FAQ’s
What are the types of viral fever?
Types of viral fever can vary depending upon the viral infection and the body organ affected. Viral fever can broadly be classified into the following:
- Respiratory viral fever – associated with flu-like symptoms such as cough, cold, sore throat, fever, or body aches
- Gastrointestinal viral fever – associated with gastrointestinal disturbances such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, etc
- Exanthematous viral fever – associated with skin rash and skin eruptions
- Hemorrhagic viral fever – associated with damage to the circulatory system
- Neurologic viral fever – associated with damage to the nervous system
What is the test for viral fever?
Usually, the doctor will assess your symptoms and history before ordering any test for viral fever. Blood, saliva, or urine tests may be ordered to investigate any abnormalities. White blood cells are specifically investigated. You may also need to undergo a swab test and specific antigen or antibody test depending upon the symptoms of the viral infection. In addition, the doctor may ask you to get tested for dengue, malaria, typhoid, etc., to rule out the possibility of these infections. You can consult our medical team for a proper diagnosis and the tests required.
Which antibiotic is best for viral fever?
Usually, doctors do not prescribe antibiotics for viral fever as antibiotics are effective against bacteria but not viruses. Viral fevers are managed by symptomatic treatment or antiviral drugs for severe infections. However, your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic to avoid any secondary bacterial infection, and the same should be taken at the prescribed dose and frequency. Antibiotics should not be self-administered as they could cause acidity, liver damage, or other serious side effects. We recommend you consult our team of medical experts for the best treatment approaches with minimal side effects.
How many days of viral fever last?
Viral fever duration will depend upon the cycle length of the causative virus. Usually, the viral fever lasts for 3-5 days, with a few symptoms resolving in another couple of days. However, for some of the viruses, the cycle could be long, and it might take up to 2 weeks for the viral fever to subside. However, if the symptoms persist even after two weeks, you should consult a doctor. We recommend you consult our medical experts for the best advice on viral fever diagnosis and treatment.
What is the fastest way to recover from viral fever?
You should try the following to recover from the viral fever quickly:
- Take proper rest and do not exert yourself.
- Try to get as much sleep as possible.
- Maintain personal hygiene and don’t share your personal belongings with anyone.
- Stay hydrated – take plenty of oral liquids.
- Try to ease your breathing by using extra pillows, warm baths, or using local decongestants.
- Eat healthy and light food.
- Take medicines as prescribed.
- Get a flu vaccination.
- Add immunity booster to your diet.
- Use honey to soothe your throat.
Why does viral fever increase at night?
Viral fever usually increases at night, or the symptoms get worse. The cortisol levels in the blood decrease at night, which is readily sensed by the immune system and white blood cells start to fight the viruses in your body. As a result, more pyrogens are released into your body, elevating the body temperature, and the fever goes up. This could also be associated with typical fever symptoms such as chills and hot flashes. For more information on viral fever, reach out to our medical experts.
How do I know if my fever is viral or bacterial?
Although there are common symptoms between viral and bacterial fever; but your doctor will be able to differentiate between these fevers on the following observations:
- Fever and the symptoms could last more than 14 days in a bacterial infection, while viral fever usually subsides within two weeks.
- Fever gets worse after a few days into the bacterial infection rather than improving, as in the case of viral fever.
- Fever is usually higher in bacterial fever compared to viral fever.
A proper diagnosis and tests are required to rule out other possibilities and start appropriate treatment. You can reach out to our consultants for diagnosis and treatment after that.
Is viral fever common?
Viral fever is quite common, especially during the season change. Viral fever is contagious and spreads quickly from one person to another through close contact. Viral fever is even more prevalent in children and immunocompromised people as they have low immunity, and viruses can easily invade their bodies. Viral fever due to a common cold or flu spreads quickly in babies and kids as they play together and in close contact. You can reach out to our medical experts to understand the causes of viral fever and prevention tips.
Who is prone to viral fever?
The one with the following risk factors is prone to contact viral fever:
- Stay with an infected person.
- Not maintaining personal hygiene.
- Travel to an area with prevalent viral fever.
- Share workspace with a sick person.
- Have unprotected sex.
- Share needles or syringes for drugs.
- Stay close to infected animals or slaughterhouses.
- Your living space is infested by mosquitoes, rats or other rodents.
- People with a weak immunity (due to any prolonged illness or long-term use of oral corticosteroids), the elderly, and kids.
Difference between Viral Fever and Corona?
Viral fever vs corona: both can have common symptoms as Corona is also a viral infection (COVID-19). However, there are differences between viral Fever and Corona:
- COVID-19 is more severe than viral fever and can lead to hospitalisation or fatal outcomes.
- COVID-19 spreads more easily than viral fever, and the carriers could be contagious for a long time.
- Symptoms of COVID-19 could take more time to show up (within 2-14 days, usually after five days) as the virus cycle is longer as compared to viral fever (within 1-4 days).
Is viral fever contagious?
Viral fever is contagious as it can spread from one person to another through close contact. The most common transmission of the virus is through respiration, as the infected person can quickly spread the infection to people coming in close contact. The viruses are present in the microscopic respiratory droplets. Another mode could be through sharing personal belongings, clothes, towels, handkerchiefs, etc. Viral fever can also spread by touching contaminated surfaces and bodily fluids such as saliva or sem*n.
How to cure viral fever?
Generally, doctors follow a symptomatic approach to cure viral fever as the symptoms will subside once the virus cycle is completed. It includes alleviating the symptoms such as fever, pain, cold, sore throat, cough, etc., by common medications. In a few cases, antiviral treatment may be required. Along with this, proper rest and sleep are also crucial to help your body recover. In addition, eating healthy food, maintaining personal hygiene, and using warm baths will help you recover faster and relieve the symptoms. Further, we recommend you consult our medical doctors for the best treatment options.
Do platelets decrease in viral fever?
Viral fever is usually associated with low immunity and abnormal blood tests. Platelets are also decreased in viral fever as the viruses affect the mechanisms of platelet functioning. Viral fever acts to reduce the production of the platelets and increase the destruction of the platelets. This could lead to a dip in platelet count to 90000 to 1 lakh (normal range: 1.5-4.5 lakhs). In dengue fever and Chikungunya fever, platelets could further dip below 50000 and have a fatal outcome.
Why does viral fever come?
Viral fever is a common symptom when a variety of viruses attacks your body. Viral fever is the result of your body’s defensive mechanism. When viruses attack your body, your defence system gets activated and fights with the virus to kill the virus and reduce its load. During the process, pyrogens are released in your body, which increases your body temperature beyond the normal range, leading to a presentation of fever. You can consult our team of medical doctors to understand the causes of viral fever and prevention tips.
What to eat in viral fever?
Viral fever usually causes gastrointestinal disturbances such as diarrhoea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. A light and healthy diet should be eaten that is easy to digest and provides nutrition. You can include plenty of liquids or beverages in your diet to maintain electrolyte and energy levels. A diet rich in nutrients and immunity boosters will provide the best nutrition and protection against viral infections. Further, you can reach out to our specialist doctors for the best food choices to eat in viral fever.
What are the symptoms of viral fever in Kids?
Viral fever in kids could present with high-grade fever, cough, cold, chest congestion, abdominal pain, muscle pain, diarrhoea, or fatigue. The fever experienced by kids could also have a pattern of occurrences that repeat at regular intervals and could also be associated with chills. Viral fever usually doesn’t respond to medicines, and fever will go up until the virus cycle is completed. Skin rashes are pretty common in kids following a viral fever and could last for a few days even after the fever has resolved.
Does oxygen level drop in viral fever?
Viral fever could be associated with decreased oxygen levels (oxygen saturation, SpO2). As the body temperature rises, oxygen saturation drops, reducing oxygen supply to the lungs and breathing difficulties or lung damage. The oxygen saturation should not dip beyond 94% for a prolonged duration. Otherwise, it could lead to some significant damage to lung tissues, and an oxygen mask may be required to meet the oxygen demand to keep the lungs intact. You can monitor your oxygen saturation levels with a pulse oximeter. For more information on viral fevers and management, consult our medical experts.
