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- What is fever?
- Symptoms of fever
- Causes of fever
- Prevention of fever
- Risk factors for fever
- Complications of fever
- When to see a doctor about fever
- Diagnosis of fever
- Conventional treatment of fever
- Alternative/complementary treatment of fever
- Living with fever
- Caring for someone with fever
There are some general recommendations for managing fever at home:
- Cool compress - use a wet cotton cloth on the pulse points (forehead, chest and arms especially, but also legs and torso) to help lower the body temperature. The cold compress should be re-applied every 10-15 minutes as the cloth will heat up quickly due to the high body temperature
- Increase fluids - ensure that you (or your child) are drinking adequate amounts of water, diluted fruit juice and herbal teas such as peppermint and chamomile. These types of fluids help to hydrate the body and reduce likelihood of dehydration
- Medical attention - if fever increases to over 38° C (100.4°F) in children or over 40°C (104°F) in adults then you need to seek medical attention. When to see a doctor has the recommendations for fever for babies, infants and children. Always seek immediate medical attention for babies under six weeks who have any type of fever
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- Monitor temperature - if babies, infants or children have a fever, they need to be regularly monitored to ensure the fever does not rise too high. Children with infection can have a very quickly rising fever, so monitoring is vital to prevent complications due to fever. Adults with a low grade fever should monitor it to ensure it does not rise too high
- Paracetemol or ibuprofen - a doctor or other medical practitioner will recommend paracetemol or ibuprofen to reduce body temperature and fever
- Rest - it is really important to rest, either by sleeping or laying down and staying stationary, to give the body the best chance of reducing the number of viruses or bacteria, reducing infection and therefore reducing fever
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< 10: alternative treatment 12: caregiving > Last reviewed: 8 September 2007 || Last updated: 17 February 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
