Fevers: To Cool or Not to Cool … That Is the Question

By Jennifer Wolff-Gillispie HWP, LC

Originally published by A Voice For Choice Advocacy on November 21, 2024.

EDITOR’S SUMMARY: When it comes to healing your body, a solid dose of intuition can be quite effective. After all, does anyone really know what’s going on inside you better than you? While there’s a tendency to want to dampen pain, understandably, and drive to the nearest drugstore to stave off sickness, allowing a reasonable fever to burn and run its course can allow your immune system to function effectively, the way it is meant to. 

Getting sick is never fun nor planned for. Depending on the nature of your illness, you may have to contend with mild symptoms, ranging from a headache, stuffy nose, or a cough. Sometimes, however, you may feel extremely unwell, and present with a fever. Although you’ve likely had to manage a high temp before, knowing how, when, and why you should treat a fever is critical in understanding how to best support and serve your body in its time of need. Fever, often perceived merely as a symptom of illness, serves a vital role in your body's defense mechanisms. It is a natural response that signals your immune system to ramp up its activity against pathogens. When your body detects an infection, whether viral or bacterial, it raises your temperature set point, resulting in a fever. This allows your body to naturally kill off the source of infection. 

How It Works

Your normal core temperature is managed by thermoregulation, keeping it around 98.6 degrees. This is maintained by the hypothalamus which identifies shifts in body temperature and acts accordingly. If you are too hot, signals will be produced that activate sweating and blood vessel dilation (allowing heat to escape via the blood that is now closer to your skin's surface) which cools you down. Conversely, if you are too cold, blood vessels constrict, triggering shivering which generates heat to warm you up. When your body recognizes a foreign pathogen or infection, immune cells initiate a fever via a biochemical reaction. This results in the increase of your body temperature. Although the entire process of how a fever combats pathogens is not fully understood, what is known is that the fever quickly produces a full-body immune response. 

The physiological importance of fever lies in its ability to accelerate various immune functions. Elevated body temperatures can enhance the production of white blood cells, and improve the efficiency of enzymes that contribute to immune responses. Immune cells, once signaled, release pyrogens which signal temperature-sensitive neurons in the hypothalamus to raise your body's core degrees. Once the neuron is signaled, it begins producing a hormone-like chemical called prostaglandin (specifically PGE2), responsible for the heat increase. Next, cells will begin producing heat shock proteins (HSPs). HSPs assist lymphocytes (pathogen fighting white blood cells) in traveling expeditiously to the site of infection.

Here they are able to stick to and penetrate blood vessels more effectively. Once inside the blood vessels, the lymphocytes are able to “attack” the pathogen responsible for the infection. In response to viral infections, HSPs play a key role in telling your body’s nearby cells to reduce their protein production, inhibiting the invading virus's replication. This process also protects from cellular damage because some viruses spread by breaching your body's cell walls and replicating there. According to “How Viruses Invade Cells” by Fedric S. Cohen:

“Viruses are the perfect parasites. It has been known for decades that once a virus gets inside a cell, it hijacks the cellular processes to produce virally encoded protein that will replicate the virus’s genetic material. Viral mechanisms are capable of translocating proteins and genetic material from the cell and assembling them into new virus particles.”

When your body’s cells are breached by a pathogen, cell necrosis (dying cells spill their contents into nearby cells causing an inflammatory response) can occur along with detritus (dead cellular waste). This can cause illness and organ damage. Because your body is able to incite a fever, HSPs are capable of protecting host cells and enhancing an immune response. This limits the path of destruction within your body by blocking entry of the pathogen in the first place. Your body's natural ability to produce HSPs by way of a fever allows this process to happen. Chemotherapy can also induce a fever, as the treatments used to target cancer cells reduce white blood cells that help fight infection. This type of infection is called Neutropenia. 

Despite its benefits in a vast majority of cases, fever can be harmful when it escalates to extreme levels. A “normal” fever for children and adults is characterized as one between 100–104 degrees, and lasts for several days. However, it is normal for children to sometimes experience more feverish episodes and/or slightly higher fevers. Their developing immune systems respond to each new infection they confront in order to develop immunity against it. According to conventional wisdom, a sustained, high fever (more than 4 days above 104 degrees) can lead to serious complications such as dehydration, seizures, or brain damage, especially in children, the elderly, and people with preexisting health conditions. To err on the side of caution, anyone who experiences an extreme fever, whether in degree or duration should be seen by a medical professional. That being said, Seattle Children’s Hospital states: 

“Fevers with infections don't cause brain damage. Only temperatures above 108° F (42° C) can cause brain damage. It's very rare for the body temperature to climb this high.“ 

Hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), which is slightly different from a typical fever that resolves on its own, is usually caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures—both internal and external—such as heat stroke or an extreme medical event. These experiences can overwhelm your body's ability to regulate temperature, leading to organ failure. In such cases, medical intervention is absolutely necessary. Being able to distinguish between a hyperthermia event resulting in a dangerous fever, and a normal fever is critical. If a high fever persists for any reason, is caused by prolonged exposure to the sun, or is accompanied by severe symptoms (rapid or weak pulse, disorientation, reduced sweating, blurred vision, fainting, or seizures), consulting with a healthcare professional is a must.

Many ancient physicians, without modern science to quantify their theories and practices, spoke on the beneficial qualities of a fever. They noted that fever was an essential part of the healing process. Parmenides of Elea, pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, and one of the founders of metaphysics, in 500 BC said “Give me the power to produce fever and I'll cure all disease.” According to Maimonides, the medieval Jewish philosopher and physician, in his writings on “Medical Aphorisms,” exclaimed: 

“It is important to know the precise differentiation between the fever of a septic process and the cause for that septic process. It is important to know which remedy to use to treat a fever, which therapy to employ to treat a septic process, and which medicine to use to treat the cause for the septic process…”

Additionally, during the Middle Ages, Islamic scholars having studied the teachings of the Greeks further emphasized the role of fever in expelling illness from the body. Avicenna, Muslim philosopher and physician asserted:

" ... if the fever is shown to follow its natural trend and the rest of the task is left to the nature to be carried out, do not employ any medicine; however, if you noticed that you have to assist the nature in the final stage of the treatment, do whatever you could do. Nevertheless, in such cases try not to exercise against the usual trend of nature..."

These early physicians advised allowing fever to run its course, emphasizing rest and hydration. They observed that patients who experienced higher fevers often had better outcomes, as their bodies' natural defenses were engaged in a battle against disease. From a Native American perspective, the importance of a fever was long understood. They commonly went one step further by sending their ill patients into a sweat lodge to induce a “room sized fever.” Modern physicians and practitioners also understand the healing a fever can provide—elevating white blood cells—helping to eliminate toxins from the body. During this detoxification process, your body sweats, which allows the toxins to escape through the skin. Additionally, the sweat helps your body naturally cool through evaporation, bringing your fever down on its own. Even at the precipice of modern science, the 1600s English physician, Thomas Sydenham, wrote “Fever is nature’s engine which she brings into the field to remove her enemy.” For millennia, doctors and healers from cultures around the world viewed fever as a vital force that aided the body in overcoming disease. 

Drugs … 

In contemporary times, the use of antipyretics, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), have become widespread in managing fever. While it can provide immediate relief and comfort, there is growing concern about the implications of suppressing fever with such medications. Reducing fever with antipyretics can inhibit your body's natural immune response, and may increase the risk of developing pneumonia. By lowering the temperature artificially, these medications can allow pathogens to thrive and replicate. In the scientific article “The Fever Paradox,” author Linda Geddes states: 

“Take the common viral infection chickenpox. In a study of 72 children, those who weren't given drugs known to reduce fever recovered faster. Likewise, a study of 56 people infected with one of the viruses that causes the common cold found that those who took certain fever-reducing drugs remained infectious for longer.”

In addition, acetaminophen can put a toxic strain on your body and deplete glutathione levels that your body naturally produces; this can prolong illness. Glutathione, an important detoxifier and antioxidant, assists your body in removing what your immune system recognizes as harmful. The balance lies in understanding when to treat a fever and when to allow it to serve its purpose. While comfort is crucial, especially in children, it is essential to consider the potential trade-offs involved in suppressing this natural mechanism. For mild to moderate fevers (100-104 degrees) that may be uncomfortable, there are natural remedies that can help soothe and support your body, while bringing down the elevated temperature. Herbs, tonics, and oils that contribute to bringing down a fever can also help combat the pathogenic infection directly; this is extremely beneficial for expeditious healing. 

1. Herbs

• Elderflower: Known for its diaphoretic (inducing sweating) properties, elderflower can promote sweating, which helps cool your body naturally.

• Peppermint: A classic remedy, peppermint can help cool your body and reduce fever when consumed as tea or used in a cool compress.

• Yarrow: This herb has been traditionally used to promote sweating and relieve fever symptoms. It can be brewed into a tea to aid in the healing process.

2. Tonics

• Ginger: This “stem” stimulates circulation and induces sweating, helping your body to regulate temperature. A ginger tea, made by steeping fresh ginger in hot water, is a soothing option.

• Honey and Lemon: A simple tonic of honey and lemon in warm water not only helps soothe a sore throat, but also supports the immune system and may aid in reducing fever.

• Coriander or fenugreek tea: Both coriander and fenugreek have antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting properties that support the body, which aid in fever reduction.

3. Essential Oils

• Lavender oil: Renowned for its calming properties, lavender oil can help soothe the body and reduce fever when used in aromatherapy, or diluted and applied to the skin, particularly in small children.

• Eucalyptus oil: Known for its cooling effects, eucalyptus oil can be added to a diffuser or diluted in a carrier oil, and used for a gentle massage, promoting relaxation, and reducing body temperature.

4. Other Natural Solutions

• Cool down: A lukewarm bath or shower can be used to bring your core temperature down slowly without a shock to your system. A cool, damp cloth can also be applied to your forehead, or the back of your neck.

• Hydrate: Since a fever initiates sweating, oftentimes you can wind up dehydrated. Cold, cool, or even warm beverages like coconut water, lemon water with a pinch of sea salt, or bone broth not only replenish fluids, but can replace electrolytes lost during sweating.

• Rest: In order for your immune system to work effectively at combating the infection, you need sleep. Getting eight or more hours of quality sleep (children need at least ten) while you are sick with a fever allows cytokines—a protein that stimulates the immune system—and pathogen-fighting antibody production to occur more effectively. While you are sleeping, your body is in a heightened state of immune function, working to make more immune cells and antibodies.

Fever is not merely an uncomfortable symptom, but an integral part of your body's healing process. Too much outside intervention can result in a longer, more uncomfortable recovery. The 16th century writer and historian Voltaire humorously illustrated this: “The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.”  Be gentle with yourself as symptoms arise. Being cognizant of the reason you may have developed a fever can empower you to take a more nuanced approach to moving through the illness. Embracing natural remedies that aid your body during a fever, while still recognizing the circumstances that necessitate medical intervention, can lead to a favorable outcome.

By respecting your body and allowing a fever to “take its course,” you honor the wisdom of historical perspectives, and align with a modern, holistic view of health that prioritizes your innate ability to heal. Your body was created with appropriate systems to combat foreign pathogenic invaders effectively. If your body could speak to you, it just may tell you to get out of your own way, and trust the process. Your body instinctively knows the way down the path, and instead of working against it, you have the opportunity to support its vital restorative processes. 

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