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From CopperWiki
Fever, also known pyrexia is a febrile response to an underlying medical condition in the body. Fever is not always bad. Many times it is the way by which the body eliminates bacteria and viruses which cause the underlying conditions. Home remedies for common fever are alternative treatments to the over the counter (OTC) medicines, that, TV commercials claim, end your suffering in minutes. Fever, contrary to what many believe, is the body's natural defense against infections and should be allowed to run its course. While strong allopathic medicines may bring down one's temperature in a jiffy, they often leave the patient feeling weak and drowsy.
In contrast, home remedies deal with fever in a natural way. Many of them are nothing but plain homespun wisdom. Drinking as much fluid as possible is essential, so that the body replaces the fluids lost by sweating. Vitamin C filled juices as well as warm vegetable soups help hydrate, as well as provide vitamins and antioxidants that aid the body in its fight against infection.
All About Fever
Body temperature higher than the normal range, 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit, is termed as Fever. Fever is the body's protective mechanism against infection. It is usually caused by infections, either viral or bacterial, but may also have deeper roots -- cancers, injury to tissue (for example, heart attacks), hyperthyroidism, other illnesses in which there is inflammation, and dehydration. Additionally, over 40 different drugs have been reported to cause "drug fever."
Common Symptoms
Some common symptoms of fever include raised body temperature, sweating, dehydration, headache, muscle aches, lack of appetite, burning eyes, general weakness and shivering are some other symptoms of fever.
Danger Signs
If treating fever at home, one needs to be extra cautious in the face of some symptoms. Seek medical help if any of these symptoms arise:
- When fever rises above 103° in an adult.
- Fever of 101° if you're over age 60.
- Fever above 102° in a child (or if the child is vomiting or convulsing or has a headache).
- Any fever in a baby under three months old.
- Any fever if you have a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease or lung disease.
- Fever that lingers more than three days.
- Fever accompanied by a rash, severe headache, stiff neck, confusion, back pain or painful urination.
What Can I do?
There are as many home remedies for fever as there are causes for it. For ease of use, these have been divided into different types, based upon what treatment they involve.
Home Remedies Everyone Can Follow
- Take cool baths, fill a bath tub, submerge and lay down for five to ten minutes. Repeat as needed until the fever is down.
- Drink as much water as you can in order to replace fluid loss. It will also help to bring down body temperature.
- Rest as much as possible.
- Avoid suddenly changes in atmospheric temperatures.
There are some fever remedies based on the avoidance of specific foods and medicines --
- When you have fever do not take any supplement containing either iron or zinc. Taking iron causes great tension in a body that is fighting infection; and zinc is not absorbed by the body when you have fever.
- They say – starve a fever and feed a cold. Many people believe that one should not eat solid foods until the fever is gone. You can replace the foods by drinking plenty of distilled water and/or juices.
Home Remedies Using Fruits and Juices
Some of the best (and the tastiest) fever remedies rely on the consumption of fruits and their juices.
- A cup of fresh juice of apricots mixed with one teaspoon of glucose or honey is a very cooling drink during fevers. It quenches the thirst and eliminates the waste products from the body. It tones up the eyes, stomach, liver, heart, and nerves by supplying vitamins and minerals.
- The juice of grapefruit is a valuable diet in all fevers. It quenches thirst and removes the burning sensation produced by the fever. Half a glass of grapefruit juice should be taken with an equal quantity of water.
- Oranges are excellent foods in all types of fever when the digestive power of the body is seriously hampered. The patient suffers from blood poisoning called toxemia, and the lack of saliva results in the coating of his tongue, often destroying his thirst for water as well as his desire for food. The agreeable flavour of orange juice helps greatly in overcoming these drawbacks. Orange juice provides energy, increases urinary output, and promotes body resistance against infections, thereby hastening recovery.
Herbal Remedies
If these simple remedies do not work, try some of these Herbal Cures for fever.
- To immediately reduce high body temperature, boil powder of 2 to 3 tsp dry roasted fenugreek seeds. Strain the water and add a drop of ghee to it and drink. A tea made from fenugreek seeds is equal in value to quinine in reducing fevers. This tea should be taken twice daily. It is particularly valuable as a cleansing and soothing drink. Fenugreek seeds, when moistened with water, become slightly mucilaginous, and hence, the tea made from them has the power to dissolve a sticky substance like mucus.
- The juice or tender fresh leaves of neem leaves also effective in fevers. 1 tsp of the juice should be mixed with honey and should be taken twice a day. It works both as curative as well as preventive.
- Drink juice made out of sweet basil leaves twice or thrice a day. The leaves of holy basil are one of the most effective of several home remedies in the treatment of common fever. A decoction made of about twelve grams of these leaves, boiled in half a litre of water, should be administered twice daily with half a cup of milk, one teaspoon of sugar and a quarter teaspoon of powdered cardamom. This will bring down the temperature.
- Drink the juice of the leaves of tamarind with some turmeric powder and cold water to get rid of infections and fever.
- Prepare linden tea by boiling 1 tbsp of linden flower in 1 cup of water and drink it hot.
- Brew willow bark tea and drink it in small sips. Willow bark contains aspirin-related compounds.
- Crush 10 grams of raisins and ginger. Boil them in 200 ml of water till it reduces to 50 ml. Strain and drink this solution warm. The use of an extract from raisins is also beneficial in the treatment of common fever. This extract is prepared by soaking twenty-five raisins in half a cup of water and then crushing them in the same water. They are then strained and the skin is discarded. The raisin water thus prepared becomes a tonic. Half a teaspoon of lime juice added to the extract will enhance its taste and usefulness. It will act as a medicine in fevers, and should be taken twice daily.
- Bloodwort is one of the best known herbal remedies for fevers. A hot infusion of the herb prepared by steeping 15 gm of the herb in 250 ml of water should be taken twice daily. It will induce perspiration, which will, in turn, cool the fever and expel toxins.
- Another herb found beneficial in the treatment of fever is hog weed. It should be taken twice daily in the form of an infusion prepared by steeping 15 gm of the herb in 250 ml of water. It brings down temperature by inducing copious perspiration.
- A tea made from saffron is another effective home remedy for fever. This tea is prepared by putting half a teaspoon of saffron in 30 ml of boiling water. The patient should be given a teaspoon of this tea every hour till the temperature returns to normal.
CopperBytes?
- It has become common in the modern world to treat fever as an ailment. However, fever is not an ailment -- it is our strongest weapon in the fight against infections or diseases.
- Most fever is beneficial, causes no problems, and helps the body fight off infections. The main reason for treating a fever is to increase comfort.
- Contrary to popular belief, one should never sponge a fever patient with ice water – cool water works best.
- It's a myth that high temperatures can ‘boil your brain’ – most adults can tolerate five points above their normal body temperature.
Unlearn
Home remedy is an experience-based remedy or cure prepared from herbs, plants, or other available ingredients by common folks when modern medicine was unavailable.
It is claimed that home remedies are from the Dark Ages. Countless myths, legends, and superstitions have survived for centuries, so why not home remedies too?
When should I not go for home remedies
References
- Home Remedies for Fever
- Treating Fever at Home
- The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies
- Home Treatment For Fever
- Acne cure
- Fever
