What Causes High Fever and Chills?
Fever is also known as bukhar (Hindi/Urdu), tap (Marathi), Kayccal (Tamil), Fashao (Chinese), fiebre (Spanish), febre (Portuguese), Jbara (Bengali), likhoradka (Russian). Fever is a sign of toxins moving in the circulatory system. Contrary to what some people believe, fever is not often a sign of infection. In some cases there is infection, but most of the time the fever is due to toxicity in body’s basic vital tissue. When the ama has been eliminated, the fever will subside. Fever is a sign that your body is fighting toxins and/or infection and is healing and purifying itself. It is usually self limiting that is, it will disappear when the needed healing is done. But there are definitely times when fever requires the attention of a medical professional.
Fever Home Treatment to Reduce Body Temperature Naturally
- Forehead Compress: If the temperature is high, prepare a bowl of cool water into which you have added 1 teaspoon of salt. Fold two pieces of clean cloth (such as handkerchiefs), dip them into the water, and put one on the forehead and one over the belly button. Repeat as needed. This will bring down the temperature quickly.
- Holy Basil: Make a tea of 1 teaspoon holy basil (tulsi) steeped in 1 cup hot water. Add 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon honey. Take this 2 or 3 times a day.
- Herbal Formula: Another excellent formula to bring down chronic fever is 1/2 teaspoon maha sudarshan churna mixed with 1 teaspoon tikta ghrita (bitter ghee). Take this 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
- Graduated Bath: The patient should enter the bath at a temperature of 31°C. The water temperature should be lowered gradually at the rate of 10°C per minute until it reaches 25°C. The bath should continue until the patient starts shivering. The graduated bath is intended to avoid nervous shock by sudden plunge into the cold water. This bath is often administered every three hours in cases of fever. It effectively brings down the temperature except in malarial fever. Besides, it also produces a general tonic effect, increases vital resistances and energizes the heart.
- Cilantro Juice: The simplest herbal remedy for fever is cilantro juice. Put a handful of cilantro leaves in a blender with about 1/3 cup water, and blend thoroughly. Strain out the pulp. Take 2 teaspoons of the remaining liquid 3 times a day to help lower the fever.
- Mustard Oil Compress: Apply a cloth with mustard oil to the forehead to ease the pain and reduce fever.
- Fenugreek + Lemon + Honey: Fenugreek with lemon and honey will help to bring down fever and soothe aching limbs. OR Drink hot lemon and honey in a cup of warm water to ease inflammation and fever.
- Cinnamon + Ginger: Mix coriander 2 parts, cinnamon 2 parts and ginger 1 part. Steep 1 teaspoon of this mixture in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes before drinking. You can drink this every few hours until the fever breaks.
- White Willow: Willow bark or White willow is an ancient remedy for fevers and rheumatic conditions, willow bark contains aspirin-like substances. Take an infusion with ginger to control fevers and to relieve the malaise and discomfort that accompanies acute infection. If the temperature is 102.2ºF (39ºC) or above, seek professional advice immediately.
- Cumin + Coriander + Fennel: Mix cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds in equal proportions. Use 1 teaspoon of your mixture in a cup of boiling water; steep for 10 minutes, strain, and drink.
- Garlic Soup: Garlic soup is an ancient remedy to reduce the severity of cold. Garlic contains antiseptic and antispasmodic properties besides several other medicinal virtues. The volatile oil in garlic flushes out the system of all toxins and thus helps bring down fever.
- Yarrow: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is an excellent remedy for colds, flu, and fever. It stimulates sweating and reduces fever. Yarrow is most commonly taken as a tea to ease cold and flu symptoms, control associated fever, and speed recovery. Drink the tea hot, since this strongly stimulates sweating and encourages cooling. Increased sweating can help to reduce fever and leads to improved cleansing of waste products from the body.
- Grapes: Grapes are cooling. Into a cup of grape juice add 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon fennel, and 1/2 teaspoon sandalwood powder, and drink. This will help to relieve fever.
- Ginger: Try Ginger tea or eat candied ginger or sip ginger ale. Add peppermint to fever fighting teas.
- Ginger and Coriander: Both ginger and coriander are useful in treating colds. To make a decoction, brown 4 tablespoons of coriander seeds. Once the seeds are browned, add 4 cups of water and bring to the boil. Add 4 slices of root ginger and reduce the liquid to 2 cups and strain. Drink to reduce a fever.
- Fasting: There is an old saying, “Feed a cold and starve a fever,” and truly the first treatment recommended by Ayurveda for a fever is to observe a fast. For acute fever, a total fast is recommended if the person is strong enough. If the person is debilitated or weak, it is better to drink water, some kind of fruit juice, or herbal teas such as holy basil (tulsi) or lemongrass. Don’t drink milk; it will worsen the fever and create diarrhea.
- Elder Flowers: Two to three teaspoons of Elder flowers a day in tea will help reduce feverish chills. OR Infusions of yarrow and elderflower will help to control fever and also induce sweating.
- Garlic Cloves: If your cold is accompanied by fevers, string cloves of garlic or small onions together and wear around your neck at bedtime. This one may have to be tried by those of my readers who are single or whose partner loves the smell of garlic.
- Black Root + Hops: For an acute attack, use black root and hops to lower fever and reduce the inflammation present.
Caution: If your forehead is fiery with fever, you could reach for acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to lower your temperature. (Don’t treat fevers with aspirin in anyone under the age of 18; doing so can trigger a potentially fatal disease called Reye’s syndrome.). If your fever is 38.3°C (101°F) or below, don’t be afraid. If any of the following condition is present, call a doctor or seek immediate attention: fever in a baby under 4 months old, fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit in an adult, fever above 101 degrees in a person over age 60, fever that lasts longer than 3 days, fever accompanied by a severe headache and a stiff neck, any fever in a person who has a chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, or respiratory disease.