Benefits of Having a Fever
This wonderful article was written by Dr Mercola. I will paraphrase and inform you of the highlights of what I feel is important to share with you.
A fever is a sign that your immune system is working at its best. We get a fever when we are fighting a viral or a bacterial illness. This response improves your body’s ability to fight the infection.
HOW A FEVER BENEFITS YOUR BODY
The symptoms of a fever, chills, shivering, feeling hot, goosebumps, are all due to a release of a substance called pyrogen that tells our body to increase the temperature. The increase in temperature makes our body a place that is no longer a place where viruses and bacteria can survive.
Fevers promote the immune system’s ability to find and fight pathogens.
There is an increase in antibodies.
More white blood cells are produced to fight off invading bugs.
Interferon, which is a natural antiviral, is produced.
Iron is walled off which bacteria feed on.
Increased temperature directly kills microbes. Viruses and bacteria grow better at lower temperature levels than the human body.
Improved ability of certain white blood cells to destroy bacteria and infected cells.
Fever also impairs the replication of many bacteria and viruses.
WHEN DO YOU “LET IT RIDE”?
A study done with one group of critically ill patients in the ICU consisted of treatment of acetaminophen every six hours if their temperature rose above 101.3 degrees. The other group received treatment if their fever reached 104 which consisted of cooling blankets and acetaminophen only until their fever went below 104 degrees. This study was stopped early due to the increased mortality rate in the first group.
Fever reducing drugs may backfire. Treating fevers with influenza are linked to a 5% increased mortality rate.
The point of the fever is to stimulate the immune system and make the body an inhospitable place for the bugs to reside and replicate. So when you lower a fever artificially, you are allowing the bugs to stay and make you sicker. Lowering a fever with medications also masks your symptoms, which may lead you to believe you are better than you really are.
Aspirin and acetaminophen suppressed production of antibodies in a study with colds in adults which increased cold symptoms and longer illness time.
WHEN DO YOU “LET IT RIDE”?
A study done with one group of critically ill patients in the ICU consisted of treatment of acetaminophen every six hours if their temperature rose above 101.3 degrees. The other group received treatment if their fever reached 104 which consisted of cooling blankets and acetaminophen only until their fever went below 104 degrees. This study was stopped early due to the increased mortality rate in the first group.
Fever reducing drugs may backfire. Treating fevers with influenza are linked to a 5% increased mortality rate.
The point of the fever is to stimulate the immune system and make the body an inhospitable place for the bugs to reside and replicate. So when you lower a fever artificially, you are allowing the bugs to stay and make you sicker. Lowering a fever with medications also masks your symptoms, which may lead you to believe you are better than you really are.
Aspirin and acetaminophen suppressed production of antibodies in a study with colds in adults which increased cold symptoms and longer illness time.
Janalee