FEVER- A SYSTEMIC FAVOUR

Amar Nath Mukherjee

                      Why do we have an occasional bout of fever?

Basically when our body is seized by micro-enemy forces like bacteria, viruses, etc. creating a patho-physiological condition in our body, our body’s immune response to a siege, is the elevation of the body temperature, which is effected by desensitizing the body’s temperature regulatory system of the hypothalamus. Also the cytokine is secreted to trigger the inflammatory response so as to be able to destroy the invading micro-organism in our body. The elevated temperature of the body significantly helps our immune system to annihilate the germs, bacteria, etc. On the flip side of the rise of body temperature to very high say more than 101^oF and above our other normal cells of the body are likely to be seriously impacted. Hence, in such case the temperature will have to be controlled by medicine when it exceeds more than 101^oF and above. Nevertheless the temperature should not also be kept at lower level so as not to make our immune system weak while fighting the enemy at lower body temperature.

In view of the above we can infer that the rise in body temperature during fever creates a condition in our body which is inimical to the survival of the disease causing microbes, thus the fever helps us to be aware that our body has been under siege by parasites, bacteria, and viruses. At the same time it also helps us to destroy the microbe by synergistically acting along with our immune system and medicine.

Now if we can extrapolate the similar condition during our day to day work out, what happens when we engage ourselves with aerobic or weight training activities. Our body temperature increase because during that period our cardiac out put of blood (CO) significantly increases. Consequent to higher heart rate, as a result of which the total peripheral resistance (TPR) of the blood vessels also increase.

But in this case our temperature regulatory mechanism (hypothalamus) is not disturbed as it happens in fever.

The rise in body temperature during our regular work out session helps to annihilate the accumulated germs, bacteria, virus that we continuously receive every day from our surroundings (but not active yet).

In the final analysis we find that those who regularly engage in exercise are substantially less prone to diseases. Every body wants to remain disease free and hence there is absolutely no other option, but to exercise regularly. 

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