Home Remedies for Fever

Fever is the surge in body temperature. This increase in temperature is temporary and is an indication of an infection or illness in the body. The average body temperature is 37°C (98.6 °F). Any spike from this number indicates a fever (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Physiology, Fever

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Some symptoms of fever are headache, restlessness, body heat, sweating, shivering, burning eyes, muscle ache, dehydration, loss of appetite, body pain and weakness. A high fever in the range of 103 °F to 106 °F (39.5°C to 41° C) can also cause symptoms such as irritability, hallucinations and convulsions.

A low grade fever, when the temperature drops to 37.5 °C (100 °F approximately) is normally not a cause of concern for adults. However, when the body temperature reaches around 38°C (more than 100 °F) in children or infants, it is important to consult a doctor or pediatrician immediately, especially, if the fever is accompanied by lethargy, loss of appetite or sore throat.

Some Types of Fevers:

There are some patterns of fever that are observed in general, based on which it is classified as follows

• Continuous fever - The increased body temperature remains constant without any fluctuations
• Remittent fever - The high temperature can increase by 2 °C in a single day
• Intermittent fever - The high temperature is present for a few hours during the day and returns to normal for the remaining of the day (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  Fever, Chills, and Night Sweats
  
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• Hectic fever- The body temperature can fluctuate and increase up to 5°C
• Relapsing fever (Pel Ebstein Fever) - The fever recurs every third day and the high temperature remains for three days.
• Low grade - The fever is present every day, but the spike in temperature is quite low.

Causes of Fever

Fever is a defensive response of the body to fight an infection. Hypothalamus is a part of the brain, which controls the temperature of the body. When there is an infection or illness in the body, hypothalamus raises the body temperature. There are many reasons that may cause a fever like viral or bacterial infections; heat exhaustion or extreme cases of sunburn. Cold and flu or an infection in the ear or the throat can also cause the body temperature to raise (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Physiology, Hypothalamus

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Other causes of fever are a vaccine or drug side effects, lung infection, kidney or bladder infections, inflammations such as rheumatoid arthritis, gastroenteritis, cancers or tumors, use of illegal drugs such as cocaine or blood clots. Fever can also be present due to malaria, diarrhoea, typhoid or hypothermia.

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Fever may be present during infection of the urinary tract, meningitis, measles, chickenpox, typhus, hyperthyroidism and pneumonia. Essentially there may be any number of reasons that can cause high body temperature. On certain occasions, the cause of fever is difficult to determine (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Varicella Zoster

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Disclaimer: The home remedies suggested here are not a substitute for treatment by doctors. It is highly advisable to seek an expert’s opinion. All the remedies listed here may not be suitable for everyone. It is recommended to check for allergies or do a patch test before using the remedy.

Home Remedies for Fever

Home remedies maybe used along with the prescribed treatment to reduce the fever or treat the cause of the fever. For children, it is recommended to visit the doctor as soon as the fever goes above 99 °F .

• A damp cloth can be placed on the child’s forehead; a sponge bath can be given or even a 5-minute soak in the tub with lukewarm water.
• Ginger may help in reducing inflammations and infections and may also cause the body to sweat, which may help in bringing the temperature down. Ginger may also provide soothing for sore throats and stuffy sinuses. Ginger can be taken in the form of tea.

• Certain spices, such as black pepper and cloves may be used as home remedies to reduce fevers. These can be consumed as concoctions several times during the day to get relief from fever symptoms, including cold and flu (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  Piperine, an alkaloid of black pepper seeds can effectively inhibit the antiviral enzymes of Dengue and Ebola viruses, an in silico molecular docking study
  
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• Capsaicin found in cayenne pepper induces sweating and improves blood circulation. This is why the use of cayenne pepper may be a useful home remedy for fever. It can be used in soups or sprinkled on foods which may help to bring down a fever. Tomato soup made with ginger and consumed with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper can be extremely beneficial to reduce body temperature.

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• Tulsi or Holy basil leaves has been a popular home remedy in India. Infusions of tulsi leaves when taken a few times a day may be helpful in reducing high temperature. Tulsi is also helpful during bacterial infections like a sore throat that can cause fever.

• Yarrow and elderflower are other useful herbs that could be used as natural remedy for fever.
• Warm water and vinegar soaks may be used to bring down fever. Alternatively, this mixture can be used to wet a washcloth and applied on the forehead which may reduce high temperatures.
• Home remedies for flu can be made from infusions of any of these herbs, such as peppermint, chamomile, thyme, eucalyptus or rosemary. Honey or ginger can be added to teas made from these herbs to further increase their potency which may help to reduce fevers and flu.
• Consuming foods high in vitamin C may be useful to heal cold and flu symptoms and infections. Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit can be eaten during a fever and also on a regular basis to boost the immune system of the body. Drinking lemon juice in lukewarm water may be useful as a natural remedy for fever as well as for cold and flu and many other infections. According to a research, citrus fruits when consumed regularly can influence body’s metabolism and promote health (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  Citrus fruits as a treasure trove of active natural metabolites that potentially provide benefits for human health
  
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• Inhalation of steam is one of the most common home remedies for fever with cold and cough in India. Few drops of eucalyptus oil or peppermint oil can be added to the steam for increased benefits.

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• To ease symptoms of cold and flu, warm milk with a pinch of turmeric can be taken in the night.
• Natural remedies for fever and also for cold and flu must also include greater consumption of foods such as onions, garlic, peppers, ginger and vitamin C rich foods may help in improving overall health.

• Black and green teas may help in maintaining overall health. This is because of the presence of phytochemicals known as catechin that has antibiotic properties (7^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  Antioxidants from black and green tea: from dietary modulation of oxidative stress to pharmacological mechanisms
  
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• To prevent dehydration, which is a very common symptom of fever, it is best to increase daily water intake.