Natural Fever Remedies

Fevers are nasty business. This hub focuses on natural and home remedies for fever, but please remember that if a child or elderly person has a fever it is important to call a doctor, and anyone with a high fever should go to the emergency room promptly.

Fever can be reduced any number of ways. Taking a cool bath is a popular way to reduce fever, as is drinking lots of water. Sometimes when a person is sick water can taste unpleasant, at which point a few drops of pure lemon juice or orange juice is a good way to get an ill person to drink more of it.

Keep a fan running in the room of the feverish person, but keep it on low and be ready to turn it off if the sick person begins to feel too cold.

When I was a child, a common fever remedy was to suck on frozen juice cubes or a frozen water pop (commonly called Mr. Freeze or Freezies)

A cool cloth placed on the forehead can reduce fever. Never use and ice pack, however, as this can cause the temperature to drop too rapidly.

Remember not to give a sick person too much sugar (Limit the Freezies!), and to give them lots of foods containing vitamin C, and if possible, give them a vitamin C supplement as well. Vitamin C is well known for it's immune system boosting. It can be found primarily in citrus fruits, like oranges and lemons.

Whenever caring for a sick person it is important to wash your hands frequently. You don't want to catch whatever bug they've come down with!

If you have tried all these remedies and had no success, try giving the person acetaminophen (Tyleonol), Ibuprofen, or aspirin. Just remember never to give aspirin to a child under the age of sixteen, or to anyone you suspect of having Chicken Pox! It is also important that you know what other medications the person is taking and what allergies they have. Always consult a physician before giving ANY kind of medicine to a child under six or an underweight child.

If these natural remedies and a small dose of medication do not reduce the fever, or the fever has lasted more than a couple of days, immediately take the sick person to the emergency room, as even a slight fever can be a sign of more serious illness, especially if it does not go away.