What to Do with a Fever

As I was lying in bed, covered up with a dozen blankets and shaking away, I started to think a little about fevers. The main purpose of a fever is to raise the body's temperature in order to kill certain bacteria and viruses which are sensitive to higher temperatures.^[1] So why are people so intent on eliminating fevers as soon as they show up?

Parents can be so worried about children with fevers that the medical profession has named it "fever phobia." Fears about fevers come from our not-so-distant past where fevers were associated with diseases such as measles which were often life-threatening. Also, for a long time fevers were thought to be part of the cause of illness as opposed to a natural reaction of the body to illness.

But now we know better. Under most normal circumstances, fever is part of what will eventually restore us to health. So, is it a good idea to try to get rid of a fever? Please note that I am going to interpret what I have read from research about fever but I am not a doctor so please consult your doctor for fever management issues. Conventional medicine (well, at least the research side of it) recommends fever reduction as opposed to fever elimination. And the method may be important to mention too... Body cooling like sponge baths and cooling blankets DO NOT WORK and they stress the body. Drugs such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) are recommended to reduce fever, though please remember that these drugs can have serious side effects. While some doctors still recommend mixing acetaminophen and ibuprofen for infants and young children with fever, there is absolutely NO evidence that this mixing is beneficial. What is the point of fever reduction? Well, as far as I can tell, it's purely for you (or your child's) comfort.

Studies show that unless you have brain damage, your body is extremely careful with how high it will let your fever go. Fevers that rise above 40ºC (104ºF) can become dangerous^[2], so monitoring your fever is obviously a good idea even if it is unlikely to rise that high. In children, some parents worry about the risk of febrile seizure (seizure in young children caused by a quick rise in body temperature). In that case, it is still important to know that fever-reducing drugs are NOT proven to reduce the occurrence of such seizures. If your child has a febrile seizure, seek medical attention immediately but know that there are generally few long-term effects from these seizures and there is little you could have done to prevent the seizures from happening. The biggest actual danger from fever is dehydration. This is the area that you should most definitely focus on when you have a fever - drink fluids!

Keeping all this in mind, this is what I do when I have a fever. I decide whether or not my symptoms are serious enough to see a doctor. Otherwise, I get as much rest as I possibly can, drink plenty of water, grapefruit juice and chicken broth, and cover up with as many blankets as I need. I don't take any acetaminophen or ibuprofen unless I absolutely need to be out of bed. I believe that if my body has decided that a fever is what it needs to become healthy, who am I to argue?

Everyone must make their own decisions on how to deal with any given fever. Learn the facts about fever and then follow your instincts on what to do. A healthy body, including a healthy immune system, is the best defense you have against illness.

[1] "Why does your body temperature rise when you have a virus such as the flu?" Discovery Health, accessed October 31, 2010 from http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/immune/question45.htm.
[2] B. J. Holtzclaw. "Use of thermoregulatory principles in patient care: fever management," Online Journal of Clinical Innovations 5, no. 5 (2002): 1-64. CINAHL Plus with Full Text, EBSCOhost (accessed October 31, 2010).