Fever, also known as pyrexia or high temperature, refers to a temperature above 37 degrees Celsius (average body temperature) and is a natural reaction of the body to various diseases and infections. Fever is one of the most common medical symptoms.
Fever is the most common side effect in diseases such as flu and cold. A fever indicates the immune system is fighting hard against infection or disease.
Generally, when the immune system produces more white blood cells to fight infection, these cells stimulate the brain to increase body temperature, resulting in a fever.
On the other hand, the body reacts to this phenomenon and tries to cool itself by restricting blood flow to the skin and contracting muscles, which causes shivering and pain in the body and muscles.
Related: “Heat Stroke Treatment At Home/ Eliminative Solutions”
Among the factors that cause fever in adults, the following can be mentioned:
Related: “How To Prevent Sunburn Without Sunscreen?“
The following diseases may also cause high fever:
The average body temperature is between 36.1 and 37.2 degrees Celsius. If your body temperature rises above this value, you have a fever. Fever is divided into four groups:
Usually, most fevers resolve on their own within 1 to 3 days. However, persistent or persistent fever may recur for up to 14 days. Just as a recurring fever is a sign of a more severe infection or illness, a persistent fever can also be severe, Even if the fever is mild.
If the duration of the fever is less than seven days, the fever is acute;
If the fever lasts up to 14 days, it is semi-acute;
If the fever lasts more than 14 days, the fever is chronic or persistent.
Related: “What Is The Difference Between Intermittent, Remittent, And Relapsing Fever?“
Symptoms of fever include the following:
Related: “How To Deal With Fatigue From Iron Deficiency?“
See your doctor if you have a high fever (temperature above 39.4°C), if your fever is persistent and does not go away after three days, or if you have the following symptoms:
Various types of fever or elevated body temperature can occur due to a range of medical conditions. Here are some common types of fever:
A fever is usually not dangerous by itself. Most fevers disappear within hours or days as the body fights the infection. During this time, you can use the following simple and effective methods to feel better:
Some over-the-counter medications can also help relieve fever and associated symptoms such as headache, body aches, and muscle pain.
If the fever is very severe, its treatment depends on the cause of the fever, and the doctor may prescribe the following drugs to treat severe infections:
When an adult patient has a fever, the easy way to treat fever is that he should wear cool clothes and not cover himself with a blanket.
When the patient starts shivering, he should wear warm clothes until the shivering stops, then put on light clothes again.
If the patient is unwell or has a high fever, give him acetaminophen every 4 hours, ibuprofen can be as helpful as acetaminophen.
Ibuprofen can be taken every 6 to 8 hours, do not use ASA (aspirin) in people under 20 years old.
If the patient vomits the antipyretic drug, you can use an acetaminophen suppository (renal use) and ask the pharmacist for help.
It is recommended not to take a bath during fever and chills. Bathing causes shivering, and shivering causes the body temperature to rise again.
The patient should drink plenty of fluids. Fluid loss increases during fever.
Repeat the medicine every 4 hours, especially if the fever is high.
If the patient also has a sore throat, cough, earache, or other problems, in addition to fever, he may have a cold.
Footbath
Footbath has also been used as a home remedy to reduce fever from the past until now, and you can reduce your fever or that of your loved ones by using this simple way.
For this, you should put the patient’s feet in a pan of lukewarm water and then start massaging the feet so that the fever gradually decreases.
Apple cider
Apple cider vinegar is another old medicine and an easy way to eliminate fever. Add one cup of apple cider vinegar in a bowl containing two cups of water. Then dip a cloth in the mixture and wrap it on the forehead, abdomen, or soles of the feet.
Onion
Onion is considered one of the most traditional home remedies and a simple way for fever; it effectively reduces fever and relieves body pain.
Apply two or three slices of thick onion on the patient’s feet for a few minutes before bed. Repeat this process twice a day to reduce the fever naturally.
After conducting investigations regarding the treatment of reducing fever in an easy way, it was found that egg white can also be very effective in reducing fever.
This food can absorb body heat well and completely neutralize fever even in a very short period (up to half an hour).
You must first break two to three eggs and separate their whites. Then mix them thoroughly. Now take a clean cloth in the appropriate size, dip it in the albumen, place it on the soles of your feet, and wear socks.
If the cloth dries, dip it again in egg white. Repeat this until the fever goes down.
Proper diet for fever management
Using good food to manage fever is necessary to eliminate symptoms and recover faster. A balanced and appropriate diet helps to strengthen the immune system.
Since the body burns more calories during a fever, it is essential to consume energy-dense foods, and a high-calorie, high-protein, low-fat, and fluid diet is recommended.
During the first 2 or 3 days of fever, the diet should primarily contain liquids such as soup, water, juice, and milk (if you do not have diarrhea).
Continuous meals should be taken every 2 hours and gradually increase to every 4 hours. Also, use soft foods without easily digested and absorbed spices to provide nutrients to your body. Among these foods, the following can be mentioned:
During a fever, you need more essential nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, and minerals like calcium, iron, and sodium. Limit the consumption of fatty, spicy, and high-fiber foods that are difficult to digest, and instead add the following foods to your diet:
Avoid the following foods during fever:
Fever means an increased body temperature above average, indicating the body’s struggle to deal with foreign and pathogenic agents. Foreign agents include viruses, bacteria, fungi, drugs, or toxins. Fever indicates that something unpleasant is happening to the cells of the body. Fever is the most common symptom of infection.
An area in the brain called the hypothalamus, also known as the body’s thermostat, regulates the body’s temperature.
A fever occurs when the hypothalamus orders the body’s temperature to rise in response to infection, disease, or any other cause. The more the body temperature increases, the hypothalamus tries to reduce the body temperature to deal with this situation.
There are various simple and convenient treatments that adults can use to control fever and chills. A general practitioner for adults and children and a pediatrician can help treat fever in children.
.
.
.
Dr. Majid Zohrabi started treating his patients in Dubai in 2022 and continues his activities in private medical centers in the UAE.