To treat fever, there are many different options. It should be noted whether the person who has a fever is a baby, child or adult. Not all treatment options are always appropriate for all ages. Calf compresses, fever tea, vinegar stocking or even fever-reducing remedies may be appropriate for treating a fever.
Wrap against fever
The best known fever remedy is the leg and calf wrap:
- Two towels are moistened with lukewarm water for this purpose and wrapped around the lower leg.
- A dry cloth is wrapped over it.
- Such wraps can be left for a good hour and repeat as desired.
Normally, the temperature drops by half a degree already after 20 minutes. If feet and lower legs are cold despite increased body temperature, wraps remain ineffective.
In the early stages of fever, even a foot bath can help: You start with body-warm water and gradually bring it to 39 degrees Celsius by pouring in warmer water.
Hot tea
The calf wrap inevitably includes the fever tea. For this, there are a lot of recipes for teas that promote sweating and thus increase the body’s defenses. After drinking a fever tea, you should go to bed. The best time of day for a sweating cure is late afternoon. At this time sweat production is stronger than usual.
A suitable recipe for a fever tea looks like this:
- Have 30 grams of lime blossom, 30 grams of elderflower and 20 grams of rosehip peel mixed in your pharmacy.
- Pour a teaspoon of it with hot water in a cup.
- Let the tea brew for five to ten minutes and then pour off.
Alternatively, there are also appropriate bag teas.
Vinegar stocking according to Kneipp
A home remedy recommended by pastor Sebastian Kneipp is the vinegar stocking:
- For the tincture, mix four parts water and one part apple cider vinegar.
- In it is dipped a pair of cotton knee socks, wrung out and then put on.
- With the stockings on, the legs should now still be wrapped in a wool blanket.
- After 45 to 60 minutes, the stockings can be removed again.
This procedure can be repeated up to three times a day. The vinegar stocking is to stimulate blood circulation and promote sleep. This supports the immune system and at the same time provides the necessary rest.
Antipyretic medications
Agents such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), acetaminophen, and ibuprofen are used as fever-reducing medications. ASA (for example, in aspirin
) should not be administered to children because life-threatening Reye syndrome may result. Therefore, it is better to use ibuprofen or acetaminophen in this case.
The fever-reducing drugs reset the “thermostat in the head“. As a result, the body releases heat through sweating. The medications are useful in cases of severe illness. Then, in addition, a doctor should be consulted.
