Fever

Children Not Affected by Febrile Convulsions

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that children who had febrile convulsions performed as well as other children in terms of their academic progress, intellect, and behavior at 10 years of age.

Verity CM, Greenwood R, Golding J.  Long-term intellectual and behavioral outcomes of children with febrile convulsions   N Engl J Med 1998 (Jun 11);   338 (24):   1723-1728

 

Facts on Fever

Evaluating the Child with Fever
Peter N. Fysh, DC

Fever is a symptom and not a disease. It is the body's normal response to infections, a response which stimulates the immune system by releasing and activating white blood cells and interferon. A fever in the range 100 to 104oF is not harmful and is most commonly simply due to the body responding to a viral pathogen. Less frequently, fever may be due to bacterial causes.

FROM:   Dynamic Chiropractic May 7, 1993

 

The True Nature of Disease
Peter Fysh, DC

It is only by understanding the true nature of disease that we can learn to defeat it. Disease is really nothing more than the inability of the body to effectively dispose of foreign materials and accumulated waste products. The body's defense mechanisms are designed to perform effective clearing functions, but sometimes simply become overwhelmed and are unable to perform these normal processes. It is at this point that disease occurs.

From:   Dynamic Chiropractic September 1, 1995

 

Fever in Children: A Blessing in Disguise
By Linda B. White and Sunny Mavor

Fever is not a disease but rather a symptom of an illness. We have devoted this section to fevers for three reasons. First, childhood fevers frighten grownups. Second, fever is maligned and misunderstood. Finally, controversy surrounding the management of fever causes anxiety for parents, because they are not completely sure what to do when their child has one.

Read entire article: Mothering Magazine: Issue 95, July/August 1999

 

Flu

 

Anti-Fever Drugs May Prolong Flu

The use of anti-fever drugs such as aspirin and acetaminophen may prolong influenza A and possibly other viral infections, according to researchers at the University of Maryland schools of medicine and pharmacy. In a series of vaccine studies conducted between 1978 and 1987 at the University's Center for Vaccine Development:

54 volunteers were injected with Influenza A
45 with S. sonnei
21 with R. rickettsii
During these studies, some of the subjects were given aspirin or acetaminophen (paracetamol) for relief of symptoms such as fever.

The current study compared the duration of illness in those who received the medication with those who did not and found that flu sufferers who took one of the anti-fever medications were sick an average of 3.5 days longer than people who did not take either of the drugs. On average, flu symptoms lasted 5.3 days in participants who did not take aspirin or acetaminophen, compared with 8.8 days in people who took the anti-fever drugs.

"The analysis suggests that anti-fever therapy prolonged illness in subjects infected with Influenza A, but not shigellosis or Rocky Mountain spotted fever," says Philip A. Mackowiak, MD, one of the study's principal investigators and chief of the Medical Care Clinical Center, V.A. Maryland Health Care System and professor at the School of Medicine.

"Our research suggests that fever may have different roles in the resolution of bacterial and viral infections," says Karen I. Plaisance, PharmD, associate professor at the School of Pharmacy, the study's other lead investigator. Dr.Plaisance noted that similar findings have been reported in studies of chickenpox. She also noted that the findings are based on studies conducted in the past, but that they hope to conduct studies in the future in which people with flu symptoms are randomly assigned to receive anti-fever medication or an inactive placebo."The good news is that anti-fever drugs make people feel better when they have infections. The bad news is that they may cause the illness to linger longer," says Dr. Mackowiak, adding that people "should be aware that anti-fever drugs have a modest cost associated with relief and that cost is that they may be sick longer."

Pharmacotherapy, December 2000; 20: 1417-1422

Looking at Alternatives

In all of my reading on the flu this season there appeared to be one logical conclusion: keep yourself healthy and avoid it in the first place.

Basic Guidelines for Prevention

Adequate rest and relaxation, decreasing stress overload, eating good whole foods (no sugar, white flours and dairy), increasing water intake,adding body movement, getting regular spinal adjustments.

Home Remedies

For treatment, there are the old stand bys: more fluids, salty broths (miso soup is great), more rest. There are generic homeopathic remedies, constitutional remedies and the use of nosodes (influenzinum 30C) are common homeopathic recommendations.

Herbal Remedies

Here are four simple herbs recommended by Ronald J. Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O that will help strengthen your immune system and protect you against colds and the flu. Each of the following herbs are medically documented and have stood the test of time.
Echinacea is one of the most popular herbs in the world. It has the unique ability to stimulate the immune system. Echinacea is also reported to fight against bacteria, fungi, and viruses associated colds and the flu.
Goldenseal was initially used by Native Americans and gained popularity from the 1850s to the 1940s. Most of the current use of goldenseal is for colds and influenza.
Elder has been used traditionally in the prevention and treatment of colds, influenza, chronic nasal inflammation, and sinusitis. The herb elder has been reported to stop several strains of flu virus from duplicating. In one study using a liquid extract of elder berry, 90 percent of the individuals with symptoms of influenza B were asymptomatic in 2-3 days, while individuals on placebo did not recover for at least 6 days.
Astragalus has been valued by the Chinese for centuries for its immune-enhancing properties. Studies have reported that astragalus promotes healthy growth of cells damaged in the lungs after a viral infection. This potential benefit could help with the lingering phase of bronchial weakness as seen in some individuals with colds and influenza. Astragalus not only has been found to improve resistance to colds but may also decrease how long you stay sick.
Hydrogen Peroxide

In addition to the more well known products, I recently came across a ‘home remedy” on Mercola.com that I had not heard of before: hydrogen peroxide drops in the ear. It appears safe (so long as the peroxide is not swallowed or does not get into the eyes or is not used to frequently where it may dry out the ears)
Along with numerous testimonials from satisfied peroxide users, Mercola’s site had this to say, “From what we have read, hydrogen peroxide works quite well and is supposed to be effective 80% of the time, especially if done when the symptoms first appear. While it seems contrary to what we have been taught about colds and flu we know quite a few people who have tried it with great success.”
“In 1928 Richard Simmons, M.D. hypothesized that colds and flu virus enter through the ear canal. His findings were dismissed by the medical community. According to Dr. Simmons, contrary to what you may think or have been taught about how you catch the flu or the cold there is only one way that you can catch the two, and that's via the ear canal not through the eyes or nose or mouth as most have believed.”
“In 1938 German researchers had great success using hydrogen peroxide in dealing with colds and the flu. Their data has been ignored for over 60 years.
“It is important to begin treatment as soon as symptoms appear. If treatment is started promptly effectiveness seems to be in the 80% range.
“We have found remarkable results in curing the flu & cold within 12 to 14 hours when administering a few drops of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) into each infected ear, (sometimes only one ear is infected) The H2O2 starts working within 2 to 3 minutes in killing the flu or cold; there will be some bubbling and in some cases mild stinging occurs.
“Wait until the bubbling & stinging subside (usually 5 to 10 min) then drain onto tissue and repeat other ear. A bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide in 3% solution is available at any drug store for a couple of dollars.
Although this method is perfectly safe for infant/children to use, the loud bubbling and stinging frightens them, they'll need someone they trust to put the hp in their ears. (don't get h2o2 in the eyes- if you do, flush with water).

Both Ronald J. Grisanti D.C and Joseph Mercola, DO contributed to the information above. The each have weekly e-mail newsletters with natural health suggestions. References and links to their sites are on the icpa site under newsletters.

Homeopathic Considerations
Barbara Dively

Families preparing for the predicted flu epidemic can find over-the-counter homeopathic remedies in area health food stores and pharmacies, including oscillococcinum by Boiron, the largest selling homeopathic flu remedy and preventive.

While the 1918 flu epidemic killed 40 million people around the world, those under homeopathic care had a 0-2% death rate. See Gina Kolata's "The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It", 1999, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and "The Homeopathic Treatment of Influenza", by Sandra Perko, 1999, Benchmark Homeopathic Publications.

When western states asked eastern states for advice in preparing for 1918 flu epidemic advancing in their direction, they were told to "set all the cabinetmakers and woodworkers to making coffins, digging the graves and having the coffins ready so that the corpses would not accumulate faster than they could be buried." (Perko, page 63.) In contrast, "Dr. T. A. McCann, from Dayton, Ohio, at the 77th Annual Convention of the American Institute of Homeopathy in Washington, D.C., in 1921 reported that 24,000 cases of flu were treated allopathically which had a mortality rate of 28.2%, while 26,000 cases of flu treated homeopathically had a mortality rate of only 1.05%." (Perko, page 104.)

Since medical doctors in Pennsylvania do not practice homeopathy, families turn to "Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine" by Cummings & Ullman and "Homeopathic Medicine at Home" by Panos & Heimlich. These books explain the use of homeopathic remedies for common conditions, including the flu. These remedies are available locally at $5 -$10 or, less expensively, in kits like those taken west in covered wagons.

While the success of homeopathy in epidemics never penetrated American medicine, homeopathy is used today by hundreds of millions of people around the world, according to the W.H.O.

Flu Panic and Profits
Randall Neustaedter, OMD

The media-generated fear of this year’s flu has sent a panicky public scrambling for flu shots. No one cares that the vaccine does not work, does not contain this year’s dreaded virus, and causes significant adverse reactions. People want their flu shot, and manufacturers have run out of supply.

That shortage has created a supply and demand environment for inflated prices and illegal price gouging. A vial of vaccine that cost $40 to $80 in October is now selling for up to $215 dollars. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the sales manager for CT International, which is selling vaccine vials for $215, justified these prices because the market is willing to pay. Missouri’s attorney general has promised not to allow illegal price gouging, quoting an anti-gouging law that prevents extraordinary profits from extreme, temporary conditions. Expect other states to follow suit. Just another example of outrageously high drug prices foisted on a public unaware of other, safer alternatives.

On average 38,000 people in the US die each year from influenza. Deaths occur primarily in the elderly. Every year newspapers predict a terrible flu season. Drug ads appear on television for useless concoctions with fancy names like Theraflu.

Learned scientific articles appear in the media characterizing the offending virus as a mass murderer probably able to surpass all those other foreign viruses (Spanish, Asian, and Hong Kong) in deadly combat with our immune systems. This year it is a mutant strain of the Panama virus first identified by Chinese scientists in the Fujian province in 2002. The San Francisco Chronicle informed us this week that researchers have found flu viruses in humans from three bird flu strains, which portends another global influenza pandemic similar to the Spanish flu of 1918 or the Hong Kong flu of 1968. Such speculation sells newspapers, and flu vaccines.

Randall Neustaedter OMD is the author of The Vaccine Guide. His book can be ordered in the ICPA website.