"Wrap yourself in a blanket and sweat it out." It is one of those common pieces of advice people often hear when they have a fever. The idea is that sweating will somehow help the body get rid of the infection faster. However, according to Dr Neetu Jain, Senior Consultant in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at PSRI Hospital, New Delhi, deliberately trying to make yourself sweat is not how the body fights an infection.
When you have a fever, your body temperature is already elevated as part of the immune response. Adding more layers of clothing, covering yourself with heavy blankets or sitting in a very hot environment to induce sweating does not help kill the infection or make the fever come down faster.
Why forcing yourself to sweat during a fever isn't helpful
Dr Jain explains that excessive sweating can actually leave you feeling worse. Fever itself can contribute to fluid loss, and deliberately making yourself sweat can increase the risk of dehydration.
This can leave you feeling weak, dizzy, tired and generally more uncomfortable. In extreme situations, excessive heat exposure can even push the body's temperature higher.
So while sweating may happen during a fever, intentionally trying to trigger it is not a treatment for the underlying infection.
Sweating can happen when a fever comes down
There is a reason the idea of "sweating out" a fever may seem convincing. You may notice that you start sweating as your fever begins to come down.
According to Dr Jain, this is usually the body's natural way of releasing heat as it attempts to return to its normal temperature. It does not mean that the infection itself is being "sweated out".
In other words, sweating can be a sign that the fever is settling, but causing yourself to sweat will not make that process happen faster.
What should you do when you have a fever?
Rather than trying to raise your body temperature further, Dr Jain recommends keeping things simple. Get adequate rest, drink enough fluids and wear light, comfortable clothing. The room should also be kept at a comfortable temperature.
If the fever is making you uncomfortable, paracetamol can be used when appropriate and in the recommended dose.
The focus should be on supporting the body while also paying attention to what may be causing the fever, rather than trying to force a particular symptom such as sweating.
Fever is a symptom, not the disease itself
One of the most important things to remember is that a fever is a symptom rather than a disease in itself. What matters is identifying and treating its underlying cause.
A fever that is very high, continues for several days or keeps getting worse should not simply be managed with home remedies. Medical attention is also important if the fever is accompanied by breathing difficulty, confusion, severe weakness, persistent vomiting or a severe headache.
So the next time someone tells you to bundle up and "sweat it out", it may be better to skip the extra blankets. Let your body regulate its temperature naturally, stay hydrated and rest instead of deliberately trying to make yourself sweat.
Also read:
H1N1 cases rise in Delhi-NCR: Doctors explain symptoms, precautions and warning signs
