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How to bring down a high fever without medication?

Medical expert of the article

Internist, infectious disease specialist
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025

An increase in temperature is a sign that an inflammatory process is developing in the body. It is generally accepted that a temperature below 38-38.5°C should not be brought down - such indicators indicate that the body is actively fighting the infection. If the temperature continues to rise, then the body needs help. When there is no opportunity to go to the pharmacy for antipyretic drugs, or you do not want to take any kind of "chemistry", then a completely logical question arises: how to bring down a high temperature without drugs? This is really possible if you use some unconventional methods of treatment.

How to bring down a child's temperature without medication?

What can be done to bring down a child's temperature? First, the room where the child will be should have cool and humid air. The optimal humidity should be 60%, and the temperature should be about +20°C.

The child should not be wrapped up too much: regular cotton pajamas and one blanket are enough. Excessive wrapping can disrupt the natural thermoregulation processes in the child's body.

How to bring down a high temperature? You can listen to one of the following tips:

  • Wet small terry towels in room temperature water and apply them to the calf area of the lower extremities. Change the towels every 15 minutes. For infants with high temperatures, towels can also be applied to the wrists.
  • Cabbage leaves are very helpful for high temperatures. Pick up a few leaves of the right size, wash them and beat them a little with a hammer. Apply the leaves to the baby's stomach and back, secure them under clothing. It is advisable to change the leaves for fresh ones approximately every 10 minutes until the baby feels better.
  • At high temperature the child needs sufficient amount of liquid. Use teas with raspberry, chamomile, linden, honey (if there is no allergy). You can also use warm mineral water.
  • Hot chicken broth helps older children with high fever and sore throat - it should be drunk in small sips, without bread or other auxiliary products. This simple method also eliminates nasal congestion.

If fever with chills appears, as well as if the temperature in infants increases, it is necessary to see a doctor, and the sooner the better. High temperature is often a sign of not only a cold, but also more serious pathologies, such as pneumonia, intestinal infectious diseases, etc.

How to bring down an adult's temperature without medication?

Adults, in order to bring down a high temperature, should drink a lot of liquid - this could be tea, compote, jelly, or just warm mineral water.

Raspberries are considered an excellent remedy for reducing high temperatures - and both the berries and the leaves or even the stems of the plant are medicinal. According to experts, raspberries contain a natural substance similar in properties to acetylsalicylic acid. How to prepare raspberries to bring down a high temperature?

  • Grind raspberry leaves and stems, pour boiling water over them. After 15 minutes, strain and drink instead of tea whenever you want.
  • Pour 250 ml of boiling water over one tablespoon of dried raspberries, boil for 5 minutes, and leave for another 5 minutes. Drink instead of tea.

Willow bark has excellent antipyretic properties. It calms fever, relieves headaches and joint pain, and does not cause any harm to the body. How to bring down a high temperature with willow bark?

  • Pour 250 ml of boiling water over one tablespoon of fine bark and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Filter the decoction and drink 100 ml 3-4 times a day.
  • Infuse 25 g of dry bark in 0.5 l of red wine for three weeks. Then filter the infusion and take 50 ml in the morning and at night.

When you have chills, it is good to take a warm bath with a small amount of vinegar, sea salt, or essential oils (mint, pine, citrus). The duration of the bath is no more than 15-20 minutes.

How to bring down a fever without medication in pregnant women?

Before trying to bring down the temperature during pregnancy, you need to first find out the reason for its increase. It’s one thing if it’s just a cold. Much more serious causes can be intestinal infections, kidney and bladder diseases, viral pathologies. During pregnancy, it’s still better to immediately consult a doctor.

In the first half of pregnancy, with a slight increase in temperature, drinking plenty of fluids can help. This should not be done in the later stages, so as not to provoke the development of edema.

You can drink tea with linden blossom, raspberry. At the first signs of a cold, a cup of warm milk with honey and a piece of butter helps well.

A good antipyretic effect can be achieved by using regular cool compresses on the forehead and calf muscles. Ice should not be applied - hypothermia is contraindicated for pregnant women.

Also, taking hot baths and foot baths is prohibited during pregnancy - such procedures can negatively affect uterine tone.

If the condition does not improve, or, on the contrary, worsens, do not guess how to bring down a high temperature without medication - you must urgently contact a doctor: a high temperature can lead to the development of fetal hypoxia.


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