Posted by: venom

Fever is part of your body’s defence mechanism against certain infections. Although it can be frightening when temperatures rise, in most cases, fever in itself causes no real harm and can actually be beneficial. You should however note that really high fevers (e.g. temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius) can cause brain damage and you should seek medical help in such circumstances.

High fevers cause a lot of discomfort but this discomfort can be eased by using the following methods. Drugs like paracetamol and ibuprofen are very commonly used to reduce fever symptoms. These are generally safe and should be used to provide relief to the discomfort. The dosage of such drugs depends on your body size and age and you should always consult your doctor if you need to give such drugs to children. Also, you should remember that such drugs are intended only to provide relief instead of treating the underlying cause of the fever. As such, when the fever would normally come back after a couple of hours - in which case you will need another dosage.

In cases where the temperature is high, you can also try sponging to try to reduce the temperature and feel more comfortable. When doing a sponge bath, always use lukewarm water. Using cool or cold water will surprisingly increase the body temperature further as the body tries to combat the cold feeling. Using cool or cold water will also probably cause shivering and further discomfort to yourself. Dab a piece of cloth or sponge with some lukewarm water and sponge your body. Get someone to help you as you may already feel tired and uncomfortable. Also, doing it yourself will be difficult especially for parts of your body where it is difficult for you to reach - e.g. your back.

When you have a fever, always clothe yourself in lightweight clothes. You may cover yourself with a light sheet but avoid bundling yourself in a warm blanket. Using thick clothes and blankets will prevent the heat from escaping from your body and will cause your body temperature to rise further. Also, it would be helpful if you can stay in a luke warm room in order to stay comfortable.

Since fevers can cause your body to lose fluids rapidly, drink more water to prevent dehydrating symptoms. Drinking plain water is the best choice. Liquids like coffee and colas can cause more harm than good since they contain ingredients like caffeine which will cause you to want to urinate more frequently. This causes you to lose more water.

Besides the above, make sure you stay at home in bed to get lots of rest. It would also be good to have someone to take care of you and watch over you - it’s always nice to feel loved and pampered when you are sick.