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Why is Paracetamol prescribed, if fever is an immune response of the body to act as defense mechanism?

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Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Is fever an immune response of the body to act as defense mechanism against infection, why is Paracetamol prescribed to reduce temperature?

What will be happen, if not used?
Answered by Dr. Divakara P

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Divakara. P is a Diabetologist and an Endocrinologist specializing in Pain Medicine and Pulmonology with 18 years of clinical experience. He completed his MBBS at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences in 2006 and MD in General Medicine at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in 2011. He is qualified to diagnose and treat disorders of the endocrine glands. Currently, he is practicing in Dr. Divakara's Speciality Clinic, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Very much impressed by your query. Yes as you said, fever is an immune response of the body to act as defense mechanism against infection. Most of the time Paracetamol is not needed if body temperature is not crossing >102 degree F. But any temperature >102 degree F causes many biochemical and physiological damages to the body, such as:

  • The enzymes in the body will not work properly.
  • Body oxygen consumption increase causing a strain on heart.
  • Body glucose utilisation increases and this coupled with loss of appetite and less food intake will cause profound weakness.

Because of all this Paracetamol is used. But definitely not required for a low grade fever.

For further queries, consult a general medicine physician online.

Answered by Dr. Divakara P
Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At October 16, 2014
Reviewed At May 6, 2025

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Divakara. P is a Diabetologist and an Endocrinologist specializing in Pain Medicine and Pulmonology with 18 years of clinical experience. He completed his MBBS at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences in 2006 and MD in General Medicine at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in 2011. He is qualified to diagnose and treat disorders of the endocrine glands. Currently, he is practicing in Dr. Divakara's Speciality Clinic, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality

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Dr. Divakara P
Dr. Divakara P

Internal Medicine

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Divakara. P is a Diabetologist and an Endocrinologist specializing in Pain Medicine and Pulmonology with 18 years of clinical experience. He completed his MBBS at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences in 2006 and MD in General Medicine at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in 2011. He is qualified to diagnose and treat disorders of the endocrine glands. Currently, he is practicing in Dr. Divakara's Speciality Clinic, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality
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