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Subscribe to RSSGot a cold or the flu and feeling feverish? You may not want to be so quick to reach for a pill to get rid of it, a new study suggests.
Scientists have found more evidence that allowing your fever to burn out may actually help certain types of immune cells to work more efficiently. They say that a type of lymphocyte called CD8+Cytotoxic T-cell is capable of destroying virus-infected and tumor cells and low-grade fevers enhance them.
Researchers from the Department of Immunology at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N. Y. injected two groups of mice with an antigen and watched the T-cells activate. They raised the body temperature two degrees centigrade in half the mice, and the other half maintained a normal body temperature.
The warmed mice showed a greater number of the CD8 T-cells that were capable of destroying infected cells. Their findings were in the November 2011 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
Scientists have long known that a fever is the body’s protective response to fight off bacteria and viruses. If you can stand the discomfort until your fever reaches 102, Dr. Amesh A. Adalja says it’s fine to let the fever go away on its own – but not always.
“Once the body temperature reaches certain levels, it becomes dangerous because it can be toxic to brain cells, and can also precipitate seizures as well as increase your heart rate and basal metabolic rate, causing people to more likely become dehydrated,” says Adalja, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
It's probably best not to take the chance with a feverish child, or with an adult if the fever spikes higher than 102 degrees. A high fever in some children can result in seizures, he says. Adalja also warns it’s also not worth the risk to your own health if you have heart disease, have suffered a stroke or endure other medical complications.
“This is not a blanket recommendation,” he says. “Secondary consequences to the fever can cause other conditions in the patient to occur or worsen. If someone has a persistent fever of 104, it’s a sign of infection, and it’s not just some viral thing you are going to get over.”
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First!
When I get a fever, there is no way I would be able to just "sweat it out." I don't the the typical 99-101 temps, I get the 102-103 temps. They are horrible when I get them for some reason. They ground me out for 3-4 days everytime. arrgggghhh... Just horrible.
OK, so more T-Cells are produced, but what does it mean? Does one heal quicker? What are the ramifications to the folks who take a fever-reducer? Is there an increased chance of avoiding complications from the illness? We need more info in this article.
cd8 lymphocytes are what end up destroying your own cells when they're infected w/ a virus (which multiplies inside the cell and is basically immune to antibodies once inside the cell).
what they're basically saying is that more temperature = more cd8 cells which (presumably) means a faster resolution to the infection.
fevers also equal more heat which speeds up chemical reactions (which is what your immune response really is anyway), so from that perspective, the chemical reactions will take place more quickly.
but this is a news website, not a medical journal so I'd take anything on this website (including what I say, because you don't know who I am) with a gigantic grain of salt.
Temperatures over 99 degrees also inhibit viruses and bacteria from multiplying, speeding your recovery. At those temperatures, proteins start to denature and can't synthesize as easily. While that's also true for your own cells, once your body rids itself of the virus/bacteria, it goes to work repairing itself and growing new cells. Viruses and bacteria can't survive a 2-3 day fever, but your body as a whole can, and then it will rebuild itself. Though anything over 103 degrees is dangerous, so keep an eye on your temp, and ALWAYS drink plenty of water. When I'm sick, I wrap myself up with blankets and keep a 2-liter bottle of water next to my bed. I sleep, sweat, drink water, and repeat. After about 24 hours to 2 days, I already feel better most times.
-Biology major
states the obvious. let your body take care of itself. funny how the medical community considers what was common sense 50 years ago, to be progress
It's tempting to get snarky with western medicine when they make these "amazing" discoveries;
but . . . bear with them as they catch up to common sense. At least they're getting there. And think how many folks will be healthier this year for reading about this amazing discovery??
A few degrees of fever is nothing to panic about but when it climbs toward danger then you'd best get to a doctor."Fever should not necessarily be treated. Most people recover without specific medical attention Although it is unpleasant, fever rarely rises to a dangerous level even if untreated. Damage to the brain generally does not occur until temperatures reach 42 °C (107.6 °F), and it is rare for an untreated fever to exceed 105 °F (41 °C)." From Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia
I agree. In fact, although I'm sure a cure could be found if they really wanted to find one, it's so much more profitable to sell ineffective "remedies" year after year. Things like decongestant, nasal sprays (which actually get addictive and cause a "rebound effect" when discontinued) cough suppressant can actually be harmful because it prevents your body from doing what it knows best; clearing out the mucous and phlegm from your lungs and throat by "coughing".
Duh. The body creates a fever FOR something: to kill the bugs off. I can get over my rare colds in 2 days by sleeping with the electric blanket on high and sweating my way through the night. Uncomfortably hot, but it has worked for many years....
Some viruses function better in cooler temps - one of the reasons colds/flu are more prevalent in colder months is because your nasal passages are cooler, providing a more hospitable environment for them. The fever, along with stuffy nose, creates a warmer environment which they don't like at all. So the fever does two things - activates immune cells and creates a hostile environment for the bugs.
In the military they would tell us to run - I think this is the same principle as reving up your metabolism to get through your cold faster.
Depressed - run
Sick - run
worried - run
according to the military it must work for everything
Running and 1000mg of Vitamin "M".... :) No matter what ails you a horse pill of motrin will take care of it!
And this has a basis in fact, activities like running produce endorphines, dopamine and sarotonin all have been linked to positive moods, stress relief, and some illnesses.
litesingr--I hope you are putting your spare change in a jar for the liver transplant you are going to need if you keep taking post-operative doses of Motrin for whatever ails you. I wouldn't recommend it, as people are dumb enough to do it more than once (and by "once," I mean one, single dose) every now and again (by which I mean not two days in a row).
This was back when I was active duty Navy. They literally would give you 1000mg tablets of Motrin for everything. No, I did not take them, but that is what they always prescribed.
This has always seemed obvious to me, though I don't necessarily understand the reason. Fever and a runny nose are your body's defense mechanisms. Why would I you want to turn them off?
I learned this at 12... noticed getting a cold but rode my bike anyway 1 mile to school, drenched in sweat upon arrival, but felt great an hour later.
Finally, I'm doing something right! Ever since mother said not to mix meds and alcohol I've been meds free. I just lay in bed and wake up hours later drenched in sweat and feeling good.
I have heard the whole "sweat out a cold" thing for years. At least for the past 10 years...
Really that is new? My mother told me this 30 years ago.... I a surprised, how much common knowledge and sense has been lost in the last 25 years.
Well, if the medical community just proved the theory empirically and published the results, it isn't lost, now is it?
I remember the old saying to "sweat out a fever" -- a very common treatment at one time....
Sweating out a fever is good and is the best thing i say!! But you must also drink a lot of water. And the water must be room temperature not cold or hot.
And what about using a sauna? I think the Finns are pretty healthy because they use saunas almost daily during the winter!
I believe a steam bath works better because it raises your body temperature. A sauna is dry heat, so the sweat evaporates immediately trying to cool your body off. That defeats the purpose of raising your body temperature. In a steam bath, the sweat stays on your skin. It gets very hot in there.
Sweat? My teeth chatter when I have a fever - body temperature way higher than ambient temperature. (2nd Law of Thermodynamics.)
I wonder if this could be used to help cure some viral illness such as HIV etc by doctors inducing fever for long periods of time ????
Folks have known this for centuries. Whenever I get a fever, I would put on multiple layers of clothing, jump in bed and put on layers of blanket. You sweat your butt off, but it works.
I wonder if going to Sauna on regular basis helps in this process. Those crazy Russian bath houses might not be such a bad idea. No wonder those Russians are so healthy after drinking two bottles of vodka and then sweating them out. Maybe they starve all kind of bad micro organisms while they are at it. this is a win win scenario. NAZDROVLJE!!!!!!!
Really... Just now realizing this? I've been doing this for years. I rarely take medication and anytime I feel a fever coming on (rare as well) I bundle under several heavy blankets and try to sleep/sweat it out. I am usually much better in a day or two.
The body raises the temp to get rid of the bug. Doctors say take 2 aspirin and see me in the morning. That's because those 2 aspirin gave the bug free reign. Duh!
Duuuuh
Im willing to bet that there will be a study confirming that people who tend to be very hot sleepers(waking up sweaty) are much less likely to get sick or stay sick long.
My whole life I have been known to radiate a lot of heat when Im sleeping. I hardly ever get sick and if I do, its over in a couple days. I dont like to medicate even down to not taking Tylenol or Advil. I just listen to my body and let it tell me what it wants to do. Apparently this has been working fine for me.
Whenever I have a bad cold or a fever I go for a run. I always feel better!
I find it interesting that the medical community is just now realizing this. My mother and her mother knew about this. I was taught this, and I'm 68 years old. I wonder what else my grandmother knew that the medical community hasn't yet learned.