To evaluate a fever, your doctor might:
- Ask questions about your symptoms and case history.
- Perform a physical exam.
- Order tests, such as blood tests or a chest X-ray, as required, based upon your medical history and physical exam.
Due to the fact that a fever can indicate a serious disease in a young infant, specifically one 28 days or younger, your baby may be confessed to the medical facility for testing and treatment.
How to Treat a High Fever
For a low-grade fever, your doctor might not suggest treatment to decrease your body temperature. Doing so may prolong the health problem or mask symptoms and make it harder to identify the cause.
Over the counter medications
When it comes to a high fever, your doctor may advise a non-prescription medication, such as:
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Use these medications according to the label instructions or as recommended by your doctor. Beware to avoid taking excessive. High doses or long-term use of acetaminophen might cause liver or kidney damage, and intense overdoses can be fatal. If your child’s fever remains high after a dose, do not give more medication; call your doctor instead. For temperature levels listed below 102 F (38.9 C), do not use fever-lowering drugs unless encouraged by your doctor.
- Aspirin, for adults just. Don’t give aspirin to children, due to the fact that it might set off an uncommon, however possibly fatal, disorder known as Reye’s syndrome.
Prescription medications
Depending on the cause of your fever, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, particularly if she or he presumes a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia or strep throat.
Antibiotics don’t treat viral infections, however there are a few antiviral substance abuse to treat particular viral infections. Nevertheless, the best treatment for a lot of minor illnesses caused by infections is typically rest and lots of fluids.
How to Treat a Baby with a Fever
For babies, especially those younger than 28 days, your baby might have to be admitted to the hospital for screening and treatment. In children this young, a fever might indicate a serious infection that requires intravenous (IV) medications and day-and-night monitoring.
How to Reduce a Fever Naturally
Why Reducing A Fever Can Be Counterproductive
There are numerous factors it is better not to reduce a fever. Given that fever belongs to the body’s natural way of fighting disease or infection, lowering the fever can in fact make the disease last longer, as it lets the cause of the illness live for a longer time.
In addition, most standard methods of reducing a fever can do more harm than good. Tylenol and Advil (the two medications usually provided to children to reduce fever) both have side effects and cause liver failure in adults and children each year, particularly when offered frequently. Medications are also foreign substances in the body, which need to be metabolized and filtered by the body and this takes energy the body might be using to combat the illness.
While a fever can be uncomfortable, it is possible to comfort the person who is ill without minimizing the fever. Frequently, the medications that reduce fever also eliminate body pains or uncomfortable symptoms, so the two are believed to work together. While definitely, medical intervention and medicine are absolutely called for at times, they aren’t my first line of defense for the majority of fevers.
When Medical Care is Critical
In the bulk of cases, a fever is a natural healthy reaction that must be permitted to run its course. There are exceptions and in these cases it is essential to look for medical care and make certain there is not a more serious issue. While I personally let most of illnesses run their course in our home, I do not be reluctant to look for medical help immediately if the situation warrants it.
In basic, these are the times I seek treatment for a fever, however a parent’s intuition/research and conversation with your very own doctor are very important for identifying when a fever is serious. I look for help when:
- A child under three months has a fever over 100.4 or displays any serious symptoms.
- A child has a fever over 104 as this can signal a more serious infection or poisoning.
- A child has a fever for more than two successive days.
- The ill individual has other symptoms like stiff neck, laziness, or level of sensitivity to light.
- The individual is not able to hold down food for more than a few hours or reveals any signs of dehydration.
- Person displays any sign of breathing distress.
- Person has been exposed to toxic substances or toxins that may have caused the fever.
- My mom’s instinct says there is something more serious going on, even if the child appears fine.
What I Do Instead
While I don’t use standard techniques of treating illness, I’m also not in favor of letting an ill person suffer anymore than is needed. Thankfully, there are some easy, natural ways to comfort the affected without drugs or medicine. For most illnesses, this is my protocol:
- Great deals of fluids to ward of dehydration and help the body flush the health problem. We adhere to water, herbal teas like chamomile, peppermint, or catnip.
- Double doses of Fermented Cod Liver Oil, which appears to greatly reduce the period of the illness and also provides the ill individual essential immune boosting nutrients. We use pills for adults and gel for kids who can’t swallow tablets. I also give this day-to-day to all member of the family to assist boost immune function so the body is ready to manage health problem quicker.
- Probiotics.
- Homemade elderberry syrup to enhance immune function and make the ill person more comfy. Here’s a dish to make your very own much less expensively than shop purchased options.
- Great deals of bone broth and homemade soups to nurture and offer nutrients that help in healing.
- Small doses of coconut oil mixed in to food or shakes for its anti-bacterial and antiviral properties.
- We do warm baths with epsom salts or magnesium and a spray of powdered ginger to assist relieve muscle pains. Peppermint tea likewise works for head/muscle pains associated with an illness.
Health Tips and Home Remedy for a Fever
You can attempt a number of things to make yourself or your child more comfortable during a fever:
- Drink a lot of fluids. Fever can cause fluid loss and dehydration, so drink water, juices or broth. For a child under age 1, use an oral rehydration option such as Pedialyte. These options include water and salts proportioned to replenish fluids and electrolytes. Pedialyte ice pops likewise are offered.
- Rest. You require rest to recover, and activity can raise your body temperature level.
- Stay cool. Dress in light clothes, keep the space temperature cool and sleep with only a sheet or light blanket.
