You have probably heard the old saying “starve a fever, feed a cold.” But is this really good medical advice? What is a fever, what does it mean, and what is the best way to treat someone who is showing signs of one?
What Is a Fever?
A fever is an illness symptom notable for an elevation of your body temperature. While conventional wisdom is that the “correct” body temperature for an adult human is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, anything between 97 and 99 is normal, and your temperature may even jump a few degrees normally over the course of a day. However, If your temperature is higher than 100.4, you have a fever by conventional medical standards.
What Are The Causes?
A fever is usually a symptom of some kind of infection that may require antibiotics. Always consult your doctor before taking any medical advice, but in most cases, If your temperature is 102 or below, you can try staying cool, drinking fluids and getting bed rest, as well as over the counter medication like aspirin, to see if you can get it to go down. If your temperature is over 103 or doesn’t go down within an hour of taking aspirin, come in for treatment.
How Do We Treat a Fever?
We will usually prescribe antibiotics for an underlying bacterial infection if we suspect this is the cause of your fever. We may prescribe other treatments depending upon what tests suggest about your underlying condition. While people with a fever may eat less due to nausea, they should still attempt to eat as normally as they can and drink fluids frequently to stay hydrated and keep their strength up.
Come to BeWell Immediate Care in Whittier, CA
At BeWell Immediate Care, we want to bring down your or your child’s fever as soon as possible. If you are in or around the Whittier area, you can be seen by a health care provider here often in no more than 15 minutes. Come see us now at 12533 Washington Blvd., Suite B in Whittier, or schedule a consultation online.