1 Low fever below 38 is a commonly-seen symptom after the recovery from the febrile disease. This low fever is often lingering and prolonged and consumes essence and qi, manifested as a certain degree of physical and psychological disturbances like mental fatigue, poor appetite and feeble pulse.

Syndrome differentiation and treatment

Fever due to yin deficiency

This is mostly seen in febrile diseases at the late stage with the manifestations of hectic fever in the afternoon and at night, feverish palms and soles, dysphoria, night sweat, dream-disturbed sleep, dry mouth and throat, red and dry tongue with a little or no fur, thready and rapid pulse. It is advisable to nourish yin and clear away heat. The prescription used is the modified Qinghao Biejia Decoction (Decoction of Herba Artemisiae and Carapax Trioncis) or Powder for Clearing away Heat from the Bone. Shashen Maidong Decoction (Decoction of Radix Adenophorae and Radix Ophiopogonis ) or Stomach-Strengthening Decoction is advisable in the case of pneumogastric yin impairment with residual heat and dry cough, scanty sputum or retching and anorexia; the modified Pulsation-Promoting Decoction is advisable in the case of hepatorenal yin deficiency with palms and soles warmer than the dorsa of the hand and foot, mental fatigue, sleepiness, feeble and thready or knotted and intermittent pulse; the modified Sanjia Powder is advisable in the case of yin deficiency with residual heat intermingled with phlegm stagnating collaterals concurrently manifested as palpitation, dysphoria, vibration of the hand and foot and dull expression.

Fever due to qi deficiency

It manifests low or high fever often occurring or aggravated after over strain, mental fatigue, hypodynamia, short breath, disinclination to speaking, poor appetite, loose stool, spontaneous sweating, pale tongue with thin and white fur, and weak pulse. It is advisable to supplement qi, strengthen the spleen and remove heat with sweet and warm-natured drugs. The prescription used is the modified Decoction for Tonifying the Middle Energizer and Supplementing Qi. For the patients with profuse sweat, Muli ( Concha Ostreae) and Fuxiaomai (Fructus Tritici Levis) may be added; for the patients with alternative cold and fever, sweat and aversion to cold, Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi ) and Shaoyao ( Radix Paeoniae Alba) are added; for the patients with loose stool, cold hands and feet, Ganjiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis) and Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi ) are added; for the patients with stuffiness and tightness of the chest and stomach, vomiting, nausea and greasy fur, Cangzhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis ) , Houpo ( Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis ) and Huoxiang (Herba Agastachis) are added.

Fever due to the residual pathogenic factors

It manifests lingering low fever without remission, or lingering alternate cold and fever, vexation, bitter taste, thirst, inclination to vomiting, red tongue with thin and yellow fur, thready and rapid or taut and rapid pulse. It is advisable to clear away the residual heat and take healthy qi and pathogenic factors into consideration simultaneously. The prescription used is the modified Minor Decoction of Bupleurum; Zhuye Shigao Decoction (Decoction of Folium Phyllostachydis Nigrae and Gypusm Fibrosum) may be used for the patients with consumption of both qi and body fluids due to the residual heat.

Rehabilitation methods

Regulating emotions and musical therapy

The low fever patients with psychological disturbances like mental fatigue, dysphoria and anxiety should overcome their misgivings, tranquilize their mind to recuperate, enhance their vigor and cooperate in the treatment. They may be properly treated with the musical therapy; for those with dysphoria and anxiety, soft and peaceful music should be selected; for those with mental fatigue and listlessness, inspiring, bold and unrestrained music should be selected.