Piling on the blankets, heating up your hot water bottle, drinking hot tea to try and warm up; then suddenly sweating from the heat, changing into your shorts and T-shirt, you wish you could take a dip in the Atlantic ocean just to cool down. Fever and chills can be very uncomfortable- but did you know that this is actually a very clever and sophisticated process?
What is a fever and why do I get one?
Your body temperature normally sits at around 37°C. There is room for variation in this temperature (but only of approx. 0.6°C). Your body temperature tends to be cooler in the morning. A fever is an increase in your body temperature above normal- so anything higher than 37.6°C.
You have a structure in your brain called the Hypothalamus, which has many functions, but for the purpose of this article we will focus on its function as a thermostat. It regulates the temperature of your body by monitoring the blood that “baths” it, and signalling your body to respond in different ways to increase or decrease the temperature to keep it at it’s normal. This is where things get exciting. When you get an infection, your body raises its temperature to an uncomfortable level that certain pathogens can’t survive in! So, your thermostat will increase its set-point to a little higher than normal, and so you will now feel cold! Your body will try different things to help generate heat, and one of those things is muscle trembling! And there you have your chills, and shaking! Once you have finally generated enough heat to get to your body’s new set-point of “normal” you’ll feel hot again. Your brain has essentially tricked your body into thinking it was cold so that it could destroy the pathogen.
Fevers can happen for a multitude of reasons. Infection is the most common reason- bacterial or viral infection. I see it a lot in children who have tonsilitis or an ear infection. In adults I usually see fevers in Influenza. However, you can get a fever with a non-infectious cause. These include certain auto-immune conditions, inflammatory conditions, endocrine conditions, medications, and more. So it’s important that you talk to your health care provider so that they can ask the right questions to ascertain where the fever is coming from!
Do I need to measure my own / my child’s temperature?
Parents are invaluable in picking up the tiniest, but very important, changes. I take what a parent is telling me seriously… BUT you need to do more than just feeling your child’s forehead! You need to take that temperature with your thermometer because high fevers (over 38°C) can get dangerous and cause febrile seizures in children. Fevers do serve a purpose so it’s not necessarily a bad thing if your child has a fever- but it’s important to give your doctor all the necessary information so that they can guide you in the right direction!
If your child has a seizure or a high fever with a history of seizures take them to the emergency room immediately.
Should I break a fever or not? This is an interesting question, and it seems there are arguments for both sides of the coin. You should seek medical advice if the fever is persistent, if the fever is present in a child, and if the fever is higher than 38°C. If however, it’s causing you some discomfort and you decide that you would rather try to break it than let it ride on, there are a few things you can do!
- Antipyretics
- Old school
- Homeopathic medications
- Boost your immune system
Antipyretics: There are conventional medications that can reset the thermostat and help break your fever. These include aspirin and paracetamol. Do not give aspirin to a child as it can cause serious problems!
Old school: Use a lukewarm compress on your forehead, or take a nice lukewarm bath. Be sure to drink plenty of water and get your rest!
Homeopathic medications: Homeopathic treatment is awesome in these situations. They are completely safe for children of all ages, and pregnant moms. And their mechanism of action means that they work with the healing mechanisms in your own body to cure the cause of your fever and bring it down safely and keep it there!
Boost your immune system: Sometimes your immune system just needs a little bit of enhancement! Check out these posts I did with ideas for you and your baby on how to boost your immune system!
So hopefully you can rest assured that your body is working hard to keep you healthy!
If you have any questions or would like more information, pop me an email at Info@DrLornaBlackwell.co.za or visit my website and make a booking online!
Disclaimer! Always consult your primary health care provider for any conditions and before taking any online medical advice.
Love Naturally 