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Dec 28, 2023 · One of the first signs that it’s not a cold is its sudden onset. Within hours, you go from feeling fine to feeling terrible. If you have the flu, your symptoms may include: Body and muscle aches; Chills; Dry cough; Fatigue (often severe) Headache; High fever up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which lasts up to 4 days; Lack of appetite
- Overview
- Why we shiver
- How to treat a fever
- What to do if you have shivering with fever
- When to seek help
- Outlook
Shivering is part of your body’s natural reaction to a fever and isn’t typically a cause for concern.
People typically associate shivering with being cold, so you may wonder why you shiver when you have a fever. Shivering is part of the body’s natural response to an illness. When a person shivers, it helps their body temperature rise, which helps fight off a virus or a bacterial infection.
Shivering helps the body warm itself.
When you shiver, your muscles contract and relax in rapid succession, and all those little movements can create heat. It’s an involuntary response triggered by your immune system reacting to an infection or a cold environment.
An increase in body temperature can help your body fight infections because infections don’t survive as well above your normal temperature of 98.6°F (37.0°C).
The part of your brain that sets your body’s temperature is called the hypothalamus. When the body has an infection, the hypothalamus responds by moving the “set point” for a higher temperature.
The muscles in your body respond by contracting and relaxing faster, which helps your body reach this higher temperature more quickly. Once your body temperature reaches its new set point, your shivering should stop.
Other conditions, such as a sudden drop in your blood sugar levels, can also bring on shivering. You may also experience shivering after surgery as a response to the anesthesia wearing off.
Not every fever needs treatment.
According to Mayo Clinic, rest and fluids are usually enough to treat a fever in adults and infants over the age of 2, unless the fever reaches above 102°F (38.9°C).
This treatment also applies to babies between 3 and 6 months old, as long as they are not acting out of the ordinary. Treat children ages 6 to 24 months in the same way, unless the fever stays above 102°F (38.9°C) rectally for more than a day.
When rest and fluids aren’t enough, try acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Read the labels carefully, especially when treating a child.
You should also check with a doctor or a pharmacist if you have any questions about dosing or combining medications.
Do not give medications to infants less than 6 months old.
If you have a mild fever with shivering, you don’t necessarily need to see a doctor or take a fever-reducing medication. You might prefer to get comfortable and wait it out. You can try:
•resting with a light sheet, rather than a heavy blanket, which can continue to raise your body temperature
•putting on an extra layer of clothes, like a sweatshirt, that you can remove if you start to overheat
•turning up the temperature in your home
When other serious signs accompany a fever and chills, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. These include:
•a stiff neck
•confusion
•irritability
•sluggishness
•a bad cough
If you feel your temperature starting to rise into a fever, and you’re shivering, keep in mind that your body is probably responding to an infection.
Rest and fluids are the best ways to help your body recover, but you can take acetaminophen or ibuprofen as well, especially if your temperature rises above 102°F (38.9°C).
Pay close attention to other signs, which may indicate that you need to see a doctor.
If it’s your child who is shivering with what feels like a fever, be sure to get an accurate temperature reading, so you’ll know whether to get your little one to a doctor immediately.
Aug 16, 2019 · Learn more about flu symptoms, what you can do to reduce discomfort, and when to seek emergency care. The flu’s common symptoms of fever, body aches, and fatigue can leave many confined to bed.
- Allergies. If you’re allergic to pollen, dust, animal dander or other triggers, you may get a headache. Two kinds of headache pain are linked to allergies: migraine attacks and sinus headaches.
- Colds and flu. Colds and the flu are caused by viruses. A viral infection may give you a fever and cause headaches. Getting the flu or catching a cold can also make migraine attacks and cluster headaches worse.
- Bacterial infections. Some kinds of bacteria can cause infections in your lungs, airways, sinuses around your nose, kidneys, urinary tract and other areas.
- Ear infection. Ear infections may be caused by a bacterial or viral infection. They’re more common in children than in teens and adults. They can cause a buildup of liquid inside the middle ear.
Oct 7, 2022 · Neck pain, or a sore neck, can be a regular symptom of the common cold or flu. In other instances, neck pain may be the sign of a potentially serious medical condition like meningitis. Knowing the difference can help you make the right choice if neck pain and cold symptoms co-occur. Brianna Gilmartin / Verywell. Common Causes.
Jan 17, 2020 · 1. Fever. A fever may cause shivering. Other than being cold, the most common cause of shivering is fever, which doctors define as a body temperature higher than 100°F. Fever usually occurs as a...
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Feb 12, 2021 · Symptoms / Sore Throat and Headache. Sore throat and headache are common symptoms of several conditions. Along with sore throat and headache, you may have fever or fatigue. These signs may indicate an infection. Sore throat and headache usually go away on their own after about a week.
