A fever is our body’s natural way of getting us to slow down while our immune system gets to work on fighting an infection. We may feel body aches and general weakness in association with a fever.
Learn more about running a temperature and some natural ways to break a fever.
What is a Fever?
When we have a bacterial or viral infection, our immune system kicks in to fight the foreign invaders. A rise in our body’s temperature from the normal 98.6 degrees F naturally helps us to produce more white blood cells to fight infections.
Fevers can also be caused by becoming overheated in high temperatures or during exercise.
Symptoms of a fever include:
When and How to Break a Fever
It’s important to understand, when explaining a fever, that a rise in our body temperature helps to kill off viral and bacterial infections. Mild fevers can be beneficial to boosting our immune system's functions.
In fact, studies have shown that people who took medications to reduce a mild fever associated with the flu were actually ill for a longer time (1).
Experts categorize fever intensity as low, high, or dangerous (2).
- A low-grade fever for most adults is 100 - 101 degrees F.
- A high-grade fever for most adults is 103 – 104 degrees F.
- You should seek medical care for an infant age 0 – 6 months if their fever is 102 degrees F or higher and for an adult if their fever reaches 104 degrees F or higher.
In this article, we’ll explain some of the best-known natural ways to break a fever in line with supporting your immune system.
1. Get Plenty of Rest
While you are sleeping, your body moves into action to fight foreign invaders. Your immune system produces cytokines, which are small proteins that help the body respond to an infection and restore your wellness.
2. Stay Hydrated
Drink herbal teas for hydration, to encourage sweating, and for therapeutic benefits. Echinacea tea can support immune functions, thyme tea can help open up the nasal passages, and cinnamon tea can help fight oral bacteria while warming the body.
3. Take a Hot Bath or Shower
Steam from a hot bath or shower can aid in alleviating nasal and sinus congestion. The heat expands blood vessels in your nose and face to help you eliminate mucus build-up and improve breathing.
Plus, elevating body temperature can increase the production and functionality of your immunity cells (3).
4. Try Wet Sock Therapy While You Sleep
This involves wearing two pairs of socks to bed. First, put on a damp pair of cotton socks. Then, put a pair of wool socks over the damp socks to warm your feet. Get into bed and cover your feet.
While you sleep, the coolness of the wet socks will contract the blood vessels in your feet, sending nutrients and flow to your tissues and organs. Then, the wool socks will help your feet to become warm and sweat, dilating the blood vessels and releasing toxins.
5. Get Your Vitamin C
Eat fruit high in Vitamin C to support the immune system. These include citrus fruit, berries, guava, papaya, kiwi, pineapple, cantaloupe, and mango.
Take a vitamin C supplement while you are fighting an infection to help give your immune system a boost. AnnaKare's Liquid Vitamin C is easily absorbable and quickly available to the body.
Liquid Vitamin C |
6. Use Homeopathic Remedies for a Fever
While it is common to take over the counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen for a fever, homeopathics offer solutions more in line with our body’s natural immune defense mechanisms. Here are some examples.
- Natural remedies don't suppress symptoms but help your body increase immune cell production.
- Anti-inflammatory nutrients and herbs help reduce tissue inflammation associated with illness.
- Homeopathic cell salts support the body with necessary minerals for cellular functions needed for good health.
Homeopathic Cold Armor
Cold Armor contains herbal and mineral ingredients that support your body during a low-grade fever and help you get well quicker by easing symptoms of the common cold, like nasal discharge, coughing, and fatigue.
Gentle and effective for children and adults alike, it does not cause drowsiness, nausea, and a variety of other side effects more typical with over-the-counter drugs.
Cold Armor![]() |
How to Use: For adults and children ages 6 years and older, take 2 sprays 3 times a day. For children ages 3 to 6, take 1 spray 3 times a day. At the onset, you can increase the frequency to 6 times a day. When improvement sets in, reduce the frequency. For children, always work with your health practitioner.
Homeopathic Virus Defense
Virus Defense is a combination of homeopathic ingredients that have been used for decades to fight an array of viral infections causing body aches, chills, expectorations, nausea, fever, rashes, and fatigue. Use it for the flu and other wearying infections.
Viral infection can be serious. Contact your health care provider if your symptoms worsen and last for more than 2 days.
7. Cell Salts to Help with a Fever
Out of the 12 vital Schuessler mineral remedies, usually called cell or tissue salts, there are three in particular that are often recommended to help you deal with a fever.
- Ferr Phos is used to increase blood oxygen levels – vital to fight illness. Take as a precautionary measure in winter or early on during an illness.
- Kali Sulph promotes perspiration to break a fever and speed healing.
- Kali Phos is recommended for higher fever and also calms the mind and nervous system.
How to Use: Adults can spray 2-3 squirts of each cell salt under their tongue or into a small glass of water three times a day or every 15 minutes three times in a row if needed.
Children 12 years or younger should take 1 squirt. Allow the salts to set in your mouth for about 15 seconds before swallowing for rapid absorption.
Ferrum Phosphoricum |
Kali Sulphuricum |
Kali Phosphoricum |
8. Have an Elderberry Supplement at the Ready
The use of Elderberry for medicinal purposes dates back to 10,000 B.C. Elderberry has established a strong record for helping shorten the severity and duration of an illness and balancing the immune system.
It is high in antioxidants and vitamins and even helps reduce stress and exhaustion. Ten drops of our high-quality Elderberry Liquid Extract per day in water or juice during flu and allergy season and strenuous periods of your life are always recommended.
Elderberry Liquid Extract![]() |
In summary, there are several at-home ways you can use to break a fever naturally. Resting, hydrating, inhaling warm steam, taking supplements, cell salts, and homeopathic remedies can help your body deal with and reduce the duration of a fever and put you on a road toward recovery.
Visit Homeopathy Store's cold and flu remedies collection for the highest-quality natural medicines, herbal supplements, and liquid vitamins made here in the U.S.
References:
- University of Maryland Baltimore. (2000). Maryland Researchers Find Anti-Fever Drugs May Prolong Flu. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 December 2000.
- Felson, S. (2021). What is a Normal Body Temperature?
- Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. (2011). Elevated body temperature helps certain types of immune cells to work better, evidence suggests.
Please Note: Content and product descriptions are grounded in natural wellness and traditional homeopathic practice. They have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.