgment.

If your fever is high and you are feeling particularly unwell, consult a doctor.

After surgery, painkillers are often prescribed to relieve pain, along with antibiotics to prevent infection.

Therefore, never take an additional as-needed medication to lower your fever on your own judgment🙅‍♀️

🇰🇷 Important points if you have cosmetic surgery in Korea

If you develop a fever after returning to Japan following cosmetic surgery in Korea, you need to be especially careful.

There may be situations in which you cannot immediately contact the Korean clinic, so it is important to prepare in advance✈️

📝 Things to confirm before returning home

✅ Checklist

• Emergency contact information (whether Japanese-language support is available)

• Contact methods such as LINE or KakaoTalk

• The names of prescribed medications and how to use them

• Which symptoms should prompt you to make contact

• Whether there is an affiliated hospital or consultation service in Japan

Yeppuriko introduces Korean clinics with reliable aftercare.

We will also help you thoroughly confirm the postoperative support system in advance💝

✨ Summary

A fever after surgery is not necessarily dangerous

• A fever around 38°C on the day of surgery through the following day (0–2 days) is often a normal biological response as the body tries to recover

• Absorption fever and inflammatory fever resolve naturally, so there is no need to worry excessively

• However, a fever from postoperative day 3–4 onward requires caution

• Contact the hospital promptly if you experience redness, swelling, pus, or severe pain around the wound

• Do not use antipyretics based on your own judgment; consult a doctor and take them when you feel uncomfortable

• If you have cosmetic surgery in Korea, confirm the post-return support system in advance

If you develop a concerning fever, first contact the hospital where you had surgery.

In particular, be sure to seek advice promptly if you develop a “fever from the third day onward”📞

Your body is working hard to recover after surgery.

With the right knowledge, we hope you can spend your recovery period with peace of mind😊

We at Yeppuriko have brought you reliable Korean information to help you feel closer to Korea with greater peace of mind.

Connect with Korea through Yeppuriko, where trends and exciting discoveries bring you closer together.