Why do we take medicine to suppress symptoms like coughing, fever, etc. when those are our bodies way of fighting infection?

Question

I’m sick rn and I’ve taken medication to reduce my fever. But isn’t a fever your body trying to cook out the infection? Ofc it could cook me as well, but if my fever goes away then won’t that just aid the germs?

In: Biology

Answer 1

So that we can still function in a capitalist society. They just mask the most outward symptoms so that you can function at work/in society. Your immune system is still fighting the same fight, those medications just trick your brain into suppressing the “grosser” symptoms so you don’t look sick to those around you.