Can You Get a Fever From Detoxing?

Can abstaining from alcohol or other substances cause you to get a fever or two? If you’re undergoing alcohol treatment programs or detoxing from drugs or smoking, you might experience a fever or two as the substance exits your system. Are these fevers a cause for concern? What should you do if other symptoms accompany them? Fevers may be common symptoms in many situations, but it’s important not to ignore fevers if you’re in a medical detox process.

What Causes Fevers?

Fevers are triggered when the body feels a foreign intruder and is an effort to remove the bacteria from the area. Your brain raises your body temperature until it gets to a level that clears the toxin from your body or kills it off. The body will continue rising the temperature if the substance isn’t removed, and when the temperature rises above 106.7 degrees Fahrenheit, it starts to harm the body itself. Most chemicals are killed off before this point, and a temperature that rises to this level is usually due to changes to the body’s chemistry, drug reactions, or chronic inflammatory conditions.

Why Do You Get Fevers During Withdrawals?

When your body has been suffering from the effects of substance abuse, the brain’s chemistry changes due to its functionality being affected for a long time. During a detox, your body is quitting a substance it depends on cold turkey, which completely alters its composition from an ill-functioning brain back to some approximation of its original state.

Withdrawal fever is a common symptom of alcohol withdrawal syndrome and occurs when you reduce alcohol consumption after a prolonged period of alcohol dependence. These fevers result from your brain becoming hyperactive and directing energy at increased bodily functions, which results in a raised body temperature. This is why it’s important to begin your journey to sobriety with effective rehab programs with professional and positive environments.

Are Withdrawal Fevers Dangerous?

Withdrawal fevers can be helpful to individuals suffering from kidney infections due to dehydration or other medical conditions that result from their withdrawal. Most of the time, the fever isn’t the real problem as much as the other symptoms associated with your alcohol addiction. Fevers that last 72 hours or more (while on a detox program) mean you should seek immediate medical attention if you aren’t already enrolled in a sober living house or are otherwise properly supervised.

What to Do if You’re Worried About Fevers While Withdrawing?

Withdrawal fevers are a common symptom when recovering from health conditions, and detoxing is no different. Typically, recovering patients will face mild fevers usually associated with infections or illnesses. Fevers are concerning when they have no discernible cause and last for extended periods. This type of fever is called delirium tremens, and it also comes with symptoms such as:

Hallucinations
Agitation and Restlessness
Seizure
Coma
Cardiovascular Collapse

It’s a good idea to seek medical help if side effects or other symptoms of delirium tremens last long term. Don’t ignore fevers if your temperature reaches above 103 degrees Fahrenheit and stays that way for over an hour or if you have severe medical illnesses. Any seizures accompanied by the fever should be treated as a medical emergency.

A Good Addiction Rehab Program Can Help You Fight Your Withdrawal Symptoms

The withdrawal process can be difficult, and detoxifying requires a team of professionals that have your best interest in mind. Detoxifying is a commitment you cannot make alone, so make it with Steps to Recovery and get the help you need to detox from drugs, alcohol, and other substances. Whether you’re looking for addiction therapy programs or seeking treatment, call Steps to Recovery today at 267.719.8528.