eli5: If fever is our body’s response to kill an infection, then why do we take medicines like paracetamol that control the fever?

Question

Also, I get that the fever can get really high at some point, which causes other effects, but why is our body not able to control its response to the infection so as to not do more harm with the fever?

In: 59

Answer 1

Dr. Mike claims that immune cells work better at higher body temperatures, which is part of the reason for the fever, and also that you shouldn’t reduce the fever unless it’s dangerously high because it can extend the time it takes to get over the illness.

As for whether he’s right, don’t know, not a doctor.