Are You Fever Phobic?

Fever phobia is the term given by medical experts to parents' misconceptions about fever in their children.  As a result of these misconceptions, parents are anxious, give the child fever-reducing medicine when the temperature is technically normal or only slightly elevated, and interfere with the child's sleep to give the child more medicine[1,14-15].


This misconceptions also happen to adults ourselves.  At the first sign of a fever, we quickly reach for medications such as aspirin or Tylenol (NSAIDS).  The medicine represents hope and recovery.  Taking medication implies a cure.


Based on researches [1-5], we probably should not fear fever because we know scientifically that fever is a protective mechanism.[17]

Cancer and Fever

In clinical practice, doctors observe that many cancer patients simply don't develop fevers, and cancer patients often report that they were never ill.  Two of my friends told me exactly that and one of them is cancer victim and another cancer survivor. 

The Bad and Good of Fever

A fever is usually accompanied by sickness behavior, which consists of lethargy, depression, anorexia, sleepiness, hyperalgesia, and the inability to concentrate.  No wonder, at the first sign of a fever, we quickly reach out medications for relief.


We know scientifically that fever is a protective mechanism.  When body temperature reaches 101.3 oF (38.5oC), the immune system shifts into a state of alarm.  At this temperature, the level of immune chemicals in the bloodstream doubles, and immune defenses throughout the body increase.  Within 6 hours, almost every major defense within the immune system doubles its efforts[5].


This process appears to be dormant in many cancer patients, who typically report never having experienced a fever.

Body Temperature

Body temperature is regulated by the hypothalamus.  When we are well our core body temperature has a rhythmic pattern.  It is lower in the morning and increases in temperature toward the later afternoon—the difference can be as much as 1.8oF (1.0oC) or more.  These mild fevers normally decrease as the evening progresses.  As reported by [2], the temperature difference decreases as we age.

Findings from Cancer Patients

For cancer patients, it's been found that their body has difficulty regulating temperature. They often report that they may have had brief bouts of a sore throat, a cold, or a cough, but these illnesses were never accompanied by a fever.  In other words, they cannot mount a fever and hence they are unable to activate their immune system.  The abnormalities found among cancer patients include:

Many of cancer patients habitually use aspirin, Tylenol, or antibiotics[9]  at the first sign of a fever.  With frequent use of fever suppressants, the immune system may never mature adequately or become fully activated.[16]   Without an all-out effort by the immune system, the following consequences may result:

For example, a study published in the JAMA provides evidence that the use of antibiotics is associated with increased risk of breast cancer[7] and another study shows that prolonged antibiotic use has been tied to precancerous colon growths.[26]  To further the argument, Dr. Fuhrman also stated that [8]:

I remember the first pharmacology lecture I heard in medical school, when the professor emphasized, "Make no doubt about it: all drugs are toxic and can even hasten one's death. ... 


Couple our nutrient-poor diet—and the resultant immune system weaknesses, leading to frequent illness—with the use and overuse of medications, including antibiotics, vaccines, and immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune diseases, and we have a good reason for the explosion in cancer rates over the last seventy years.

Fever and Heat Therapy

Historically, heat have been recognized for their beneficial effects.  The following list shows how various cultures have used simple forms of heat as a way of both cleansing and healing.

Gorter Model

The Gorter Model[5] is designed to restore and enhance cancer patient's immune function, enabling the immune system to aggressively and effectively combat cancer cells throughout the body.  It is created by Dr. Gorter, who himself is a cancer survivor, and used to treat cancer patients at the Medical Center Cologne in Germany.


In its cancer treatment protocol, therapeutic fever is used in combination with immune therapies that include interleukin, interferon, and various other treatments.


To reactivate the immune system in these patients, the Gorter Model uses a process of controlled fever referred to in the scientific literature as fever-range, total-body hyperthermia—a form of treatment in which the entire body is heated to a moderate fever temperature of approximately 101.3oF (38.5oC).


Because fever is a stress to the body, it is usually not given to patients with severe cardiac decompensation or to patients with brain cancer because it potentially can evoke cardiac difficulties or an epileptic seizure.


For almost all other patients, fever-range, total-body hyperthermia has no negative side effects or risks.  Usually when patients complete the fever-range, total-body hyperthermia treatment, they feel cleansed and energized.

Don't Be Fever Phobic!

Research[3] has demonstrated that fever has several important functions in the healing process.  It can

As advised by Dr. Gorter[5], the fear of fever is misplaced.  Next time if you have a fever and are tempted to use a fever suppressant, think twice—consider the long-term consequences of compromising your immune defense.[16]


Be warned that: sometimes you could be seriously ill[20] and do need the aid of modern medicines.  These are the times that you should call a doctor:  

Watch for a sudden worsening of the overall condition, especially if worsening symptoms start to involve labored breathing, persistent fever above 103 degrees for three days, abdominal pain, changes in behavior or mental status, and persistent diarrhea or vomiting.

References