Learn about fever types, symptoms, causes, and treatments in this article. Thermoregulation is how the body maintains a steady internal temperature, which is essential for keeping it healthy. Learn more here. How to reduce a fever. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Is it necessary?
In adults In infants During pregnancy Risks and side effects Seeing a doctor Summary A fever is a symptom, not an illness. Should a person reduce a fever? Share on Pinterest Staying hydrated can help reduce a fever. Reducing a fever in adults. Reducing a fever in infants. Reducing a fever during pregnancy. Risks and side effects. This content does not have an English version.
This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Fever treatment: Quick guide to treating a fever. Products and services. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Bennett JE, et al. Temperature regulation and the pathogenesis of fever. Elsevier; Accessed March 25, Kliegman RM, et al.
In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Schmitt BD. American Academy of Pediatrics; Ward MA. Fever in infants and children: Pathophysiology and management. Many people are surprised to learn that it often isn't necessary to try to bring a fever down at all.
But if a fever is making you or your child uncomfortable, there are things you can do to bring it down safely—and a lot of things you shouldn't do. Fevers most often occur when our bodies are trying to fight infections. The internal body temperature goes up as a defense mechanism, trying to make the body hot enough so the germs that are invading won't survive. Of course, they can also make us feel pretty terrible.
We often feel achy and miserable when we have fevers and just want to be as comfortable as possible. Children often deal with fevers better than adults do.
If your child has a fever but is still playing and for the most part is still acting like himself, there is no need to do anything to bring his temperature down. Fever-reducing medicine such as Tylenol acetaminophen or Advil or Motrin ibuprofen is one of the simplest and most effective ways to bring down a fever.
These medicines work relatively quickly and can make you feel better for four to eight hours. Acetaminophen can be used in children as young as 2 months old. However, if your baby is younger than 3 months and has a fever , contact your pediatrician before giving any medicine.
Ibuprofen can be used in children as young as 6 months old. Aspirin should not be given to kids but can be used in adults over age A higher body temperature can lead to dehydration more quickly. Drinking cool liquids can decrease the chances that you get dehydrated and can even help cool off your body.
Taking a bath can help bring down your fever, but the really important part is that it can't be a cold bath. Although that might seem like it would help more than taking a warm bath, getting in cold or ice water will cause shivering which can actually increase your internal temperature. Getting into a bath that is a comfortable temperature for you will help you relax and could bring down the fever as well. A commonly used first aid technique to bring down high temperature, or hyperthermia, is to put cool packs under the arms and in the groin area.
This is most often used in cases where a person is overheated because of outside factors such as exercising or being outside for extended periods of time in high heat but it might also help if a fever is high. It's important to know that the fever may return after removing cool packs. You also shouldn't use ice packs—cool washcloths are sufficient. Unfortunately, many people are fearful of fevers and may make dangerous mistakes attempting to get the temperature down. These are the things you should never do to try to get a fever down.
This old fever-reducing remedy is a really bad idea. If someone recommends that you use rubbing alcohol on yourself or your child to bring down a temperature, please don't. Fever and pain medicine: How much to give your child.
Updated April 6, National Organization for Rare Disorders. Reye syndrome. Updated February 18, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Updated November 30, Fever: When to call the doctor. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
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I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Home Remedies and Lifestyle. Over-the-Counter Therapies. Call your healthcare provider if the fever isn't lowered by medication or lasts longer than three days.
Call your healthcare provider if the fever isn't lowered by the medication or lasts longer than three days. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up.
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