Ayurvedic Classification Of Fever

lAyurveda, an ancient healing system refers fever as jwara, a condition in which the body condition goes beyond the normal temperature and is characterized by disturbance in normal functioning of the system.

* It believes that it is due to disruption of any one or all the doshas or energy fields within the body system and if not attended immediately might damage other parts of the body.
* It classifies fever in to eight types which ranges from internal to external to parasitic to seasonal and mental and that if the fever chapter is completed then half of treatment is over.
* The main symptoms of fever are a raise in body temperature, chilly, sore throat, body stiffness, muscle aches, headache, disturbed digestion, lack of appetite etc.,
* Improper agni (digestive fire) leads to indigestion resulting in ama (toxins) which block the channels in the body which further leads to the blocking of the fire in different tissues resulting in fever.
* Fever according to ayurveda occurs when the digestive fire (agni) and digestive toxins (ama) which are normally found within the gastrointestinal tract are thrown out of their place by disrupted doshas and then they overflow into the blood and lymphatic system. Its circulation in the body causes the typical symptoms like high temperature, heaviness etc. Because of this the tridoshas are further irritated and it spreads throughout the blood stream. When supplemented with its own heat plus the heat of the misplaced agni, the temperature of the body raises can causes the symptoms of fever.
* During a high body temperature, Ayurveda suggests to have a cold sponging, an easily digestible liquid diet and a complete rest.

Difference between Typhus and Typhoid Fever

Typhus is one of several similar diseases that is caused by the Rickettsiae bacteria. Of greek origin, meaning hazy or smokey, it describes the state of mind of those affected by the typhus disease. A fever which can reach up to 39°C (102°F) and a headache, are symptoms which are common to all types of typhus. In some tropical countries, typhus is most often mistaken for another disease known as “dengue”.

There are three different forms of typhus. The Epidemic typhus (also known as “louse-bourne typhus”), can often cause epidemics following wars and natural disasters. The causative organism is transmitted by the human body louse, which will leave you with a fever, headache, exhaustion, chills, and rash. This type of typhus is most commonly known as “ship fever” or as “prison fever”, because it makes itself known in crowded conditions, namely aboard ships and in prison.

Scrub typhus, or “chigger-borne typhus”, is transmitted and caused by chiggers. Chiggers are found in areas of heavy scrub vegetation. Symptoms of this disease are muscle pain, fever, cough, gastrointestinal symptoms, and headache.

Endemic typhus (also called “murine typhus” and “flea-borne typhus”) is transmitted by fleas on rats, and sometimes by fleas carried on cats or possums. This form of typhus will leave you with symptoms of joint pain, headache, chills, nausea, fever, vomiting, and cough.

Typhus is treated with tetracycline or other tetracycline related antibiotics. Rickettsiae causes a number of other diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or “Tick typhus”, Boutonneuse fever and Rickettsialpox. Typhoid fever is an entirely different disease than typhus and should not be confused with typhus diseases, despite their similar-sounding names.