A fever is a rise in internal body temperature to levels that are considered to be above normal. The normal or average body temperature is about 37ºC (in Celsius) or 98.6ºF (in Fahrenheit). And body temperatures that are above 100º.4F or 38ºC are generally considered to be febrile. It’s usually a symptom of an underlying condition, mostly often an infection. A part of the brain, the hypothalamus, controls the body temperature from the normal temperature and in response to an infection, illness or some other cause, the hypothalamus may reset the body to a higher temperature.
Fever is associated with physical uneasiness and causes depends on your age and physical condition. In children with fever are often caused by colds, cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, vaccines, poor appetite, ear pain and lethargy. For adults, fever is dangerous if body temperature rises and if associated with heat injury such as heat stroke and stroke. But many believe that fever is a natural bodily defense against infection.
 |
| Image from Pixabay |
Fever is easy to measure and it is your body’s way of fighting an infection, the fever will kill the bacteria and virus. A fever can greatly weaken the germs and severely limit their ability to reproduce. It also helps burn away toxins and stimulates the immune system. On the other hand high fevers can be dangerous for small children, when the body becomes too weak to handle the infection it will be extremely uncomfortable.
Read: Home Remedies for Acne
There are numerous treatments to reduce high fever without using a fever-reducing medications like Paracetamol or Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen. Sometimes we just don’t have any of these medicines so better try a non-medical approach to lower the fever. It is important to do remedies before relaying to your doctor and if one with fever already looks very sick, if he’s drowsy or very fussy, or if he has a seizure. But we have to keep in mind that reducing the fever doesn’t help cure the illness and if temperature climbs high enough and if one feels really uncomfortable and becomes too weak to handle the infection , doing some remedies can help lowering the fever.
Here are some methods to cure a fever at home:
- Place a cool, damp washcloth on the forehead while on rests and also under the arms. It can stimulate sweat that helps keep a body cool and improves blood circulation.
- Give a lukewarm bath or sponge bath. As the water evaporates from the skin it will bring the temperature down. Don’t use cold water. It can make the body shiver and may cause the body temperature to rise. Do not use a rubbing alcohol, it can make the skin feel cooler. It can cause a temperature spike and possibly alcohol poisoning.
- Offer plenty of fluids least eight ounces of water every two hours and chilled foods to help cool the body from the inside out and keep hydrated. Our body can quickly lose moisture and get dehydrated by sweating and sneezing caused by colds and flu that are often associated with fever. Dehydration can cause temperature to rise and often leads to headaches, dizziness, muscle cramps, low blood pressures and seizures. Sports drinks for adults are acceptable liquids for re-hydration but must be use carefully because these drinks do provide electrolytes. Try diluting one part of water to one part of sports drink. For young children, consider a commercial electrolyte rehydration solution like Pedialyte which have been specifically designed for children’s bodies.
- Use a fan at a low setting and have it circulate the air around.
- Remove layers of clothing that can trap heat and make fever last longer. Wear loose, comfortable clothes to help the body relax and improve air circulation Use a light blanket if she’s shivering.
- Get plenty of rest so the body can heal faster by strengthening the immune system. It takes energy to fight an infection, and that can wear out a child or an adult. Rests is healing. Stress plays a role in illness too.
- Stay indoors. It is better to rest indoors where the air is dry and the temperature won’t change too much
- Avoid smoking because it can suppress the body’s immune system. Smoking on the other hand requires the body to fight harder against viruses and bacteria. Children should not be exposed to secondhand smoke when they have fever.
- Reduce too much caffeine intake because it stimulates water excretion and excessive intake can lead to dehydration.
- Avoid drinking alcohol, whether it is beer, wine or another drink. It weakens the immune system, making it harder for the body to recover quickly.
- Take a fever-reducing medication if fever is very high.
- If fever doesn’t come down and the high body temperature lasts over seventy-two hours then you should see the doctor immediately.
