Relieving the symptoms of fever

A fever can make you feel hot, cold, shivery, washed out and sometimes have aches and pains. 

As well as treating the cause of an infection, you need treatment for your fever symptoms. This helps to make you more comfortable. Bringing your temperature down can make a difference to how you feel.

Drugs to treat fever symptoms

Paracetamol

You might have paracetamol. This can help relieve aches and pains. It is also an anti pyretic. This means it brings down your temperature. 

You usually take them regularly, every 4 to 6 hours, until you no longer have a high temperature. Make sure you read the drug information leaflet so that you know what dose to take and when.

Steroids

You might take steroids, for example, if your fever has been caused by a reaction to treatment.

Aspirin and ibuprofen

Aspirin and ibuprofen can reduce your temperature, but you shouldn't take them without checking with your doctor. You shouldn't have it if you have a low platelet count or any other risk of bleeding. For example, a stomach ulcer. This is because they can affect the time it takes your blood to clot.

Feeling more comfortable

Other things that can make you feel more comfortable include:

• removing excess clothing and bed linen
• having a lukewarm (tepid) bath or sponge down
• drinking cool fluids, such as water and sucking ice chips
• opening the window or having a fan in the room
• during periods of chills, change any wet bed linen and clothes to keep you warm and dry, and keep away from drafts
• rest as much as you can

Even if you have a high temperature, you might actually feel cold and begin to shiver. Your immediate reaction may be to huddle up under lots of blankets to feel warm. But even though you feel cold, inside your body is very hot. You will generally start to feel better when your temperature comes down.