Fever and chills are so hard. When do you have a fever and how do I relieve it? Here are my 7 tips for self-care!
I am a self-proclaimed expert on fever and chills, haha. Or fever care is probably a better word choice. This is because in 2.5 years I have had a sore throat 26 times with over 39 degrees fever and fever. Almost every month then (but not regularly).
But nothing bad that does not bring anything good with it;) As soon as someone near me gets a fever, I give my fever tips. Those tips are incredibly appreciated and very helpful!
So I thought, why not share these in a blog post? Maybe I can help more! So my sore throats are not completely in vain;)
Caring for the underlying problem is also important, as fever is a symptom and not a disease. This post only focuses on "surviving the fever period" in as comfortable a way as possible and with a quick recovery!
When do you have a fever?
What counts as a fever? In 1177 it says that over 38 degrees counts as fever.
When I was at the Infection Clinic, they said that you have a temperature above 38.5. So 38.5 = not fever, but 38.6 = fever.
When I started to have problems with my throat, fever and chills, I was quite confused about this, I felt feverish as soon as the thermometer showed 37. Was I sensitive? Was I unusually low-tempered? You hear many people say "I have a very low temp".
But now I have learned that it is above all about how / where you take the temperature. When I felt feverish at 37, I took the temperature under my arm.
You also have a lower temperature in the morning than when you go to sleep (both normal temp and at fever temperature). This can also be included in the calculations.
Here I lay feeling sorry for myself, the last time I had a sore throat with a high fever and chills. Poor little :)
Fever temp - Thermometer & ta tempen (tip 1)
How to take the temperature? Under the arm? Mouths? The ear? Pannan? Butt?
The first question is, what is the purpose? Do you measure your fever temperature so that you can keep track of yourself? Or because you are going to seek care and the care staff need to know what your body temperature is?
Seek care:
If you are going to talk to healthcare professionals, I would recommend an ear thermometer, or alternatively that you also tell how you took the tempen.
This is because your body temperature is different in different parts of the body. At health centers and clinics (at least the ones I've been to) they take the temperature in the ear.
What is the difference between different thermometers? According to my own research, it is like this:
The temperature under the arm shows 0.5 degrees lower temperature compared to in the mouth.
The temperature in the mouth shows 0.5 degrees lower temperature than in the ear.
Example: The last time I was at the health center, I had 39.4 ° C with their ear thermometer. 38.9 ° C with my own classic thermometer in my mouth (under my tongue). And under my arm I had only 38.4 ° C.
Answer yes, I am so nerdy that I had my own thermometer and tested immediately afterwards just to see the difference. Have done it several times and it always differs exactly 0.5 ° C.
That is: it differs a whole degree under the arm compared to in the ear (note according to my thermometer and my tests!). A degree is very high if healthcare professionals judge that you have a fever if you have over 38.5. If I measured under the arm and said "I have 38.4", they would have answered that it is not even a fever, but according to their own measurements, I had 39.4.
With as high a fever and chills as I had then, I would have been very sad if they said "no you do not have a fever" haha. I get so sensitive when I have a fever too, can start crying from everything.
Take the temperature to keep track of yourself:
If, on the other hand, the purpose is just that you want to check your fever temperature for your own sake, then the simple answer is: it does not matter how you take the temperature, as long as you measure the same every time. Then you can compare your normal temp (when you are healthy) with your fever temperature.
Because even though it differs in different parts of the body, the increase, ie the difference, between normal temperature and fever temperature is the same. However, it is important that you know what your normal temperature is at approximately, so take the temperature when you are healthy once so that you know.
Nowadays I usually take the temperature in my mouth. However, if I had no picture of it, I would offer this instead as I had had a fever and chills for several days. With swollen eyes but happy that I was on the road to recovery :)
How the fever temperature differs in the butt, I have no research of my own as I did not take the temperature like that, neither myself nor in hospital.
Best thermometer for children?
A thermometer that measures in the forehead is easy on toddlers. Quick and easy thing to have at home to keep track of "fever or non-fever".
However, it can (at least the one I have tested) be quite misleading. You can get quite different results, often in the higher direction. So you should not go to the emergency room even if it shows 42 degrees, but then I would take a regular thermometer and double check the fever temperature with one that is more reliable before you seek emergency care for your child. Answer yes, it has happened haha.
Otherwise, an ear thermometer is preferable, they used it on the pediatric emergency room as well. It goes fast too, even if it is not quite as smooth as the forehead. But everything is difficult if the child refuses to sit still.
Recover faster after fever (tip 2)
Some people do not advocate antipyretics because the body has a fever and chills for a reason. That it heals better then. I know nothing about it, that's for sure! But it's hard to resist because it is so effectively.
In addition, antipyretic tablets help me to both drink, get something to eat and above all to sleep! I can not fall asleep when I have chills and high fever. I'm completely exhausted and my brain is spinning, but I'm not falling asleep.
So it's not just about "feeling better for the moment" but not getting too tired in the meantime. Then the recovery time will be much faster later when you start to get healthy, because the body does not lack both fluid, nutrition and sleep at the same time.
However, you should not eat for much rather. If you have a lot of food in your stomach, your body is busy digesting the food. Now you need to focus on getting nutrients through foods that are easy to eat. Without antipyretic tablets, I do not get anything in me, not a drop, but when the tablets have their cock, I take care. Miska usually cooks different vegetable soups, spinach soup or makes salads for me then.
That I have such a nice boyfriend who makes his own juice with i.a. carrot, lemon, mint and probiotics to me when I'm sick ♥ He's really the best person. Lots of nutrition and easily digested, so I try to think!
Antipyretic tablets, mix Alvedon and Ipren (Tip 3)
There are many different antipyretic tablets to choose from. Certainly different schools about what is best as well. These tips are based entirely on my personal preferences:
Paracetamol and Ibuprofen can be mixed. In other words, you get to mix e.g. Alvedon and Ipren. Mixing these is the most effective I think, an Alvedon and an Ipren give more effect than two Alvedon.
Note this is just my experience. But I googled now and actually found an article from Janusinfo Stockholm Region with "commercially independent drug information aimed at doctors and healthcare professionals". There they present a comparison of over-the-counter drugs, the result was that a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen provides the best pain relief. So I'm not completely out cycling;) I review not only beauty products but tablets as well, haha.
Two Alvedon and one Ipren are the best. If I take it at the same time, I feel almost fresh after 1.5 hours. The "dangerous" thing about this is that you can do things that the body does not really have the strength to do, so it is important to take it easy and rest anyway. If without antipyretics you can not even stand straight, then you should not do anything physically just because you have eaten antipyretics.
I also say this based on my own experience. In the beginning, when I had these periods of fever, I completely ignored it. I nibbled on tablets and then drove wheelbarrows with firewood until my lungs burned. Ugh it's not healthy. Maybe that's why my throat infections in the end could not heal themselves :(
When you have to be strong, despite a fever
I have to work at the same time as I am sick, because I am sick so often so it is not like an alternative to be free every time. I've learned to live with it! Then two Alvedon and one Ipren are the rescue! Note: I then work from home and sit in front of the computer all the time. So physically, it's no more strenuous than watching a movie.
There are also those who have children who are ill at the same time and just have to be strong. To you I just say: two Alvedon and one Ipren at the same time, you will not regret it.
What time should I take antipyretics?
Think of the times! You can take more Alvedon and Ipren after 4-6 hours. But you must not take more than two alvedon in 6 hours and no more than 3 Ipren per day. I usually think "2 Alvedon every 6 hours, 1 Ipren every 8 hours"
If I have something important planned (eg a video meeting) then I time so that I take two Alvedon and an Ipren at the same time about 1.5 - 2 hours before the meeting.
But otherwise I usually spread it out so that I am never completely tablet-free. For example like this:
Kl. 7.00 Ipren
Kl. 11.00 Alvedon
Kl. 15.00 Ipren
Kl. 17.00 Alvedon
Kl. 23.00 Ipren
Kl. 04.00 Alvedon
However, this is when I have a real fever. If I have a mild fever instead, I take tablets if necessary. For example. an Alvedon 3-4 times in one day only, nothing more. You should not eat unnecessarily.
I must also emphasize that when I talk about Alvedon in numbers, I am talking about the small size 500 mg. If you have 1000 mg tablets, you can only take one tablet every 6 hours.
Maxdos Alvedon: Maximum 8 tablets per day (recommended 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours)
Maxdos Ipren: Maximum 3 tablets per day (every 8 hours if you want to spread it out over a day).
3 tips to sleep better when you have a fever (tips 4, 5 & 6)
What are the problems when going to sleep? 1. frossa. 2. you do not fall asleep 3. night sweats.
1. Tablet planning
Plan your antipyretic tablets so you take it about an hour before you go to sleep. If it is really "time" to take a tablet earlier, I usually prefer to stand and wait a little longer, so that I refill just in time for the night.
Why? It is good for several reasons. On the one hand, you get chills when the fever increases, but as soon as the tablets start to work, you get hot instead. Falling asleep with chills is next to impossible, you become so cold even though you are very hot. For me who hates freezing, chills are extremely difficult.
It also helps you fall asleep. I do not know if everyone has that problem, but I can not fall asleep when I have a high fever. If I fall asleep, I sleep very badly. Almost like I'm just half asleep. But after reducing fever, I fall asleep like a log.
2. Sleep in terry cloth
Sleep in a terry bathrobe! This is the best ever. If you do not own one and your fever is a one-time occurrence, then you can put a large towel on the sheet and have a large towel between you and the blanket. But nothing beats a terrycloth bathrobe, that you are completely wrapped in terrycloth, even your arms.
When I have chills I do not sweat at all, but when the fever temperature and fever go down thanks to tablets, the body feels "oh how hot I am" and then wakes up at night and is completely wet from sweat. I mean not just a little damp, but like someone showered me in my sleep. To wake up later when the "heat wave" is over, with then cold and super wet (!) Bedding. So that's HORRIBLE. Yuk. Prepare with terrycloth! If you do not sweat, it is not worse than that, but if you sweat like me then it is worth its weight in gold to be able to sleep through the night.
3. Water and antipyretic tablets next to the bed
Prepare tablets and a glass of water next to the bed. Partly in case you get thirsty. But mainly because if you have a high fever, the antipyretic tablets for a whole night are not enough. I then wake up around 4 o'clock with chills again. Do you know what's awful when you have chills and throbbing headaches at the same time? To take off the blanket and stand up to go to the kitchen!
Top up with antipyretics so that you feel a little better and do not have any chills, just in time until you wake up in the morning. It's about timing :)
Here I am after a night with a terry bathrobe and a 39 degree fever. I felt shit but thanks to my permanent makeup tattoos, I still look pretty alert (?) Haha.
Fever (tip 7)
Fever fever means that you freeze a lot even though you are very hot. You have chills while the fever rises, I feel that it passes when the fever has reached its peak. I remember my mother saying when you were little "you freeze when the fever goes up, and sweat when the fever goes down".
Since I have had contact with the care regarding this, they want to know how high a fever I get every time. Then of course I let all the antipyretic tablets go out of the system first before I take the temperature. How do I know when the fever has reached its peak and will not rise again? Well, because the chills are starting to subside.
So, to get rid of the chills, you can either take antipyretic tablets, or wait until the fever stops rising.
Meanwhile, the heating mattress is my best! Had I had a bathtub, I probably would have actually gone to bed there. When you freeze so much that you just shake as well.
And warm your hands in the sink! When I have a fever, I am still very hot around the body, even though I am freezing. However, my hands and feet get really cold. Ice cubes!
It's like the body shuts off the blood circulation in the limbs to prioritize the other organs (?) Haha, it may not work that way but it feels that way. Then I usually fill the sink with hot water and warm my hands.
Before they get the heat up completely, they always look like this:
Half red and half blue haha. Poor little fingers :)
You can also have chills without fever, then my tips on heating mattress and hand bath also work of course.
This post is probably good even if you take care of a feverish child. So that you have more understanding. For example. I was once with and took care of a child with a fever, she had previously had chills but now wanted to take off the sweater and the mother said "no you have to wear it, it is cold and you are sick". So I asked, "When did you give Alvedon?" which was 1.5 hours earlier. Then I could explain that she probably feels super hot now that Alvedonen has hurt a lot. I who know how it feels when the sweats after the Alvedon come, haha. So she had to take off her sweater and was satisfied immediately :)
As I said, this post is my own tips on fever. You can read more about fever and advice on 1177.
Hope my fever tips can help someone more! Maybe someone who slipped in here via a Google search or so :) Feel free to look around the rest of the blog also in such cases, I do not blog so much about health really but mainly about makeup, entrepreneurship and a little private too ♥
Hugs are!
Also read: Vitamin C - Supplements, Serum & Food
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