How Long Does Fever Last In Viral Infections

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How Long Does Fever Last In Viral Infections ?

Any fever that occurs due to a viral infection is known as viral fever. It has been seen that fever in viral infections generally lasts for around three to seven days. The former is known as three-day fever, while the latter is called seven-day fever.

Generally, when a person gets a viral infection, along with the fever, he or she will also have body ache, runny nose, chills, cough, irritability, depression and general malaise. It is best to consult a doctor when you get fever due to a viral infection. The doctor will inform you what medications you can take. Usually, where viral fever is concerned, medications are not given and the fever is allowed to run its course. The doctor may prescribe medication if the infection is severe. Often, medication is given to alleviate the symptoms like headaches, body ache, fever, cough or runny nose.

A viral fever tends to weaken the immune system and hence, there is always the danger of being susceptible to other infections. Many people with viral fever end up getting chest congestion, which is actually caused due to bacterial infection, and this congestion could turn into pneumonia. It has been seen that young kids and seniors are more prone to pneumonia due to viral fever. If this occurs, then the person would be put on antibiotics to combat the bacterial infection and not the viral infection.

A person should refrain from using corticosteroids when fever develops due to viral infection. This is because the corticosteroids could be dangerous and at times even fatal for the person. As it is the immune system is weakened and the corticosteroids further weaken the system posing a greater chance of bacterial infections that may not get cured with antibiotics.

When a person has fever due to viral infections, he or she should ensure that they drink a lot of fluids, especially water, to prevent dehydration. If the person's taste is off, then add little lemon juice, salt and sugar to the water and allow the person to drink it. Also, give the person fresh fruit juices to drink. It has been seen that chicken broth and other soups help to provide nutrition and water when consumed. Hence, give the person chicken broth or any other kind of soup to drink. However, it is best to check with a doctor the food restrictions, if any.

Also, ensure that the person is kept in a separate room in the house, so that the virus does not spread to other family members. The person's clothes, handkerchiefs and bed linen should be washed separately to prevent the virus from spreading. If the person uses tissues to blow nose or wipe the eyes, these tissues should be disposed in a hygienic manner to prevent the spread of the virus.

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How Long Does Fever Last In Viral Infections