Why Fever Can Be a Helpful Ally During Illness

The human body is incredibly intelligent and capable. For instance, when our skin is injured, the body activates a natural healing process. It even removes substances that are harmful or unnecessary. This level of intelligence within our bodies is truly amazing, often beyond what we can fully understand. In this article, I will explain the potential benefits of experiencing a fever.

What Fever is ?

A fever, also known as pyrexia, is a temporary increase in body temperature than normal.

What it’s caused by?

• Fevers are usually caused by infections from bacteria or viruses.
• Most fevers come from common infections like a cold or flu.
• They can also happen when body is dealing with other issues, like a reaction to medicine or too much heat exposure.

What it’s not

A fever is not a disease by itself but it is a symptom.

What it does

Fevers are part of our body’s immune response, making it harder for viruses and bacteria to survive.

It’s like body’s alarm system telling that it’s fighting against something harmful. Think of it as body turning up its thermostat to help fight off these unwanted invaders.

Potential benefits

1. Fights Germs

Just like how hot water kills germs better than cold water, a higher body temperature makes it harder for harmful germs to survive in body.

2. Boosts Body’s Defense(immune) System

• Think of fever as turning up the power on body’s natural defense system.
• It helps create more white blood cells (Body’s germ fighters).
• These cells work better at higher temperatures.

3. Slows Down Bad Germs

• Most germs like normal body temperature.
• When you have a fever, it’s like making their environment uncomfortable, so they don’t grow as well.

4. Creates Special Helper Proteins

• Fever triggers body to make special proteins(heat shock proteins) also known as stress proteins.
• It help protect cells.
• Fix damaged cells.
• Help body spot sick cells better.

5. Encourages Rest

• When we have a fever, we feel tired and achy.
• This is actually good because it makes us rest, giving body time to heal

6. Works as a Warning Sign

• Fever is like body’s alarm system. It tells something’s wrong.

How to treat it

• Drink more water
• Rest
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, cold baths or showers.
• Take medication (only if feel uncomfortable but this should be the last option)
• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen in appropriate doses to help bring temperature down.

When to seek medical attention

Seek medical attention if fever doesn’t go away, or if experience other symptoms too.

While fever can be helpful, very high fevers can be dangerous.

Usually, a fever is body’s natural way of defending itself and will go away once the problem is solved.