Fever: The Body's Natural Defense

Fever is an indication that your immune system is functioning properly. The condition primarily refers to the elevation of body temperature above 38 degree Celsius. Fever serves as the body’s natural alarm system and defense against disease-causing bacteria and viruses that are not capable of surviving high temperature. This means that if fever is within a comfortable threshold, it's advised to let fever take its course. The immune system also works better in higher-than-normal body temperature. And fever is just as important as other symptoms like nausea, chills, aches and joint pains, fatigue, sore throat and cough.

But fever can become extremely alarming when it elevates above 40 degree Celsius and this may result to convulsions and delirium. Some people also tend to become more sensitive to elevated body temperature especially infants and children. Around 3 percent of children from 18 months to 3 years old will experience seizure during incidents of high fever.

The most common causes of fever are cold and flu viruses. Other diseases like measles, urinary tract infections, otitis media, tonsillitis, sinusitis, hepatitis and gastroenteritis and more serious health conditions like meningococcal disease and meningitis can also cause the body temperature to spike up. If the body starts to feel hotter than usual along with other symptoms like dizziness, weakness and nausea, it is important to seek the advice of medical experts especially if the symptoms fail to respond to conventional fever treatment methods. But for less serious fever cases, there are natural ways to bring body temperature back to normal.

Natural Ways to Fight Fever

Tip # 1: Wear Comfortable Clothes. High fever will normally result to sweating. Letting your sweat glands breathe will encourage sweating to help normalize body temperature through the process of evaporation and this will help shorten the duration of fever. Wearing cotton shirt and comfortable underpants will help you feel better.

Tip # 2: Get Rid of the Blankets. The most common response to elevated body temperature is to cuddle up with pillows and stay under thick layers of blankets. This is fine if you are experience chills and your teeth are chattering. But hiding beneath the covers may make you feel worse. It's better to let your body breathe and allow the heat to flow out naturally.

Tip # 3: Avoid Overeating. We eat in order to supply the body with its much needed nutrients to keep the body healthy.  But during fever, the body will send certain nutrients like zinc and iron to be hidden away from the reach of the virus or bacteria that causes the infection. These nutrients are needed by the infectious organisms in order to survive and multiply. Eating foods rich in nutrients such as these may only support the development of the infection and cause the pathogenic organisms to flourish and thrive. Try to limit your diet to fruit juices and foods that are known to help the body combat infection.

Tip # 4: Let fever take its course. Fever makes your body fight infection more effectively by making it less suitable for the growth of infectious organism and by helping the immune system better combat infection. So if your body temperature is around 37 to 38 degree Celsius, letting it pass naturally is a good advice. The use of cold packs to lower body temperature can also help in making you feel more comfortable while waiting for the symptom to stop.

Natural Remedies to Fever

Tip # 5: Holy basil is considered to be one of the most effective home remedies used to alleviate the discomfort brought about by fever. Boiling at least twelve grams of holy basil in 50 milliliters of water for a few minutes and administering it twice a day until the fever starts to drop can really help. To add to the taste, add a teaspoon of sugar and a cup of milk.

Tip # 6: Orange has been found effective in helping the digestive system function better during fever where the body suffers from toxemia or the poisoning of the blood. Fever also results to the insufficient production of saliva and the coating of the tongue which leads to the lack of appetite and thirst. Eating oranges helps the blood fight toxicity and bring back appetite. It is also a good source of energy. Furthermore, it helps the body become stronger against infection, increase urination and speed up the process of recovery.

Tip # 7: Apricot juice can produce a cooling effect to the body and can be taken with the addition of honey to improve the taste. It is an effective drink to quench thirst and help flush out waste products out of the system. Grapefruit juice is another valuable beverage for people with fever. It can be taken in equal quantity with water.

Tip # 8: Hog weed is also an effective herbal treatment for fever. Boiling 15 grams of the herb in 250 milliliters of water can help bring down body temperature by inducing perspiration. Preparing fenugreek tea can also be helpful in relieving fever. It can be taken twice a day. Fenugreek helps in cleansing the system and in soothing the senses. A preparation of boiled saffron, on one hand, has been found to result to a lowered body temperature just after a few hours of drinking.

The Truth About Fever

It is popularly being suggested that a fever beyond 40 degree Celsius can cause brain damage. But the truth is, high body temperature can only have an effect to the brain if it reaches beyond 43 degree Celsius. This only happens when the person is exposed to hot environments like extremely hot weather or a closed and unventilated room; fever will not produce this effect. Always remember to consult a medical expert for serious cases of fever. If, despite the use of various treatment methods, the fever fails to subside and the symptoms continue to persist, the fever may be caused by a more serious health condition. So it is important to start treating the underlying cause of your condition and not just its symptom.

Sources
medicinenet.com
home-remedies-for-you.com
symptoms.wrongdiagnosis.com
health.howstuffworks.com