If you have a fever, should you use a hot towel or a cold towel?

Almost many people have experienced fever. For example, when you have a cold, people are more likely to have a fever. So when you have a fever, is it better to use a hot towel or a cold towel?

Let’s first talk about why it gets “burned”.

1) Fever is the result of the battle between "foreign enemies" and the "human immune system". Human body temperature is regulated by the central nervous system.

2) When you are sick, it may be a viral infection, bacterial infection, or mycoplasma infection. When an external enemy invades, the human immune system goes out to fight back.

3) The enemy and us are in a situation of fire and water. It is not like a war between countries. There is no room for negotiation. So when the two sides meet, it is a white-hot life-and-death battle, and people's body temperatures will rise accordingly.

4) Does the body temperature rise when the central nervous system issues an order? Of course not. The central nervous system issues an order only if there are subordinates to execute it. Parents, please note that the body temperature is in a "rising period" at this time.

5) When you have a fever, you will shiver and get goose bumps all over your body. In fact, your body temperature is rising.

6) High fever, chills, and even goose bumps are caused by the contraction of blood vessels in the skin, which reduces sweating and causes the reflex contraction of the erect pili muscles, which increases heat production. Soon, you will have a fever.

7) Did you know that in winter, if we feel cold, we will shiver or stamp our feet involuntarily? But after shivering and stamping your feet, you will immediately feel much warmer. This is because the heat they generate at this moment is more than 4 times higher than the body's normal output. In fact, the same principle applies to fever.

Use a hot towel when your body temperature rises

1) Why do some people find their body temperature is 38℃ when they take their temperature, but it becomes 39℃ after 10 or 20 minutes? The reason is because they are in the "body temperature rising period".

2) At this time, you must not use a cold towel to apply. The body surface needs heat, and if you use a cold towel to compete for heat, it will only make the central nervous system issue a more "strict" command, and the body temperature will definitely rise higher.

3) Therefore, when you are in the fever stage, you must use a warm towel to wipe the belly, armpits, and leg crevices where large blood vessels are distributed. In this way, the body temperature may still rise, but it will not rise too high at once and cause a high fever, or even a fainting or convulsion.

When the body temperature is stable, falling or in the late stage, you can use a cold towel

1) When the body temperature is at a stable level, for example, a fever is maintained at 39°C for a short period of time, this indicates that the release of central mediators in the fever has been completed or has come to a halt.

2) At this time, you can apply a cold towel or ice pack to your head, or wipe the armpits, neck, legs and other areas with large blood vessels. This can help reduce the temperature and fever, and also prevent the body temperature from rising again.

3) In addition, during the period of body temperature drop, that is, the period when the body slowly dissipates heat, you can use a cold towel. The characteristic of this period is that the heat dissipation process is dominant, causing the effect of the heat source in the body to gradually disappear or weaken, and heat production begins to decrease. The blood vessels on the surface of the skin begin to dilate, and a lot of sweat will occur at this time.

4) When we had a cold and a fever when we were young, our elders would say, "Just cover yourself with a blanket and sleep, and sweat a little, and you'll be fine." This is the same principle. When you sweat, it usually means that the fever is easing. At this time, using a cold towel can help dissipate the heat and make the fever go away faster.

Warm Tips

Here again, I would like to remind all parents not to overuse antipyretics at this time. In the clinic, we often see many people who, as soon as they see the fever has subsided, immediately use some antipyretics, hoping to reduce the fever all at once. It is understandable that they are anxious, but on the one hand, it is really unnecessary, and on the other hand, it is also more harmful to the body.