Why does fever occur?
Because they are powerful, both radiation and chemotherapy can greatly reduce the number of white blood cells in your body. These white blood cells are the body’s natural defense against infection. Having a low white cell count because of treatment can leave a person at high risk for infection. A fever can be a sign that your body has an infection. In addition, fevers are not good for your body. They can be exhausting, cause chills, headaches, and other problems. Hence, it is very important to reduce fever (and the infection that is causing it) as soon as possible in order to monitor progress. It is also important to provide reports on your condition to your physician or health care team. The most common course of action will be to treat the fever and the cause of the infection at the same time, with anti-fever drugs, antibiotics, and medicine to help replenish your body’s white blood cells. As with any serious side effect, the key to dealing with fever and infection is to watch for wa
