What medication should be taken for fever without runny nose or cough?
Sep 26, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Guo Xiheng
Introduction
Fever generally refers to an elevated body temperature. When fever occurs without runny nose or cough, it can be treated with oral antipyretic medications. If body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, it is important to promptly visit a hospital for a systematic evaluation to identify the underlying cause and manage symptoms. Under medical guidance, appropriate antipyretic drugs should be used for intervention. For bacterial infections, antibiotics such as azithromycin, cefradine, or levofloxacin may be prescribed for treatment.
Fever generally refers to an elevated body temperature. When fever occurs without runny nose or cough, it can be treated with oral antipyretic medications. If body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, it is important to seek timely medical evaluation to identify the underlying cause and manage symptoms under a doctor's guidance, including using appropriate antipyretic drugs for intervention.
1. Different pathogens require different treatments. For bacterial infections, antibiotics such as azithromycin, cefradine, and levofloxacin may be used. For viral infections, treatment is usually symptomatic; however, for specific viruses like influenza, antiviral therapy with oseltamivir may be prescribed.
2. For fever caused by the common cold, traditional Chinese patent medicines may be taken under medical supervision, including Shuanghuanglian oral liquid, Banlangen granules, Chaiqin Qingre granules, Chai-Gui antipyretic granules, Zhixue San, and Qingkailing granules, all of which have demonstrated certain therapeutic effects.
Patients with body temperature below 38.5°C may use physical cooling methods for treatment, as follows:
1. Wet Compress Method
Soak a towel in warm water—temperature should be comfortable to touch—and gently wipe the body. Warm wet compresses dilate skin blood vessels and promote heat loss through evaporation of moisture, effectively reducing body temperature. Alcohol sponge baths may also be used, leveraging alcohol’s volatility to dissipate heat. In clinical practice, 35%-50% ethanol solutions are suitable for wiping.
2. Increase Fluid Intake
Drinking plenty of water during fever not only replenishes lost fluids but also promotes sweating and urination, helping eliminate toxins and metabolic waste from the body, thus supporting faster recovery.
3. Use Cooling Patches
Cooling patches are commonly used physical cooling products that reduce body temperature through evaporation of water contained in the gel. They are applied externally on body surfaces such as the forehead, temples, armpits, groin, and over the left and right carotid arteries.
Note: Immediate medical attention is required if body temperature rises above 38.5°C to prevent worsening of the condition. During fever, diet should be light, with increased intake of vegetables and fruits to supplement vitamins, which helps lower body temperature.
