Home Remedies for Viral Fevers

Any type of flu virus is called a “viral” illness. Viral illnesses are caused by viruses.

During an infection, your body raises its own internal thermostat so that it becomes less hospitable to viruses and other pathogens.

Most people usually have their normal body temperature between 98.6 ° F and 99.4 ° F. Anything 1° Fahrenheit or more than this is called a fever.

Viral infections usually just have to be “ran through their course.” They may last for several days, weeks, months, or even years.

During the time when a virus is running through your body, there are several things that you can do to manage your symptoms.

Knowing when to get medical help is important.

Fever isn’t something to worry about unless it’s really high. If it gets too high though, there could be some health risks involved.

For children

Young children are usually less likely to suffer long term damage from a high fever than older kids. However, they may experience more severe symptoms. So if your kid has a fever of 101°F (38.3°C), then he/she

• For children younger than three months old, rectal temperatures must be taken at least every four hours after waking up until they fall below 99.8°
• A rectal temperature of greater than 102 degrees Fahrenheit indicates an illness. For children aged three to six months, these symptoms include irritability and sleepiness.
• For children under 12 years old: if their rectal temperature is above 39 degrees Celsius for more than one hour, call an ambulance immediately; if they have any other signs or symptoms, such as a rash, coughing, or diarrhea, you might need to contact your doctor right away.

A temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) may be serious for infants and young kids. If an infant or toddler shows symptoms of fever, call a doctor immediately. They may need medicine to lower their body temperature.

• Their behavior seems unusual; they seem lethargic and irritably, for example.
• The high temperature last longer than three days.
• The fever isn’t responding to medications.
• They don’t look at you directly when they talk to you.
• They cannot hold their drinks down.

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For adults

A febrile illness lasting longer than 3 days that doesn’t respond to medications, or which is associated with any of these symptoms:* nausea/vomiting* diarrhea* abdominal pain* headache* confusion

• severe headache
• rash
• sensitivity to bright light
• stiff neck
• frequent vomiting
• trouble breathing
• chest or abdominal pain
• convulsions or seizure

Drink fluids

When you get a viral fever, your body becomes much hotter than normal. As a result, your body sweats to keep itself cooler. However, this sweating results in loss of fluids, which can lead to dehydration.

When you’re sick, try drinking as much as you can to replenish lost fluids. You don’t need to stick with just water; any of the following can help:

• juice
• sports drinks
• broths
• soups
• decaffeinated tea

If babies and toddlers are dehydrated, they could be helped by drinking special drinks made especially for them. These drinks include electrolytes. You can buy these drinks at a local supermarket or online. You can also make your own homemade drinks for children.

Get plenty of rest

A virus is any piece of genetic material that replicates itself inside cells. Viruses cause illnesses such as colds, flu, and pneumonia. When someone comes down with a cold or flu, they often feel miserable because viruses attack the respiratory system. Luckily, there are ways to treat colds and flus without antibiotics. One of these natural treatments involves drinking plenty of fluids. This helps keep mucous membranes moist so your immune system can work best. Another method to prevent sickness is to stay out of crowds and limit your contact with people who may already be sick. In addition, if you do get sick, rest, drink lots of water, eat healthy foods, and get plenty of sleep.

It’s best to temporarily stop exercising if you feel overheated. Exercising too strenuously may cause you to become even hotter.

Take an over-the-counter medication

Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications are often used for both short-term (temporary) relief from symptoms and long-term treatment of chronic conditions. They’re especially effective at helping people feel better and sleep better.

Make sure to get enough sleep, even if you feel better for a few moments after taking an OTC medicine.

There are several common OTC fever reducer options available,

• acetaminophen (Tylenol, Children’s Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (Adalat, Children’
• aspirin
• naproxen (Aleve)

If you decide to use an OTC (over-the counter) fever reducer, be sure to read the label for any warnings before using it

• Aspirins aren’t safe for kids. They can cause Reye’s Syndrome, which is a rare but very serious disease.
• Don’t go beyond the limits set by the manufacturer. There may be risks involved.
• Write down the times you usually use prescription medications so you know which ones to avoid taking more than one at once.

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Try herbal remedies

People sometimes attempt homeopathic treatments to ease a child’s fevers. While there has not yet been enough research done to prove whether such treatments can help reduce febrile illness in children, there is good reason to believe that they may do so. For example, one study suggested that homeopathic treatment was effective in reducing fevers in children. Another study found that homeopathy could provide a safe alternative in cases where conventional medicine was ineffective. However, further studies should be conducted before any recommendations about homeopathic treatments can be made.

Even though the FDA doesn’t regulate the quality of dietary supplement products, talk to your doctor before trying them. Follow

Moringa

There are some studies that show that the leaves of the moringa tree (also known as drumstick) reduces fevers in rabbits. But there aren’t any human studies yet.

Additional studies are required to determine if feverfew is safer for people who use it chronically rather than just when they’re sick.

If you’re using moringa for weight loss, do

• are pregnant
• Take drugs that are substrates of CYP450 enzymes, such as Altoprev, Allegra, or Nizoral.

One case study reports that consuming moringas may cause a rare skin disorder called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Therefore, people who might develop this condition should not consume moringas. However, this is just one report so there is uncertainty regarding whether people who eat moringas are actually at increased risk for this condition.

Kudzu root

Kudzu root has been traditionally eaten by people living in China and Japan for centuries. It’s thought to be good for reducing fever and inflammation. However, there have not yet been any studies done in humans to determine whether kudzu root actually works for these things.

If you choose not to use kudzu root, avoid doing so i

• take tamoxifen
• Have hormone-sensitive cancers, such as estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast
• take methotrexate (Rasuvo

Talk to your physician before taking kudzu root if you’re currently taking insulin for type 1 or type 2 diabetics. Kudzu root could potentially lower your blood glucose levels, which would require a dosage adjustment.

Kudzu root can be found in various forms including powders, capsules, and liquids.

Avoid grapefruit juice

Grapefruit juice contains high amounts of furanocoumarin compounds, which may increase the risk of bleeding. This includes both internal bleeds and external bleeds. People with certain medical conditions, like hemophilia, should avoid drinking grapefruit juice because of this risk.

In addition, grapefruit juice can interact with many other medications, including warfarin , clopidogrel, and cyclosporine. If you take any of these medications, ask your doctor how much grapefruit juice you can drink without increasing your chance of having an adverse reaction.

In general, grapefruit juice shouldn’t be consumed during pregnancy. There isn’t enough information available on its safety during breastfeeding.

The following table shows the amount of furanocoumarin compounds in different types of citrus fruit:

Citrus Fruit Amount of Furanocoumarins Grapefruit Juice 0.3 mg/L Orange Juice 0.2 mg/L Lemon Juice 0.1 mg/L Lime Juice 0.05 mg/L

The following table shows the amount furanocoumarins in different parts of the grapefruit:

Part of Grapefruit Amount of Furanocumarin Seeds 0.5 mg/kg Pulp 0.4 mg/kg Rind 0.2 mg/kg Skin 0.03 mg/kg

The following table shows how much furanocoumarines are present in different types of orange juice:

Orange Juice Type of Orange Juice Amount of Furanocumarins Regular Orange Juice 0.6 mg/L Light Orange Juice 0.3 mg /L

The following table lists some foods that contain furanocoumarinic acids:

Foods Containing Furanocoumarinic Acids Apple Juice 0.02 mg/100 mL Cranberry Juice 0.01 mg/100 mL Grapes 0.01 mg/mL Mango Juice 0.01 mg / 100 mL Peach Juice 0.01 mg per 100 mL Pomegranate Juice 0.01 mg

Furanoquinoline alkaloids are a group of natural products isolated from plants belonging to the genus Stephania. They are structurally related to quinolizidine alkaloids, but differ in their chemical structure. The most well known member of this class of alkaloid is stephacidin A.

Furanoquinoline alkaloid derivatives are used as pharmaceutical agents. Some examples include:

• Stephacidin A – anti-inflammatory agent
• Stephacidin B – antimalarial agent
• Stephacidins C and D – cytotoxic agents
• Stephacidin E – anticancer agent
• Stephacidine – analgesic agent

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Stay cool

You can help calm yourself down by surrounding yourself with cooler environments. Be careful not to go overboard though. If you begin to feel cold, stop immediately. Feeling cold can actually raise your temperature.

You can do lots of things to stay safe during heat waves, including these:

• If you’re sick, lie back in a tub filled with lukewarm (not cold) tap-tap-tapping, which feels nice against your skin because the temperature is similar to the temperature inside your own bloodstream.
• Soak for 5 minutes in lukewarm water. (The average temperature of human skin is 98
• Keep warm by wearing lightweight clothes.
• When you get cold, you should avoid adding extra blankets into your bedding.
• Drink lots of cold or room temperature drinks (e.g., ice-cold lemon
• Eat popsicles.
• Use a fan to circulate air.

Conclusion

Viral fevers usually aren’t serious, but they’re best treated by calling your doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms or a high temperature that persists for several days.