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| Fever - Types of Fevers With Their Causes, Symptoms and Treatment |
Fevers - what and why?
FEVER MAY be defined as an increase in body temperature to above normal. The term has a very wide application, as fever is one of the most common accompaniments of diseases in general,and infections in particular. In many cases fever must be regarded as secondary to and symptomatic of a diseased state with which it is associated.The average temperature of the healthy body ranges between 36.9° and 37.5°C or 98.4° and 99.5°F and is liable to slight variations from such causes as the ingestion of food, the amount of exercise undertaken, and the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. The body experiences its lowest temperature between 1.30 a.m. and 7 a.m. and the highest between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
If the fever rises to 41.1°C or 106°F, the term hyperpyrexia is applied. Hyperpyrexia is a signal of danger for the patient. If the fever exceeds 41.7°C or 42.2°C for any length of time, death almost always ensues. Occasionally, the temperature may rise as high as 43.3°C to 44.5°C prior to death. The onset of the fever may be associated with a rigor or shivering, pain in the back, headache,thirst, and great lassitude. These symptoms, however, vary according to the type of fever. For example, a cardinal symptom of typhoid or enteric fever is a slow pulse in spite of a high temperature, whereas, in an infection of the urinary tract, the pulse is extremely rapid as compared to the temperature of the body.
Even though fever is generally translated as jwara, the connotation of the term jwara in Ayurveda is slightly different. It includes not only the rise in body temperature, but also the troubles that afflict the mind, the five special sense,organs, and the body. Dehendriya Manastapi is, therefore, the appropriate description of fever in Ayurveda.
Varieties of Fever
Charaka has categorized fever into several varieties depending upon the vitiation of the three dosJutS,namely, vata, pitta, and kapha; the change of climate or seasons; the vitiation of the vital fluid blood; and other supplementary reasons. Modem medicine associates fevers with the following diseases: typhoid, meningitis, dengue fever, diphtheria, sandfly fever, yellowfever,mumps,rheumaticfever,heatexhaustionand heat stroke, measles, bulbous eruptions, erysipelas, hectic fever, malaria, black-water fever, kala-azar, filaria.l Fevers associated with different diseases are discussed under their related systems. For example: Influenza, pneumonia, and tuberculosis are discussed under Diseases of the Respiratory Organs, and so on.Fevers are also classified according to their severity and duration. Ayurvedic teachers have specified the role of the Pancha karmas or five cleansing procedures (as described in Chapter 5) for the various fevers and the stages at which they come to the notice of the prysician. In some fevers, the patient may have to fast or be kept on liquids, whereas in others, soft foods may be permitted. In yet others, where there is no involvement of the digestive system, this type of dietary restriction is not needed.
1. It would be relevant here to point out that the once dreaded disease.
Fevers Types
Typoid FeverMeningitis
Chicken Pox
Measles
Malaria
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