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Fever in adults for colds — the evidence
Fever is the body doing its job — most cold fevers in adults stay under 39 °C and pass in two to three days. Paracetamol or ibuprofen reduce the fever and the aches; they do not shorten the illness. The temperature alone is less important than how the person looks and breathes.
Ce que disent les preuves
Verdict: Works. Fever is the body doing its job — most cold fevers in adults stay under 39 °C and pass in two to three days. Paracetamol or ibuprofen reduce the fever and the aches; they do not shorten the illness. The temperature alone is less important than how the person looks and breathes.
Quoi faire vraiment
Treat the discomfort, not the number: if a fever of 38.5 °C feels tolerable, drink and rest; if 38 °C feels awful, take paracetamol or ibuprofen at the label dose. See a doctor when fever passes 39.5 °C and does not come down, lasts past three days, or comes with confusion, breathlessness, a stiff neck or a rash.
Source: NICE CKS — common cold · checked 2026-09-07
Référence d’autosoins, pas un avis médical. Enfants, adultes plus âgés, grossesse et quiconque avec une maladie de longue durée devraient avoir un seuil plus bas pour appeler un clinicien. Symptômes graves ou qui s’aggravent, gêne à respirer ou confusion : obtenez de l’aide médicale.