Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, And Treatment Of Viral Fever

When buying health insurance for themselves or their family members, most people consider the possibility of having to deal with a serious ailment. Many of them are not quite thinking about the more commonly occurring diseases like the common cold or viral fever. However, taking care of your health is more than simply worrying about the bigger things that could go wrong. It is also important to take care of yourself and your loved ones to ensure that they are protected from all sorts of health problems, big or small. This is especially because smaller symptoms could soon turn into bigger health concerns if not dealt with in time. Change in season may also add to the risk of developing health concerns. It was noted that in the past month, as seasons changed, hospitals saw a significant rise in the number of OPD patients with viral respiratory infections and colds. Fever is a condition marked primarily by a rise in body temperature. Usually, it is a sign that the body is fighting an infection. It is considered a viral fever when the body is fighting a viral infection and the fever is a result of the same. Let’s learn more about viral fever — symptoms, causes, prevention, and treatment.

Symptoms of viral fever

Most people commonly associate fever with a rise in body temperature. This happens to be one of the most common viral fever symptoms. A temperature of 37°C (98.6°F) is considered to be normal human body temperature. A body temperature higher than this is considered to be a fever. Here are some of the common symptoms associated with viral fever.

• Rise in body temperature (oral temperature – 37.8°C or higher, armpit temperature – 37.2°C or higher)
• Chills (feeling cold, shivering)
• Headache
• Muscle ache
• Joint pain
• Dehydration
• Sweating
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness

Causes of viral fever

The simplest way to understand viral fever is that it is caused due to a viral infection. Viruses, which can cause infection, tend to enter the body and start growing and multiplying in there. In an attempt to fight against foreign bodies, the body develops a fever. Here are a few common causes of how you may develop a viral infection.

• You have inhaled the virus by being exposed to it. You may have come in contact with an infected person, who may or may not be showing any symptoms. Such viruses can be airborne, which means that if an infected person coughs or sneezes near you, you may end up contracting an infection.
• Some types of viruses can enter your body through food and drink as well. Thus, it is important to always keep your kitchen and eating space clean and maintain hygiene.
• Insect bites can also lead to infection. For example, a mosquito bite can lead to dengue if the mosquito was carrying the virus.
• The exchange of bodily fluids is also one of the causes of developing a viral infection.

Viral fever prevention tips

When thinking of keeping your health safe, most people like to stay financially prepared as well. They want to keep themselves and their loved ones protected, and hence, they may choose family health insurance. While this cover is important to protect yourself and your loved ones against the possibility of hospitalisation and medical care, it is also necessary to practice precaution against the possibility of falling sick. Let’s take a look at some prevention tips for viral fever.

• Always keep your hands clean. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching unclean surfaces. Ensure that you clean your hands before you touch your face or eat with them.
• Avoid directly touching your mouth or your nose, especially in the company of others.
• As far as possible, keep your utensils separate and clean.
• Keep your surroundings clean. Ensure that you don’t create breeding grounds for mosquitos and other insects.
• If possible, avoid coming in direct contact with a patient who is dealing with a viral infection.
• Get vaccinated. Vaccinations are available against several viral infections. Consult your doctor for more information regarding the same.

Treatment for viral fever

Viral fevers, usually, tend to subside on their own. Commonly, there is no targeted viral fever treatment that one may resort to. It is important to note that viral fevers are not treated with antibiotics. If the case is mild, your viral fever can be treated at home. Here are a few tips that may help.

• Stay hydrated. Dehydration is a common symptom of viral fevers. Drink plenty of fluids and supplement these with oral rehydration salts, if necessary.
• Take a bath with lukewarm water. This may help in regulating your body temperature.
• Drugs such as ibuprofen can help reduce fever symptoms.

However, if the condition is not mild, or not being managed by home care, you may want to visit a general physician. It is ideal to take body temperatures at home so you may know when to consult a doctor. Thus, the various benefits of health insurance may not always be necessary to invoke when dealing with a viral fever. Only in extreme cases of viral infections, you may need to rely on your health insurance policy. Otherwise, it is best to practice precautions and try to live safely. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.