Fever is usually caused by viruses, infections, sun burns, heat exhaustion, or even prescribed medications. The body temperature rises as it is a natural defense against infection and discomfort. It is the hypothalamus, an area of the brain, that regulates body temperature, which varies by 1 or 2 degrees throughout the day starting from a normal level of 36.5 ° C. In most cases, it is referred to as a fever when the body temperature rises to exceed its usual levels. While fever is a natural process that allows the body to heal, there are situations in which it is preferable to relieve the discomfort associated with it or to go to the doctor.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Lower Fever with Medicines
Step 1. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen
These over-the-counter medicines effectively lower fever temporarily. They can help both children and adults feel better as the body heals.
- If your child is under the age of 2, consult a doctor or pharmacist before giving them medicines formulated for children. Never give ibuprofen to a baby who is less than 6 months old.
- Do not exceed the recommended dosage. Pay particular attention to the doses you give your child. Do not leave medicines within the reach of children, as taking more than the recommended dose can be dangerous.
- Take acetaminophen every 4-6 hours, but do not exceed the dose recommended by the package insert.
- Take ibuprofen every 6-8 hours, but do not exceed the dose recommended by the package insert.
Step 2. Avoid mixing baby medicines
Do not give more than one over-the-counter medicine at a time to treat other symptoms. If you give your child a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen, do not also add a cough or other medicine without consulting your doctor first. Certain drugs interact with each other and the combination can be harmful to the baby.
For children over 6 months of age and adults, alternating between acetaminophen and ibuprofen is safe. Usually, the first is given every 4-6 hours and the second every 6-8 hours, depending on the dosage
Step 3. Take aspirin only if you are over 18 years old
This medicine is an effective antipyretic for adults, provided that only the recommended dose is taken. Never give it to children, as it can cause Reye's syndrome, a potentially life-threatening disease.
Part 2 of 3: Relieve Fever Symptoms with Home Remedies
Step 1. Drink lots of fluids
Having a hydrated body is important during a fever. In fact, the increase in body temperature can cause dehydration. Drinking water and other fluids helps the body to expel the viruses or bacteria that cause fever. However, you should avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they can make dehydration worse.
- Green tea can help lower fever and strengthen the immune system.
- If you have nausea or vomiting in addition to the fever, avoid fruit juices, milk, very sugary and carbonated drinks. They can make you feel worse or induce vomiting.
- Try replacing solid foods with soup or broth to help rehydrate the body (but be careful not to overdo it with salt). Popsicles are also great for hydrating and refreshing your body.
- If you have been vomiting, an electrolyte imbalance may have developed. Drink a rehydrating solution or sports drink containing electrolytes.
- Babies under one year of age who do not regularly consume breast milk or who do not intend to breastfeed when they have a fever should take a rehydrating solution containing electrolytes, such as Idravita, to ensure they are getting the necessary nutrients.
Step 2. Try to rest as much as possible
For the body, sleep is a natural means of healing from an illness. In fact, sleeping too little can even make you sick. Trying to resist and carry on with your life as if nothing happened can even raise your body temperature. If you make sure you get enough sleep, you allow your body to expend energy fighting the infection rather than focusing it on anything else.
Take a day off from work; if your child is sick, don't let him go to school. By sleeping more, the baby will surely recover sooner. Also, the source of the fever may be communicable, so it's best to let it stay at home. Many types of fever are caused by viruses that are quite contagious during the same illness
Step 3. Wear clothing that is light and that allows your skin to breathe
Avoid using heavy blankets and layers of clothing. Sure, you get chills, but your body temperature can't begin to drop when you cover yourself with blankets or warm clothing. Better to choose thin but comfortable pajamas, whether it is for you or your child.
Do not bundle a person in a feverish state to try to fight the fever by sweating
Step 4. Eat as usual
You will not have much appetite, but it is preferable to eat. You may have been advised to fast when you have a fever, but it's best to avoid it. Keep feeding your body with healthy foods to heal faster. The classic chicken broth is a good choice because it contains vegetables and proteins.
- If you don't have much appetite, try replacing solid foods with soup or broth to help rehydrate your body.
- Eat foods that are high in water, such as watermelon, to keep yourself hydrated.
- If the fever is accompanied by nausea or vomiting, try to prefer light foods, such as salty crackers or applesauce.
Step 5. Try herbal remedies
Some of these treatments can help reduce fever or support the immune system in its fight against the cause. In any case, natural products can interfere with medicines and other ailments, so you should check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking them.
- Andrographis paniculata is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat colds, sore throats and fever. Take 6g for 7 days. Do not use it if you have gallbladder problems or autoimmune diseases, are pregnant or trying to stay pregnant, take blood pressure medications or thin your blood, such as warfarin.
- Yarrow can help lower fever by promoting sweating. If you are allergic to ragweed or daisies, you may be allergic to yarrow as well. Do not take it if you are also taking medicines to thin your blood or blood pressure, lithium, antacids or anticonvulsants. It should not even be used by children and pregnant women. Try adding yarrow mother tincture to a warm (not hot) bath to lower a fever.
- There are other plants that help lower fever, such as echinacea and linden.
Step 6. Take a lukewarm bath
Taking a warm bath or taking a relaxing shower is an easy and comfortable way to lower a fever. Warm or room temperature water is usually ideal for cooling the body without upsetting your balance. It can be especially useful right after taking antipyretics.
- Do not prepare a hot bath, neither for you nor for your child. You should also avoid cold baths, as they can make you shiver and actually cause your core temperature to rise. If you want to take a bath, the only appropriate temperature is lukewarm, or slightly above room temperature.
- If your child has a fever, you can wash it with a sponge soaked in warm water. Gently wash his body, pat him dry with a soft towel and dress him quickly so he doesn't get too cold, which can cause chills, resulting in an increase in body temperature.
Step 7. Never use isopropyl alcohol to lower fever
Isopropyl alcohol sponging is an old remedy used to lower fevers, but it can bring down your body temperature in a dangerously fast way.
Isopropyl alcohol can also induce coma if ingested, so it should not be used or kept within reach of children
Part 3 of 3: Measure the Temperature
Step 1. Choose a thermometer
There are several types, including digital and glass (mercury) models. For an older child or adult, the most common way to take a temperature is to put a digital or glass thermometer under the tongue, but there are several other thermometers that work in different ways to tell if you have a fever.
- THE digital thermometers they can be used orally or rectally (read below) or placed under the armpit (although this reduces reading accuracy). The thermometer chirps when the measurement is complete and the temperature appears on the screen.
- THE tympanic thermometers they are inserted into the ear canal and measure the temperature with infrared rays. The disadvantage of this type of thermometer? A buildup of ear wax in the ear or the shape of the ear canal can affect the accuracy of the reading.
- THE Temporal thermometers use infrared rays to measure temperature. They are excellent because they are fast and minimally invasive. To use one, you need to slide it from the forehead to the temporal artery, which is located right on the cheekbone. It can be difficult to master the correct arrangement, but taking several readings can improve the accuracy of the measurement.
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THE pacifiers with digital thermometers can be used for children. They are similar to digital ones orally, but perfect for babies who use pacifiers. After measuring the temperature, it appears on the screen.
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Check the temperature.
After choosing a thermometer, measure it according to the specific functioning of the instrument: orally, in the ear, via the temporal artery or rectally in the case of children (you will find more information below). If the fever exceeds 39.5 ° C, your child is over 3 months and a fever above 38.8 ° C or you have a newborn (0-3 months) with a fever that exceeds 38 ° C, call immediately the doctor.
Reduce a Fever Step 16 -
Take a baby's temperature rectally. The most accurate method of knowing a baby's temperature is through the rectum, but you should be very careful not to pierce the intestines. The best thermometer to measure fever in this way is the digital one.
Reduce a Fever Step 17 - Put a small amount of petroleum jelly or other lubricant on the thermometer probe.
- Let the baby lie on his stomach. Get someone to help you if necessary.
- Carefully insert the probe into the anus by 1.3-2.5 cm.
- Hold the thermometer and baby in this position for about a minute, until you hear the trill. Do not leave your child or the thermometer, so as to prevent the child from getting hurt.
- Remove the thermometer and read the temperature that appears on the screen.
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Let the fever take its course. If it is relatively low (up to 38.8 ° C for an adult or a child over 6 months old), turning it down completely is not necessarily recommended. Fever is the body's response to a problem. In fact, the body is fighting pathogens, so reducing it can mask a deeper problem.
Reduce a Fever Step 18 - Aggressively treating a fever can also interfere with the body's natural ability to get rid of a virus or infection. A lower body temperature could generate a more favorable environment for foreign bodies, so it's best to let it take its course.
- Letting a fever run its course is not advisable for people who are immunocompromised, who are taking medicines for chemotherapy, or who have recently undergone surgery.
- Instead of trying to get rid of the fever, take steps to make yourself or your child feel better as they take their course. For example, you need to rest, drink fluids and cool off.
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Recognize the symptoms. Not for everyone the usual body temperature is exactly 36.5 ° C. A variation of 1 or 2 degrees from the usual one is normal. Even a mild fever is usually not a cause for concern. Here are some symptoms of a mild fever:
Reduce a Fever Step 1 - Discomfort, feeling of excessive heat.
- General weakness.
- Hot body.
- Shaking.
- Sweat.
- Depending on the cause of the fever, you may also see some of the following symptoms: headache, body aches, loss of appetite, or dehydration.
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Call your doctor if you have a high fever. Adults should go to the doctor when the fever rises above 39 ° C. The organism of children is more sensitive to the effects of fever than that of adults. Call the doctor in the following cases:
Reduce a Fever Step 2 - Your child is less than 3 months old and the fever is over 38 ° C.
- Your child is between 3 and 6 months of age and the fever exceeds 39 ° C.
- Your child has a fever that exceeds 39 ° C, regardless of age.
- You or another adult has a fever that exceeds 39 ° C, especially in conjunction with excessive dizziness or irritability.
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Call your doctor if the fever continues for more than a few days. A fever lasting more than 2 or 3 days can be a symptom of a more serious problem that needs to be treated separately. Don't try to diagnose yourself or your child - go to the doctor for a thorough checkup. You should go there if:
Reduce a Fever Step 3 - Your child is less than 2 years old and the fever has been going on for more than 24 hours.
- Your child is over 2 years old and the fever has lasted for 72 hours (3 days).
- In the case of an adult, the fever has persisted for more than 3 days.
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Know when to see a doctor right away. If the fever is accompanied by symptoms that denote other problems, or the person who gets sick already has other ailments, you should contact a doctor, regardless of the temperature. Here are some situations in which you need to be visited immediately:
Reduce a Fever Step 4 - Difficulty in breathing.
- A rash develops or spots appear on the skin.
- Manifestations of apathy or delirium.
- Unusual sensitivity to bright lights.
- Presence of other chronic disorders, such as diabetes, cancer or HIV.
- Recent trip to another country.
- The fever was caused by an excessively hot environment, such as being outdoors in extreme heat or in an overheated vehicle.
- In addition to fever, other symptoms are experienced, such as sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, earache, erythema, headache, blood in stool, abdominal pain, trouble breathing, confusion, pain in the neck or when urinating.
- The fever subsides, but symptoms that indicate malaise still occur.
- In case of convulsions, an ambulance must be called.
Warnings
- Before giving medicines to a child under the age of 2, always consult your pediatrician.
- Pay attention to the dosage of medicines. In addition to reading the package insert, you should ask your doctor for clarification, especially if it is a child.
- How to Cure Fever at Home
- How to Get Rid of Fever Quickly
- How To Lower Fever Without Medicines
- How to Determine if You Have a Fever
- How to Check for Fever Without a Thermometer
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- ↑ https://www.emedicinehealth.com/fever_in_adults/page6_em.htm# home_remedies_for_fever_in_adults
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- ↑ https://www.emedicinehealth.com/fever_in_adults/page4_em.htm# when_to_seek_medical_care
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- ↑ https://www.emedicinehealth.com/fever_in_adults/page4_em.htm# when_to_seek_medical_care
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Step 2.
Knowing when to go to the doctor
To lower fevers, try taking an over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If your fever does not exceed 39 ° C, consider letting it pass naturally instead of lowering it, because the increase in temperature is the body's defense mechanism against infection. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and rest as much as possible until the fever passes. If your temperature rises above 39 ° C, if a child has a fever above 38.5 ° C, or if a newborn's temperature rises above 38 ° C, call a doctor right away for assistance. For tips on home remedies that can reduce fever and ease the discomfort, read on!
