Dr Joseph Mercola: Little Known Benefits of Fever (2023)
I originally wrote this article 12 years ago. But the topic is so important that I wanted to publish an update spreading the word that, in most cases, there’s no reason to fear a fever. Reaching for fever-reducing medications right away is also typically counterproductive and may make it take longer for you to get better. 1 , 2 Fever is a sign that your, or your child's, immune system is working at its best. Virtually all animals — and even fish 3 — naturally develop a fever when they're fighting a bacterial or viral illness. This response occurs because it improves your body's ability to get rid of infection. Fever Benefits Your Body When an organism invades your body, it triggers the release of pyrogen, a substance that signals your brain's hypothalamus to raise your body's temperature. This is done through a number of different mechanisms, including: Shivering Release of the hormone TRH Increasing your metabolic rate Restricting blood flow to the skin to minimiz...