Fever Pitch: How does the flu affect you?

“Whenever you do get the flu, there are multiple strains that can affect you several times in one season, and typically you’ll have the symptoms of the cough, runny nose and it creates a lot of inflammation, so you tend to have a pretty good fever with it,” says Dr. Cynthia Brownfield with Mosaic Life Care.

But fevers aren’t a clear indication that you or your child can expect to get dangerously sick. In fact, having a fever means your body is actively fighting back against that sickness.

“Fevers do have a job to do,” Brownfield says. “They help boost your immune system. They also decrease the ability for the bacteria or the virus to replicate. So it really does have a role in helping you get better.”

When it comes to children, is there a magic number that you should be looking for regarding when to see a physician?

“I get asked all the time what (temperature) is too high,” Brownfield says. “And I always tell parents that it’s not the number, it’s how the child looks. You can have a child with a 103 or 104 fever, and they’re drinking water and they’re playing and they look pretty good. Or you can have a critically ill child with a 100.8 temperature.”

She says that if a fever reaches 105, that’s certainly cause for concern, especially if it’s accompanied by shortness of breath, neck stiffness or a severe headache. Such a temperature may represent a more serious infection.

The solution to fighting back against the flu besides medication tends to be twofold: drink lots of water and get lots of sleep. But why does this popular combo always seem to work?

“Whenever you are running fevers, you are burning a lot of fluids, so your body is going to need more fluid, otherwise you might become dehydrated, and it is kind of a cooling system to make sure your fevers don’t get out of control,” Brownfield says. “So staying hydrated through an illness is pretty important.”

She says that sleep is equally important, as it improves our immune response. Having a fever at night is like a double boost to your immune system, Brownfield says. Some studies even claim that those who have received their flu shot but are sleep deprived are inhibiting that shot from giving them full protection.

The flu usually lasts between four and seven days, according to Brownfield, though it may persist, and the longer you have it, the more at risk you are when it comes to a secondary bacterial infection. She says that a stuffy or runny nose or fluid in the ear make for great places for bacteria to divide.

Of course, the best way to prevent all of this is a flu shot, which covers you for multiple strains.

“They may not be perfect, but they’re your best shot at staying healthy,” Brownfield says.