Viral fever: Home remedies to treat children and adults

There are many viruses that can cause fever in children and adults. Usually, this is a benign disease, which will clear up on its own after a few days to a week or more, depending on the cause, with proper care and treatment of viral fever at home.

Viral fever in children and adults is a condition in which the body temperature rises due to the presence of a virus to facilitate the immune system to work against pathogens. Normally, most people's body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius measured rectally and 36.5 degrees Celsius measured under the armpit. When the body temperature for any reason leads to a rise of more than 1 degree Celsius, it is called a fever. Unlike bacterial infections that are treated with antibiotics, viral fever in adults and children takes time for the body's immune response to destroy the pathogen. This can take anywhere from a few days to a week or longer, depending on which virus you have.
During this time, we can self-treat viral fever at home to help manage our symptoms. The home remedies for viral fever are as follows:

Fevers make the body lose water, the lack of water in the body is not replenished properly and enough can affect and make it difficult to control the fever. Therefore, try to drink as much as possible to replenish the lost fluid. You can drink the following liquid forms:
Water or fruit juice. Rehydration of fluids and electrolytes oresol is the best measure. Soup. Gruel

Viral fever is a sign that your body is working to fight the infection. Reduce your fatigue by resting as much as possible. Try to get 8-9 hours of sleep every night.
Should pause your exercise routine to give the body more time to rest, thereby helping the immune system to function properly.

Antipyretics are the easiest way to control fever when treating viral fever at home. Use antipyretics when the body temperature rises above 38.5 degrees Celsius. Common over-the-counter antipyretics that can be used to reduce fever include:
Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) in doses of 10-15 mg /kg weight. Drink 4-6 hours apart if fever returns. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin): Take every 6-8 hours as needed. Aspirin. Before switching to over-the-counter fever reducers, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Never give aspirin to children. It can significantly increase your risk of reye's syndrome, a rare but very serious condition. Do not give Ibuprofen to children under 6 months of age. Ibuprofen and aspirin should not be used for fevers that are suspected to be caused by hemorrhagic viruses. Do not take more medicine than what is stated in the leaflet. Doing so can lead to stomach bleeding, liver damage, and kidney problems. Record the times when you take your over-the-counter medication so you can make sure you don't take too much in a 24-hour period.

You can try using herbal remedies to treat viral fever at home. However, herbal supplements have been shown to improve fever in animals. There is little or no reliable evidence that they work in humans. Safety when used in children is often unclear or not known, it is best to avoid these drugs in children.
Moringa oleifera This is a tropical plant with many nutritional and medicinal benefits. Almost all parts of the moringa plant contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and antibacterial agents. One study found that moringa bark reduced fever in rabbits. So you can use moringa for its antipyretic effect.
However do not use moringa if you are pregnant, taking medication that is a substrate of cytochrome P450, such as lovastatin (Altoprev), fexofenadine (Allegra) or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Tapioca root is used in winter y as a medicine with the effect of creating new fluids and clearing heat. Some studies have also shown it to reduce fever in rats, but human studies are needed to evaluate this accurately.
Avoid using kudzu root if you are taking tamoxifen, have hormone-sensitive cancers (such as breast cancer), taking methotrexate. Also, if you take medication for diabetes talk to your doctor before trying cassava root, because it can lead to hypoglycemia, requiring a change in the dose of your medication.

Some physical measures can help reduce the temperature, but do not overdo it, stop immediately when shivering. Things you can do to safely aim to cool down include:
Sit in a warm bath, you will feel cool when you have a fever. Wear pajamas or light clothing. Try to avoid using too many blankets when you feel chills, as covering will raise your body temperature. Drink plenty of water at room temperature. Use a fan to circulate the air.

Viral fevers in children and adults can clear up in a few days, fevers are usually not a cause for concern, but if the fever is too high or there are other problems, they can pose some risk to your health. health.
For children under 2 years of age, high fever can be more dangerous than for adults. When your child has one of the following symptoms, see a doctor:
Children 0 to 3 months old: Rectal temperature is 38°C (100.4°F) or higher. Children 3 to 6 months of age: Rectal temperature above 39°C (102°F) with irritability or drowsiness. Children 6 to 24 months: Rectal temperature above 39°C (102°F) for more than one day. May be accompanied by other symptoms, such as rash, cough or diarrhea... For children over 2 years of age, see a doctor when:
The child has a persistent fever above 40°C (104°F). The child seems unusually lethargic and irritable or has other serious symptoms. The fever lasts more than three days. Fever but not responding to antipyretics. Viral fever in adults can also pose a risk in some cases. See a doctor if:
Fever is 39°C (103°F) or higher, does not respond to fever-reducing medications, or persists for more than three days. Severe headache. Rash rash. Sensitive to bright light. Stiff neck. Vomiting frequently. Shortness of breath . Chest or stomach pain. Convulsions . Usually, a relatively benign viral fever goes away on its own after a while, but proper care is required. The above remedies are used for both children and adults, but it is necessary to monitor and observe if there are any abnormal signs, then go to a medical facility for timely treatment.

Reference source: healthline.com