Shivering, in contrast to general shivering, is a strong feeling of internal and external cold, in which especially the muscles move quickly and reflexively, reminiscent of shivering.
What is shivering?
Chills often occur in the context of an infectious disease, such as the common cold, and are often coupled to the fever that is present in that disease. The strong feeling of cold that is triggered in chills is based on an unconscious contraction of the body’s muscles. Especially the back muscles and thigh muscles are affected by the cold shivering. Shivering usually lasts for several minutes, weakens and then becomes stronger and weaker again in intervals. Afterwards, the affected person is usually so exhausted that he or she falls into a deep sleep. As with normal shivering, the purpose of shivering is to generate heat through muscle contractions. Häufieg shivering occurs in the context of an infectious disease, such as colds, and is often coupled to the fever present in this case.
Causes
The cause of shivering, as already noted, is often a fever associated with an infectious disease (cold, flu). In this case, the shivering muscle contraction is to initiate the body temperature to a normal value around 37° Celsius by initiating a strong sweating out. Rather rarely, chills occur in Germany in the context of a tropical disease, such as malaria, smallpox, anthrax, plague or yellow fever. Travelers from southern climes should therefore consult a doctor in case of chills. Furthermore, chills can also occur in the course of sunstroke or heat stroke. Especially after traveling to tropical countries, chills should be thought of diseases such as malaria, anthrax, smallpox, yellow fever or plague. After excessive or long exposure to the sun, as well as great heat, chills may occur due to heat stroke or sunstroke. Below is a list of diseases that have chills as a symptom.
Diseases with this symptom
- Common cold
- Pneumonia
- Scarlet fever
- Blood poisoning
- Tetanus
- Mushroom poisoning
- Flu
- Sunstroke
- Malaria
- Plague
- Hypothermia
- Spotted fever
- Heat stroke
- Yellow fever
- Smallpox
- Anthrax
- Renal pelvic inflammation
- Typhoid fever
Diagnosis and course
With questions to the patient, the doctor first obtains an overview of the duration as well as the course of the chills. Then he asks specifically about possible accompanying symptoms. Information on existing diseases, medication and stays in tropical regions are also important in order to classify the clinical picture. The doctor then performs a physical examination, which includes listening to the airways and palpating the lymph nodes. If there is any suspicion, a blood test will confirm the diagnosis of bacterial or viral diseases. If necessary, a urine test, the use of ultrasound or X-ray follow. Shivering episodes can accompany the entire duration of the illness, but often become isolated in viral infections after the first bouts of fever. Chills subside as the infection heals.
Complications
The chills are usually a sign of a cold or flu. In most cases, if the chills are not treated immediately, it will lead to a more severe cold, requiring the patient to rest and recover for several days. In the worst case, the symptom leads to hypothermia, but this happens in very few cases. If chills occur, the patient must move to a warm atmosphere. Treatment is given with medications that reduce fever, relieve pain, and generally combat the symptoms of flu and a cold. At the same time, it is quite normal for the patient to experience severe fatigue and aching limbs. Warm drinks such as tea, warm milk or coffee also help against the sudden frost. Alcohol should be avoided in conjunction with the medication taken, as painkillers are often contained in the medication. Painkillers should never be introduced into the body together with alcohol. In most cases, the chills disappear after a few hours.However, if the feeling persists for several days, a doctor should be consulted, who may prescribe an antibiotic in this case. This will help fight the infection.
When should you go to the doctor?
In case of chills, it is not always necessary to see a doctor. In most cases, the unpleasant muscle tremor subsides on its own as soon as the underlying flu or cold is overcome. However, if the symptoms persist longer than usual and the usual measures and home remedies do not bring any relief, this should be clarified by the family doctor. Severe chills that are accompanied by symptoms such as aching limbs and exhaustion should also be treated by a specialist. This is especially true if the symptoms occur after a long trip to the tropics. Chills that occur without any apparent cause must also be examined by a doctor, as there may be a serious underlying condition. Chills in children, the elderly and pregnant women should always be examined by a doctor. Otherwise, chills must be taken to a doctor if there is already another disease of the immune system or if the affected person is generally physically weakened. If there is an accompanying high fever, persistent vomiting or sweating, an emergency physician should be called in immediately.
Treatment and therapy
If the chills occur in the context of a simple cold or flu-like infection, treatment by a doctor is not necessarily necessary. In this case, warming teas and covering up with lots of blankets are particularly helpful in speeding up the sweating out of the fever. However, if the chills occur over several days, or if the chills are very severe, a doctor should be consulted immediately. In doing so, the doctor will first take a detailed questioning of the general and specific complaints. Furthermore, he will want to know what diseases are present and what medications are taken. In the case of tourists from southern countries, he will also go into this in detail. After that, he will usually begin a physical examination. The lungs will be listened to and examined for potential inflammations. The lymph nodes should also be examined. Often the cause of the chills can already be diagnosed after this. If further pathogens are suspected, a blood sample should be taken, which can then indicate a possible infectious disease. Urinalysis, X-ray, bronchoscopy and ultrasound examination may also be necessary for further investigation. Depending on the conclusive cause, treatment or therapy will then be arranged. Antibiotic therapy may be used for certain infectious diseases. If another underlying disease is responsible for the chills, it should be treated first. In the case of heat stroke or sunstroke, the affected person should be cooled with cold compresses or towels. Sufficient drinks containing minerals should be drunk to stabilize fluid balance and circulation.
Outlook and prognosis
In most cases, chills do not need to be treated by a doctor. It occurs mainly during colds and flu, being a perfectly common symptom. Chills can also occur with infections of the gastrointestinal tract and do not necessarily represent a health complication. In most cases, this characterizes the appearance of an illness and disappears again after a few hours. In any case, the affected person should keep warm in case of chills. This includes warm clothing, bed rest, and warm meals or liquids. These generally help the chills and speed healing. Chills can also occur if the body is severely hypothermic. In this case, treatment by a doctor is advisable to avoid secondary damage. A doctor should also be consulted if the chills occur very often and are not associated with another disease. In this case, the chills are a sign of a weak immune system. In this case, the patient can fight the chills relatively well with the help of a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. In most cases, however, chills disappear on their own and do not lead to further discomfort or complications.
Home remedies and herbs for chills.
- A sweating cure helps against chills with fever.
- Cold calf compresses help with chills from heat stroke or sunstroke.
What you can do yourself
When chills do not necessarily need to see a doctor. The discomfort can often be relieved yourself by keeping the body warm and hydrated. Relaxation and bed rest, as well as avoiding stress, are effective remedies for mild chills. Teas such as elderflower tea, rosehip peel or linden blossom tea have a diaphoretic effect and help the body produce heat. For mild chills, a hot foot bath or warm bath with medicinal herbs such as tea tree oil or lavender is often all that is needed. Chills resulting from sunstroke can be relieved by cold, moist compresses or cool yogurt wraps on the forehead and neck. Cold calf wraps or applications of cool healing clay can also help. Direct sun contact should be avoided for the time being. Essential oils, especially eucalyptus and mint, help with chills as part of a cold or flu. Other foods such as garlic, chicory or leeks also contain substances that help with typical cold symptoms. Especially effective is linden blossom tea, which in combination with mentioned measures should bring quick relief from chills. If the symptoms persist despite everything, a visit to the doctor is recommended.
