Saturday, June 27, 2009

FEVER

FEVER
(See also Intermittent and Typhoid Fever.)    
A rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection. A fever occurs when your temperature rises above its normal range. What's normal for you may be a little higher or lower than the average temperature of 98.6 F. That's why it's hard to say just what a fever is. But a "significant" fever is usually defined as an oral or ear temperature of 102 F or a rectal temperature of 103 F. If you're an adult, a fever may be uncomfortable, but it usually isn't dangerous unless it rises above 103 F. For very young children and infants, however, even slightly elevated temperatures may indicate a serious infection.


Causes of Fever
Infections are the most common causes of fevers. But there is a long list of other causes, which includes acute bronchitis, AIDS and HIV infection, autoimmune disorders, cancer, colds or flu-like illnesses, collagen vascular disease, rheumatoid diseases, ear infections, Hodgkin's disease, infectious mononucleosis, inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, leukemia, medications (such as antibiotics, antihistamines, barbiturates, and drugs for high blood pressure), neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, pneumonia, appendicitis, tuberculosis, and meningitis, periarteritis nodosa, regional enteritis, sore throats, strep throat, systemic lupus erythematosus, ulcerative colitis, upper respiratory infections (such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis or laryngitis), urinary tract infections, viral and bacterial infections, viral gastroenteritis or bacterial gastroenteritis.
Mechanism of Fever
Body temperature is set by the hypothalamus, which is situated at the base of the brain. It acts as a thermostat for the whole system. When something's wrong, the normal temperature is simply set a few points higher. The feeling of chilliness and shivering may start when the body tries to elevate its temperature. This phenomena is to generate heat. Profuse sweating may be felt when the temperature begins to return to normal. This mechanism helps to dissipate the excess heat.
Symptoms of Fever
Apart from the high temperature, symptoms like sweating, shivering, headache, muscle aches, lack of appetite, dehydration and general weakness may present, depending upon the cause of the fever. Very high fevers between the temperatures 103° and 106°F may produce hallucinations, confusion, irritability and convulsions.
Homoeopathy
Homeopathic Treatment for Fever
Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc.
Following homeopathic medicines have been found effective in many cases of Fever:
 
#Aconite. [Acon]
This remedy typifies a synochal sthenic fever, and corresponds to hyperaemia congestion and chill preceding inflammatory fever. Frequent chilliness is common in fevers calling for Aconite. There is redness of the face, great heat and oftentimes an outward pressing headache. A slight degree of delirium does not contra-indicate Aconite. The mental symptoms are all important; there is anxiety, and restlessness from the violent circulatory storm; there is dry skin, violent thirst, full bounding frequent pulse and sweating relieves. If it is brought on by exposure to dry cold winds or chilling of the body after overheat, especially when warm and sweaty it is well indicated. It suits the young and robust and has no relation to the weak and sickly. The never failing characteristics of mental anguish must be present. The attack of fever often terminates with a critical sweat. Veratrum viride. This remedy suits cases similar to Aconite, but it has more arterial excitement and no anxiety.
#Gelsemium. [Gels]
This remedy suits dull, stupid, apathetic conditions. The patient is dizzy and drowsy, the chill is partial; there is a full flowing pulse with an element of weakness in it. It corresponds especially to remittent types of fever and to fevers brought on by warm, relaxing weather. The fever is accompanied by languor, muscular weakness and a desire for absolute rest and is unaccompanied by thirst. Ferrum phosphoricum. This remedy stands midway between Aconite and Gelsemium in febrile conditions, and it may be differentiated from its neighbors by the pulse, which, under Aconite, is full and bounding and under Gelsemium soft and flowing, and by the mental symptoms, Aconite being marked by anxiety and Gelsemium by drowsiness and dullness. Baptisia. Hughes praises this remedy in simple continued fevers, where he believes it is specific. Gastric fever, he claims, will never run into typhoid if treated with this remedy. Pulsatilla has a thirstless fever, hot head, dry lips and chilliness all over, especially in the evening. Chilliness predominates with the remedy, there being but little heat.
#Sulphur. [Sulph]
An excellent fever remedy, it comes in after Aconite when the skin is dry and hot and there is no sweat; the fever seems to burn the patient up,the tongue is dry and red and the patient at first is sleepless and restless, but soon becomes drowsy. There are no blood changes; it is a chronic Aconite or a passive Aconite does to the arteries.
#Belladonna. [Bell]
This remedy is marked by erethism, violent delirium, headache, throbbing carotids and cerebral symptoms. Eyes red and glistering; the skin is hot and burning; the heat seems to steam out from the body; it may be followed by a profuse sweat which brings no relief. The characteristics are briefly: General dry heat with chills, little or no thirst, in fact, the patient may have a dread of water, cool extremities and throbbing headache. The fever is worse at night. The Nux vomica fever is characterized by great heat; the whole body is burning hot, the face is especially red and hot, yet the patient feels chilly when uncovering.
#Bryonia. [Bry]
Suits especially a quite form of fever; true, the patient may be restless and toss about, but is always made worse thereby. There is intense headache, dull, stupefying with a sensation as if the head would burst at the temples; sharp pains over the eyes, faintness on rising up, dry mouth and a tongue coated white in the middle. Cold, chilly sensations predominate in fevers calling for Bryonia, and there is much thirst for large drinks of water at rather infrequent intervals. The fever of Bryonia is unmarked by the violence, acuteness and general storm of Aconite or the decomposition and great debility of the acids. It is neither synochal nor so markedly asthenic in character, it is between the two and is dependent upon local affections, state of stomach, liver, chest, etc.
#Rhus toxicodendron. [Rhus-t]
A form of catarrhal fever, so-called, which is met with frequently calls for Rhus more than for any other remedy. It commences with weakness of the whole body with desire to lie down, soreness or bruised sensations in the limbs, aching of limbs and bones, great pain in back, restlessness, worse while lying still, sickness at the stomach, loss of appetite, repugnance for food, great thirst, dry tongue and mouth. It is useful on that borderland where febrile cases merge into a typhoid condition. Mercurius. Here the fever is characterized by weariness, prostration and trembling. It is slow, lingering fever, generally a gastric or a bilious, remittent fever. It is characterized by the following combination of symptoms which no other drug has: Profuse salivation, dry throat and great thirst for cold water.
Ferrum phosphoricum: This remedy stands midway between Aconite and Gelsemium in febrile conditions, and it may be differentiated from its neighbors by the pulse, which, under Aconite, is full and bounding and under Gelsemium soft and flowing, and by the mental symptoms, Aconite being marked by anxiety and Gelsemium by drowsiness and dullness.
Baptisia tinctoria: Gastric fever will never run into typhoid if treated with this remedy.
Pulsatilla pratensis: Thirstless fever, hot head, dry lips and chilliness all over, especially in the evening. Chilliness predominates with the remedy, there being but little heat.
Nux vomica: The Nux vomica fever is characterized by great heat; the whole body is burning hot, the face is especially red and hot, yet the patient feels chilly when uncovering.
Mercurius solubilis: Here the fever is characterized by weariness, prostration and trembling. It is a slow, lingering fever, generally a gastric or a bilious, remittent fever. It is characterized by the following combination of symptoms which no other drug has : Profuse salivation, dry throat and great thirst for cold water.
 

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