Should I apply hot or cold compress when I have a fever

Fever is a very common phenomenon in life. There are many reasons for fever. The method of reducing fever is generally to take medicine. It is very important to reduce the fever as soon as possible. In addition to drug treatment, cold compress and hot compress are the most typical physical measures, which can also achieve good cooling effects when the temperature is not high. So, should you apply hot or cold compress when you have a fever? Let’s take a look below.

Cold compress: If you cannot tolerate the high fever, you can use cold compress to help lower your body temperature. Place a wet cold towel on your forehead, wrists, and calves. Other parts of your body should be covered with clothing. When the cold compress reaches body temperature, it should be changed. Repeat until the fever subsides. You can also wrap ice cubes in a cloth bag and place it on your forehead.

Hot compress: If the body temperature is not too high, hot compress can be used to reduce fever. Use a hot, wet towel to repeatedly wipe the patient's forehead and limbs to dissipate heat from the body until the fever subsides. However, if the body temperature rises above 39°C, do not use hot compresses to reduce the fever. Instead, use cold compresses to prevent the body temperature from continuing to rise.

What other physical treatments are there for fever?

When you have a high fever, your body sweats to dissipate the heat; but when you have a high fever, your body loses too much water and closes its sweat glands to prevent further water loss, which prevents your body from dissipating the heat. The solution is to replenish fluids, drink plenty of boiled water and fruit and vegetable juice, which are rich in vitamins and minerals, especially beet juice and carrot juice.

If you want to drink tomato juice, you should choose low-sodium products. Solid food should be avoided during the fever until the condition improves. If the vomiting is not serious, you can also eat ice cubes to reduce fever. Pour juice into the ice box and freeze it into ice cubes. You can also put grapes or strawberries in the ice tray. This is especially popular among children with high fever.