Fever
   
 

Symptoms

Common symptoms of fever are high body temperature, headache, body ache, burning eyes, distaste for food, coated tongue, excess saliva, feeling of heaviness and nausea.

Causes

Fever is a disease which has many causes. It can occur as a result of any kind of infection in any part of the body with an exception of fevers like malaria, hay fever, etc. Any thing which disturbs the heat controlling mechanism of the body can cause fever. It can be caused due to some external injury, or insect bite or due to some kind of poisoning in the body. According to Ayurveda aggravation of one, two or all the three doshas ( Tridosha) may cause fever.

So the fever can be caused due to a number of reasons. It will not be practical to discuss them in detail here. Common types of fever seen are influenza, malaria, mumps, measles, filaria etc. It is also a symptom of many diseases like bronchitis, pleurisy, tuberculosis, jaundice etc.

Remedies

In all kinds of fevers Ayurveda advises fasting in the beginning so that excess of doshas or toxins be digested. For a permanent cure special attempt should be made to diagnose the real cause of the fever. For example if the cause of fever is some infection , a treatment for the infection should be taken. Some remedies which are beneficial in all kinds of fevers are:

  1. Mild sweating is beneficial in all kind of fevers. This helps to digest the toxins. Sweating is done by lying down on the bed covered with a blanket for 15 to 20 minutes. A hot drink before this helps in sweating.
  2. Take 10 gms. raisins and 10 gms. fresh ginger. Crush them and put in 200 ml. water for one hour. Then boil it until the water reduces to 50 ml. Strain it and drink while warm. This preparation can be taken twice a day. It helps in reducing the symptoms of fever.
  3. Warm water (half glass) with one tea spoon lemon juice can be taken 3 to 4 times a day.
  4. Take 20 gm of coriander seeds and soak them over night in 150 ml. of water. Strain and drink the water next morning. This gives relief from the burning sensation.
  5. It is also good to put a paste of sandal wood powder on the fore head of the patient. The paste can be prepared by mixing a little water in sandal wood powder.
  6. If bowels are not clear enema with warm water can be given. Some laxatives can also be taken.
  7. Take one tea spoon of ginger juice and mix it with one tea spoon of lemon juice. Add a pinch of common salt in this. With the help of a dropper put two drops in each nostril. This can be done twice a day, in the morning and evening.
  8. If the fever goes higher than 102 degree Fahrenheit, it should be brought down by putting pieces of cloth soaked in cold water on the fore head, hands, arms and feet. The cloth pieces should be regularly changed after a few minutes.
  9. Take half tea spoon of turmeric powder. Mix it in a cup of warm milk and one tea spoon honey or some other sweetener in this and drink it. This can be taken twice a day.

Diet and regimen

A light diet which can be easily digested is advised for a patient suffering from fever. Boiled or steamed vegetables, vegetable soup, fruit and fruit juices are good .Cow milk can be taken in small amounts two or three times a day. A special Ayurvedic preparation called Khichree is very good. It is prepared by cooking together one part rice and six parts green pulse beans (mung dal ).

Spices like cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric, ginger and salt can be also be added. Egg plant, bitter gourd, cooked reddish is also good. Barley water is good to drink. Small amounts of whole grain bread or biscuits can be taken with milk. Heavy foods which are difficult to digest like fried foods, fast foods, meat, chicken, fish, and raw foods should not be taken.

The patient should take ample rest. Exposure to extreme cold or heat, exertion, exercise, mental stress, sexual activity and any other type of physical hardship should be avoided until the patient has strong enough.

  
 

  
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