The effect of change in climate, especially during monsoon season, leads to numerous health issues resulting from infectious disease transmission. Change in the temperature, wind, rain, humidity increases infectious diseases. It also impacts our immune system making the body susceptible to infections.
With the onset of the monsoon, an acute rise in body temperature occurs and this trend continues to persist through the winter months.
It is also important for individuals to not panic at the slightest of fever as every fever will not necessarily be a symptom of Covid-19. While managing fever, it is important to take the right medicine in the right dose at the right time to ensure effectiveness and safety of the therapy, and management of the overall illness that leads to fever.
With so much stress and anxiety built up around fever, we have made up several myths about its medication and treatment. Sometimes we choose to believe these myths rather than finding out the truth.
Dr Ajay Kumar, a General Practitioner and one of the leading general physicians in Delhi, helps in busting a few myths around medication in fever.
Myth no. 1: Once you start feeling better, you don’t have to keep taking the medication.
Fact: You should always complete the full course of medication as advised by your doctor. Stopping short may lead to suboptimal treatment and even relapse in some cases.
Myth no. 2: It doesn’t matter how and when you swallow a pill as long as you take it.
Fact: Pills should always be taken with water/or as advised by the doctor. Timing is important so always take medication as per prescribed dosing interval. Check whether to take medication on a full or an empty stomach as per doctors’ advice/pack label.
Myth no. 3: If you are really hurting, you can ignore the label and take more pills for a stronger and faster effect.
Fact: You should always strictly follow the recommended dose. Taking more pills could lead to overdosing/serious side-effects.
Myth no. 4: Everyone can take the same dose for fever.
Certain therapies like paracetamol are recommended to be dosed according to body weight. “Paracetamol 650 mg is more efficacious antipyretic compared to the 500 mg, with no adverse effects. It can be safely taken for faster relief from fever. Paracetamol can be taken every four to six hours as necessary, with a maximum daily dose of 4000 mg in any 24-hour period and with a minimum 4-hour dosing interval,” says Dr Ajay Kumar.
Myth no. 5: To avoid side-effects, it’s okay to take a lower dose.
Self-medication is not a recommended practice. However, when some people do, they don’t realize the importance of the right dosage and therefore tend to underdose. Dosing appropriately as recommended will help in better symptomatic control within the safety profile of the drug. Under-dosing may result in concentrations too low to enable efficacy and show results.
It is therefore important to take the recommended dose for all medications, follow all instructions before taking them, and take care of overall health by drinking enough liquids to prevent dehydration and get adequate rest.
It is always advisable to consult your doctor to understand the underlying cause of your fever and the recommended treatment for the condition/disease.