How to Treat a Fever With Herbal Remedies

A fever consists of the symptoms associated with a significant rise in body temperature, usually brought on by an infection. Because in traditional medicine, fevers were the most common condition and also a main cause of death, herbal remedies have been largely geared towards treating fevers for centuries. Herbal management of fever has been shown to be very effective specifically because it aims towards helping the body get through its fever. Drugs such as aspirin "switch off" the fever and antibiotics kill the invading organisms. Both of these methods disregard the possible value of the fever itself. The herbalist sees fever as an opportunity to strengthen and improve the body's defenses.

Things You'll Need

• echinacea
• thyme
• licorice root

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Instructions

How to Treat a Fever With Herbal Remedies

• 1

  Medical experts concede that though normal body temperature is graded at 98.6 F, this is a standard average. Some people's body temperature is normally higher, while others is normally lower. A fever is defined as a body temperature above 100.5 degrees F. Body temperature is controlled by the hypothalamus part of the brain; this is the body's thermostat. It has been suggested that fevers can be useful to some extent because the increase in temperature creates an environment in which some pathogens cannot survive.

• 2

  Treat a fever with echinacea, which is also has great antiviral and antioxidant. It is available in extracts, tinctures, tablets, capsules, and ointments. It is also available in combination with other herbs, vitamins and minerals. The recommended dosage for an adult is:1 to 2 grams dried root or herb, as tea 2 to 3 ml of standardized tincture extract 300 mg of powdered extract containing 4% phenolics Tincture (1:5): 1 to 3 ml (20 to 90 drops) Stabilized liquid extract: 0.75 ml (15 to 23 drops) Halve the dosage for a child.

• 3

  Use licorice as another herbal means of treating fever. A typical dose of whole licorice is 5 to 15 g daily. It is not recommend the use of doses this high for more than a few weeks. For long-term consumption, about 0.3 g of licorice root daily is safe for adults.

• 4

  Treat a fever with thyme. This medicinal herb is also great for treating bronchitis and laryngitis. Prepare thyme tea by adding 2 teaspoons full of dried herb into a cup of boiling water, steep for 10 minutes then strain. 1-2 grams of herb should be taken several times a day until the fever breaks. A fluid extract, 1/4-3/4 teaspoon (1-4 ml) three times per day, can also be used. Another alternative is to use a tincture, 1/3-1 teaspoon (2-6 ml) three times per day.