Ayurveda, an ancient healing system refers fever as jwara, a condition in which the body condition goes beyond the normal temperature and is characterized by disturbance in normal functioning of the system.It believes that it is due to disruption of any one or all the doshas or energy fields within the body system and if not attended immediately might damage other parts of the body.
It classifies fever in to eight types which ranges from internal to external to parasitic to seasonal and mental and that if the fever chapter is completed then half of treatment is over. The main symptoms of fever are a raise in body temperature, chilly, sore throat, body stiffness, muscle aches, headache, disturbed digestion, lack of appetite etc.
Improper agni (digestive fire) leads to indigestion resulting in ama (toxins) which block the channels in the body which further leads to the blocking of the fire in different tissues resulting in fever.
Fever according to ayurveda occurs when the digestive fire (agni) and digestive toxins (ama) which are normally found within the gastrointestinal tract are thrown out of their place by disrupted doshas and then they overflow into the blood and lymphatic system. Its circulation in the body causes the typical symptoms like high temperature, heaviness etc. Because of this the tridoshas are further irritated and it spreads throughout the blood stream.
When supplemented with its own heat plus the heat of the misplaced agni, the temperature of the body raises can causes the symptoms of fever. During a high body temperature, Ayurveda suggests to have a cold sponging, an easily digestible liquid diet and a complete rest.
Ayurveda, a holistic medical system, emphasis that fever is due to toxicity in the rasa dhatu (the body's basic vital tissue) and manages fever by: Fasting (langana), Sudation (swedana), Time- Waiting/Patience (kala), Light diet (yavagu), Bitter drugs (tikta bheshajam) and Detoxification (ama pachana).
Fasting - Strengthens the digestive system and eliminates ama which in turn cleans the channels in the body. Strong person can fast whereas weak persons can take up a light diet.A lot of liquid diet like vegetable soups or just hot ginger water which alleviates the aggravated dosha and increases the appetite should be taken.
Sweating - One can drink a simple spicy tea to induce sweat or he can be covered with a blanket so that he is made to sweat as this process clears toxins, raises the body temperature that kills the virus and normalizes the body temperature.
Light Diet- After the body achieves the normal temperature he should take three meals upon a well balanced/ light diet of fresh fruits and raw/lightly cooked vegetable according to his age.
Bitter Ayurvedic drugs - Burns ama, increases the white blood cell count which help the body to fight infections. Commonly used medicines are Dasamoola kaduthryam qwath, Amruthothram qwath, Indukantham qwath, Dhanwantharam qwath, Amrutharishta, Sudarsanasava, Dasmoolarishta, Vettumaran tablet, Gorochanadi tablet, gopichandanadi tablet, sooryprabha tablet, sirasooladi vajra rasam, laxmi vilas rasam, ananda bhairava ras, etc.
After fever the patient is advised to undergo a Detoxification (mild purgative regime - Panchakarma) treatment as it expels remaining ama and strengthens the digestive system. Then he undergoes a preventive regime which will reduce the chances of reccurance of fever.
Thus Ayurveda management of fever is done by restoring the agni ( fire) in the body and enhancing the proper metabolism. It also suggests yogasanas like suryasana and matsyasana to be practiced to pacify the aggravated pitta dosha which is the root cause of fever and meditation helps to deal with fever with a balanced and clarify of mind.