Low fever below 38℃ is a commonly-seen symptom after the recovery from the febrile disease. This low fever is often lingering and prolonged and it consumes essence and qi, manifesting as a certain degree of physical and psychological disturbances like mental fatigue, poor appetite and feeble pulse.
1. Syndrome differentiation and treatment
(1) Fever due to yin deficiency
This is mostly seen in febrile diseases at the late stage with the manifestations of hectic fever in the afternoon and at night, feverish palms and soles, dysphoria, night sweat, dream-disturbed sleep, dry mouth and throat, red and dry tongue with a little or no coating, thready and rapid pulse. It is advisable to nourish yin and clear away heat. The prescription used is the modified Qinghao Biejia Decoction (Decoction of Herba Artemisiae and Carapax Trioncis) or Powder for clearing away Heat from the Bone. More information, please continue to read Acupuncture for high fever.
Shashen Maidong Decoction (Decoction of Radix Adenophorae and Radix Ophiopogonis) or Stomach-Strengthening Decoction is advisable in the case of pneumogastric yin impairment with residual heat and dry cough, scanty sputum or retching and anorexia; the modified Pulsation-Promoting Decoction is advisable in the case of hepatorenal yin deficiency with palms and soles warmer than the dorsa of the hand and foot, mental fatigue, sleepiness, feeble and thready or knotted and intermittent pulse; the modified Sanjia Powder is advisable in the case of yin deficiency with residual heat intermingled with phlegm stagnating collaterals concurrently manifested as palpitation, dysphoria, vibration of the hand and foot and dull expression. More information about Yin & Yang Balance , please continue to read Yin & Yang Balance Pills.
(2) Fever due to qi deficiency
It manifests low or high fever and often occurrs or aggravates after over strain, mental fatigue, hypodynamia, short breath, disinclination to speaking, poor appetite, loose stool, spontaneous sweating, pale tongue with thin and white coating, and weak pulse. It is advisable to supplement qi, strengthen the spleen and remove heat with sweet and warm-natured drugs. The prescription used is the modified Decoction for Tonifying the Middle Energizer and Supplementing Qi. More information Ginseng, please continue to read Ginseng Formula For Immunity.
For the patients with profuse sweat, Muli (Concha Ostreae) and Fuxiaomai (Fructus Tritici Levis) may be added; for the patients with alternative cold and fever, sweat and aversion to cold, Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) and Shaoyao ( Radix Paeoniae Alba) are added; for the patients with loose stool, cold hands and feet, Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) and Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi ) are added; for the patients with stuffiness and tightness of the chest and stomach, vomiting, nausea and greasy coating, Cangzhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis), Houpo (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis) and Huoxiang (Herba Agastachis) are added. More information, please continue to read Radix Paeoniae Rubra (Chishaoyao).
(3) Fever due to the residual pathogenic factors
It manifests lingering low fever without remission, or lingering alternate cold and fever, vexation, bitter taste, thirst, inclination to vomiting, red tongue with thin and yellow coating, thready and rapid or taut and rapid pulse. It is advisable to clear away the residual heat and take healthy qi and pathogenic factors into consideration simultaneously. The prescription used is the modified Minor Decoction of Bupleurum; Zhuye Shigao Decoction (Decoction of Folium Phyllostachydis Nigrae and Gypusm Fibrosum) may be used for the patients with consumption of both qi and body fluids due to the residual heat.
2. Rehabilitation methods
(1) Regulating emotions and musical therapy
The low fever patients with psychological disturbances like mental fatigue, dysphoria and anxiety should overcome their misgivings, tranquilize their mind to recuperate, enhance their vigor and cooperate in the treatment. They may be properly treated with the musical therapy; for those with dysphoria and anxiety, soft and peaceful music should be selected; for those with mental fatigue and listlessness, inspiring, bold and unrestrained music should be selected.
(2) Acumox and massage
Acumox: Select Feishu (BL 13), Dazhu (BL ll), Hegu (LI 4), etc. for acumox. For the patients with yin deficiency, Shenmen (HT 7), Shenshu (GV 12) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) are added; for the patients with qi deficiency, Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) are added and moxibustion is applied; for the patients with fever due to the residual pathogenic factors, Dazhui (GV 14), Quchi (LI 11) and Xingjian (LR 2) are added. The filiform needles are generally used for shallow puncturing, with the reinforcing-reducing method. Click here to learn Hyperviscosity Syndrome in TCM.
Massage:Acupoint massage is mainly used. Click and press Dazhui (GV 14), Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc; lift and grasp Jianjing (GB 21); pull all of the finger joints; pinch the roots of nail, and again knead finger joints as well as finger tips. This is one cycle. Repeat the cycle for five times. Click here to learn Causes of Hyperviscosity Syndrome in TCM.
(3) Dietary therapy
In the case of fever due to yin deficiency, select Maidong Gruel (Gruel of Radix Ophiopogonis); in the case of fever due to qi deficiency, select Huangqin Dazao Gruel (Gruel of Radix Scutellariae and Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae); in the case of fever due to residual heat, select Gefen Gruel (Gruel of Powder of Radix Puerariae). The diet should be light, nutritious and digestible. Eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, soup and gruel. But abstain from greasy, fried and pungent foods. In the case of yin deficiency, regularly take Thick Soup of Baihe (Bulbus Lilii), Soup of Soft-Shelled Turtle and Soup of Yin'er (Tremella); in the case of qi deficiency, eat the foods for tonifying the spleen and stomach like Lianzi (Semen Nelumbinis), Chinese dates (Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae) and Guiyuan (Arillus Longan ); in the case of lingering residual heat, drink fruit juice, wax gourd soup and mung bean soup. Click here to learn Chinese medicine Treatment for Hyperviscosity Syndrome in TCM.