Health A-Z

Medical Content Created by the Faculty of the
Harvard Medical School

Fever

Treatment

Doctors often advise adults with mild to moderate fevers below 102 degrees Fahrenheit to:

• Drink plenty of water and fruit juices to prevent dehydration (abnormally low levels of body water). Fluids help to cool your body and they replenish vital salts and minerals (electrolytes), which may be lost during vomiting or diarrhea.

• Eat light foods that are easy to digest.

• Get plenty of rest.

• Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin or others), acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin according to label directions. Fever may help to fight infection, so there is a controversy about whether fever should be treated routinely or only if it is particularly severe.

Aspirin should not be given to infants and children younger than age 16 because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a life-threatening neurological disorder that can develop when children take aspirin during a viral illness. In children, reduce fever by using acetaminophen or ibuprofen, together with lukewarm sponge baths. If your child has a febrile seizure, call your doctor immediately.

If your doctor suspects that a bacterial infection is causing your fever, he or she will prescribe antibiotics.