A fever also known as a high fever or
a high temperature is not by itself an illness. It's usually a symptom of an
underlying condition, most often an infection.
Fever is usually associated with physical
discomfort, and most people feel better when a fever is treated. But depending
on your age, physical condition, and the underlying cause of your fever, you
may or may not require medical treatment for the fever alone. Many experts
believe that fever is a natural bodily defense against infection. There are
also many non-infectious causes of fever.
Fever is generally not considered dangerous,
but hyperthermia can cause dangerous rises in body temperature.
This can be due to an extreme temperature associated with heat injury such as heat
stroke, side effects of certain medications or illicit drugs, and stroke.
With hyperthermia, the body is no longer able to control body temperature.
In children with fever, accompanying symptoms
such as lethargy, fussiness, poor appetite, sore
throat, cough, ear
pain, vomiting, and diarrhea are important to relay to your doctor.
Causes
A part of the brain called the
hypothalamus controls body temperature, which usually varies throughout the day
from the normal temperature of 98.6 F.
In response to an infection, illness, or some
other cause, the hypothalamus may reset the body to a higher temperature.
Although the most common causes of fever are
common infections such as colds and gastroenteritis, other causes
include:
- Infections of the ear, lung, skin, throat, bladder,
or kidney
- Conditions that cause inflammation
- Side effects of drugs
- Cancer
- Vaccines
Other causes of fever include:
- Blood clots
- Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid
arthritis, and inflammatory
- Hormone disorders such as hyperthyroidism
- Illegal drugs such as amphetamines and cocaine
Remedies for Fever
1. Cool
Water
Soak a wash
cloth in cool tap water, wring out the excess water and then sponge areas like
your armpits, feet, hands and groin to reduce the temperature.
Also, you
can place cold, damp washcloths on your forehead and the back of your neck. The
cloth pieces should be changed regularly after a few minutes. This remedy is
beneficial when dealing with a high fever as it helps keep temperature under
control.
You can also take
a bath in lukewarm water to relax your body. Taking a shower, however, may not
be a good idea. Plus, needless to say, take as much rest as possible as it
helps the body fight the illness.
Note: Do
not use very cold water as it may cause the internal body temperature to
increase.
2. Basil
Basil is an
effective herb for bringing down a fever. This herb is just as effective as
many types of antibiotics in the market. Its healing properties will help
reduce fever very quickly.
- Boil together 20 basil leaves and one
teaspoon of crushed ginger in one cup water, until the solution gets
reduced to half. Add a little honey and drink this tea two or three times
a day for three days.
- Make a tea by mixing one teaspoon of
basil with one-fourth teaspoon of pepper in one cup of boiling water.
Steep for five minutes, and then strain and drink the tea. Drink it two or
three times daily until you recover completely.
3. Apple
Cider Vinegar
Apple cider
vinegar is another very inexpensive and highly effective remedy for a fever. It
helps reduce a fever quickly because the acid present in it helps draw heat out
of the skin. Plus, it is rich in minerals and helps replenish minerals that get
eliminated from the body due to fever.
- Add one-half cup of vinegar to
lukewarm bath water. Soak in this water for five to 10 minutes. In about
20 minutes you will notice improvement. Repeat again when the body
temperature is high.
- Soak a washcloth in a mixture of one
part apple cider vinegar and two parts cool water. Wring out the excess
solution and place it on your forehead and tummy. You can even wrap one
around the soles of your feet. Once the washcloth becomes warm, change it
with a new one soaked in the cool mixture. Repeat as often as required
until the fever has reduced.
- Mix two teaspoons of apple cider
vinegar and one tablespoon of honey in a glass of water. Drink it two or
three times a day.
4. Garlic
The warm
nature of garlic can also lower a high fever by promoting sweating. This also helps
eliminate harmful toxins from the body and speed up recovery. Plus, garlic
is an antifungal and antibacterial agent that helps the body fight infections
as well as ward off disease.
- Finely mince one garlic clove and add
it to one cup of hot water. Steep for 10 minutes, strain and sip it
slowly. Drink this twice a day and you will feel much better the next day.
- Warm a mixture of two crushed garlic
cloves and two tablespoons of olive oil. Apply this mixture over the sole
of each foot, leaving a few spots uncovered. Wrap your feet with gauze to
keep the garlic in place and leave it on overnight. For some people, this
can eliminate a fever in just one night.
Note: Garlic
remedies are not recommended for pregnant ladies and small children.
5.
Raisins
Raisins help
the body fight infections and reduce fevers. They are loaded with phenolic
phytonutrients, which are known to have antibacterial and antioxidant
properties. Also, raisins act as tonic for your body when you have a fever.
- Soak 25 raisins in one-half cup of
water for one hour, or until the raisins become soft.
- Crush the soaked raisins in the water
and strain the liquid.
- Add the juice of half a lime to this
solution.
- Have this twice a day until your fever
is gone.
6. Ginger
Ginger helps
the body expel heat, which in turn helps reduce fever. Plus, ginger is a
natural antiviral and antibacterial agent and helps the immune system
fight any kind of infection.
- Put two tablespoons of ginger powder
in a bathtub filled with warm water and mix well. Soak in this water for
10 minutes. Pat dry your body and go to bed. Cover yourself completely
with a blanket. Soon you will start sweating and your fever will come
down.
Note: Perform a patch test on your forearm before taking this detoxifying ginger bath to check if it suits you. - Make ginger tea by adding one-half
teaspoon of freshly grated ginger to one cup of boiling water and letting
it steep for a few minutes. Add some honey and enjoy this tea three or
four times a day.
- Another option is to mix together
one-half teaspoon of ginger juice, one teaspoon of lemon juice and one
tablespoon of honey. Consume this mixture three or four times daily until
your fever is gone.
7. Mint
The cooling
property of mint will help keep the internal system cool and this in turn will
reduce body temperature. It also helps extract excess heat from the body.
- Add one tablespoon of crushed mint
leaves to one cup of hot water. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes, strain
and then add some honey. Drink this soothing tea three or four times daily
for a quick recovery.
- Boil a handful of mint leaves in two
cups of water along with one-half teaspoon each of black pepper powder and
long pepper powder and one teaspoon of ginger powder. Boil until the water
gets reduced to half. Strain, and divide the solution into three equal
doses. Drink it three times daily until you recover completely.
8. Egg
White
You can also
use egg whites to reduce the high body temperature during a fever. Egg white
works like a cool gel that can absorb heat. Within half an hour, egg white can
draw the fever from the head to the feet (where it can do not much damage to
your body).
REMEMBER
Sometimes,
you may have a "fever of unknown origin." In such cases, the cause
could be an unusual or not obvious condition such as a chronic infection, a
connective tissue disorder, cancer,
or another problem.