Dispelling Health Myths: Fevers Are NOT Bad

Flu season has hit with a vengeance. I hear many people talk about how many in their family have fallen ill with the flu virus, and all the strategies they have used to get themselves and their loved ones through it. Almost inevitably, I hear about people using acetaminophen to lower a fever. This strategy is ultimately misguided, and blunts the body’s ability to heal itself. It may even cause an illness to last longer than it needs to.

A fever is the body’s way of killing off a bacterial or viral infection. It is, in the vast majority of cases, not a dangerous symptom to be frightened about. For children, a temperature of up to 105° is not a cause for concern; it is instead a sign that the body is mounting a healthy response to a foreign invader. This is particularly true if a child has a high fever, but otherwise shows little sign of illness. (For adults, a temperature up to 103-104° is healthy.) Indeed, in some cases, it may be beneficial to stimulate a fever if it is not high enough.

So how does a fever come about? If a flu virus, for example, is detected in your body by an immune cell called a macrophage, it eats the flu virus up, then sends a signal to the hypothalamus. This signal tells the hypothalamus (basically the control center of the body) to raise the body’s “thermostat.” You respond by shivering and feeling chills. You may also cover yourself up and try to warm yourself. This results in a fever.

Fevers are actually effective immune stimulants. When the body temperature is elevated, white blood cells are produced at a higher rate, and they are released into circulation more quickly. Antibody production is increased up to 20 times the normal rate as well!

Moreover, fevers provide an inhospitable environment for invading organisms. Many harmful bacteria cannot thrive in temperatures above the body’s normal temperature of 98.6° F, and growth rates of many viruses are decreased significantly.

Finally, fevers often decrease appetite, which is why you seldom see people with fevers craving food. This is a normal and important aspect of fighting colds and flus. The body expends 60% of its energy digesting food. When you fast for awhile (e.g., when you have a fever), your body suddenly has that much more energy it can put toward fighting an infection.

Knowing all this, is there a reason why you would want to decrease a fever? The answer should be, in most cases, “no.”

There are certain issues with fevers that should be addressed. If a fever does get too high, the best way to decrease it is to rub the body down vigorously with a tepid washcloth; this will allow blood to move toward the surface of the skin, releasing heat naturally. Also, febrile seizures are a cause for concern, but are usually the result of dehydration and/or an electrolyte imbalance; making sure someone who has a fever is drinking plenty of fluids with electrolytes often will prevent febrile seizures.

Indications for hospitalization include a fever in children that stays above 105° for prolonged periods (or in adults if it stays above 104°), or febrile seizures, particularly if they last longer than 15 minutes.

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Do you have health issues that aren't being adequately addressed by traditional medicine? Naturopathic care may be the answer you're looking for. Visit my website for more information about naturopathic medicine, and begin your journey toward optimal health!

Dispelling Health Myths - An Introduction

Naturopathic doctors are an interesting lot. Many of us came from backgrounds that enabled us to look at things from a different perspective than many of our friends, peers, and colleagues. And not only are we geared to do this, some of us actually delight in presenting information that goes against what society considers to be true. Some of this information is foolish, to be sure, but a lot of it isn't. It sticks and becomes something to contend with. Witness the rise of echinacea and the debate over whether or not it actually stimulates the immune system and whether it's really good for the common cold. Twenty years ago, St. John's wort was barely known outside herbal and naturopathic circles; now, it's often cited and studied for its effects not only on mild and moderate depression, but also for its (potentially dangerous) ability to speed up the metabolism of certain drugs. Heck, even homeopathy entered our collective consciousness in June 2009 as a result of the Zicam fiasco. That these debates are now part of our culture's conversation is cause for celebration. Naturopathic doctors may not have been the cause of these debates, but as experts in natural medicine, we are uniquely situated to bear witness to the truth or lack thereof of these issues.

Over the past century, our culture has become laden with a number of health myths that seem to have undermined our...well, our health. To gloss over a few of them, if we're taking care to adhere to a low-fat diet, why is obesity such an issue in our society nowadays? Are diet sodas an okay way to decrease calories and lose weight? What about butter vs. margarine? Do we need to stay away from saturated fats to keep our arteries clear? Is high cholesterol dangerous? Is red wine really as good for you as studies seem to indicate?

These are just a few of the issues that will be addressed on this blog. You can expect some answers to make sense, but you may also encounter some answers that completely contradict what you've learned throughout your life. Such is the nature of much health information nowadays...complex, sometimes contradictory, and often difficult to understand. Come to this blog to learn more and hopefully have your confusion about certain health myths cleared up. And if you have questions you'd like to be answered, feel free to ask!

Be well.

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Do you have health issues that aren't being adequately addressed by conventional medicine? Naturopathic care may be the answer you're looking for. Visit my website for more information about naturopathic medicine, and begin your journey toward optimal health!