What causes body chills?
Body chills can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Fever – Fevers cause your body temperature to rise, which leads to chills as your body tries to lower its temperature.
- Infection – Infections from bacteria or viruses often cause chills as your immune system responds.
- Inflammatory conditions – Conditions like arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease can trigger chills.
- Hormone changes – Hormone fluctuations, like during menopause or after giving birth, may cause chills.
- Low blood sugar – Hypoglycemia can activate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to shaking and chills.
- Medications – Certain medications, like antibiotics, anti-malarials, and chemotherapy drugs can cause chills as a side effect.
- Autoimmune disorders – Autoimmune diseases like lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis may cause chills.
- Cancer – Some cancers, like leukemia and lymphoma, can cause chills when they spread to the liver and spleen.
- Neurological diseases – Parkinson’s disease, seizures, and spinal cord damage can dysregulate body temperature and cause chills.
- Hypothyroidism – An underactive thyroid slows metabolism and causes sensitivity to chills.
- Environmental factors – Exposure to cold temperatures, wet clothes, or swimming in cold water can trigger chills as heat is lost from the body.
- Stress and anxiety – Stress hormones released during the “fight-or-flight” response can cause chills.
- Low blood pressure – A sudden drop in blood pressure reduces blood flow to the skin, leading to excessive cooling.
- Nutritional deficiencies – Deficiencies in iron, B vitamins, or electrolytes like magnesium may cause chills.
- Alcohol withdrawal – Stopping alcohol use suddenly decreases temperature regulation, causing sensitivity to chills.
The most common causes are infections, inflammatory conditions, hormone fluctuations, medications, and exposure to cold environments. Determine the underlying cause to find the appropriate treatment.
How can you stop chills?
If you’re experiencing chills, here are some quick ways to get relief:
- Get warmer – Put on extra layers of clothing or wrap up in a blanket to raise your body temperature back to normal.
- Stay dry – Get out of wet clothes and dry off moisture on your skin to stop evaporative cooling.
- Drink something warm – Sip on warm broth, tea, or soup to gently raise your core temperature.
- Take a warm bath – Soaking in a tub of warm (not hot) water can ease chills.
- Exercise – Doing light exercise like walking can pump blood to your skin and warm you up.
- Apply heat packs – Use microwavable heat packs or hot water bottles to directly warm the body.
- Get out of the cold – Go indoors or somewhere warmer if environment is causing the chills.
- Manage infections – Treat underlying illnesses or infections with medications to resolve chills.
- Eat more calories – Consuming extra calories helps fuel your metabolism to generate more body heat.
Preventing heat loss and raising your core temperature is key. Don’t overdo it with extremely hot showers or submerging in hot water which can be dangerous. Low grade warming over 15-30 minutes is safest.
When should you see a doctor for chills?
While most chills are short-lived and not a major concern, contact your doctor if you experience:
- Chills lasting longer than a few hours
- Chills along with a high fever over 103 F (39.4 C)
- Shaking chills that don’t respond to warming methods
- Chills with chest pain, dizziness, or fainting
- Persistent chills with no known cause
- Chills with skin rash or joint pain
- Chills with headache, light sensitivity, stiff neck, or confusion
- Chills following a tick bite
- Chills after eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water
- Chills in infants or the elderly, whose bodies regulate temperature less well
Seek prompt medical attention if you have any signs of shock like low blood pressure, rapid breathing, or blue lips or fingers.
Treating the underlying condition causing chills is key. Blood tests, cultures, imaging, lumbar punctures, or other testing may be needed. Intravenous fluids, warming blankets, blood pressure support, and medications are used for unstable patients with severe chills.
What medicines reduce chills?
Over-the-counter medications can help temporarily ease chills when used alongside warming methods:
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) – Reduces fever which in turn diminishes chills.
- NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil) – Decreases inflammation causing chills from inflammatory conditions.
- Decongestants like pseudoephedrine – Constrict blood vessels to prevent heat loss from skin.
- Sodium bicarbonate – Alkalizes urine to speed excretion of acidic drugs which cause chills as a side effect.
- Antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) – Has anticholinergic effects that regulate body temperature.
For recurrent disabling chills or chills related to certain disorders, prescription medications may help:
- NSAIDs – More potent anti-inflammatories like indomethacin used for inflammatory conditions.
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) – Used for autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
- Immunosuppressants – Reduce immune over-activity that causes chills from conditions like multiple sclerosis or lymphoma.
- Hormones – Estrogen or testosterone supplements used for hormonal deficiencies causing chills.
- Anticonvulsants – Stabilize electrical activity in the brain to reduce chills from seizures or neuropathic pain.
- Antiemetics – Reduce nausea/vomiting from infections, motion sickness, or medications causing chills.
- Antidiarrheals – Lessen diarrhea which can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances promoting chills.
Do not take new medications for chronic chills without consulting a doctor and identifying the origin of the problem first. Seek immediate help for any atypical, severe, or persistent chills.
What home remedies help with chills?
Some simple home remedies may provide relief from mild chills when paired with other warming techniques:
- Chicken soup – Provides hydration and nutrition. Hot liquids raise body temperature. Chicken contains cysteine which thins mucus during illness.
- Warm apple cider – Offers hydration from its liquid content. Fructose provides energy to fuel metabolism. Spices like cinnamon improve circulation.
- Ginger tea – Gingerol is thought to act as an anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea agent, lessening two causes of chills.
- Garlic – Contains allicin, a compound with antimicrobial effects that may enhance immune function against infective causes of chills.
- Coconut oil – Has fatty acids with thermogenic effects, meaning they can raise body temperature and reduce sensitivity to chills.
- Honey – Provides carbohydrates for energy and may suppress cough and thin secretions caused by some infections related to chills.
However, these remedies are not well supported by rigorous evidence. They likely provide only minimal, temporary relief but are generally safe to try. Adjust any home remedy to avoid raising core temperature too high, too quickly.
What foods are good for chills?
Certain dietary choices may help you fight chills:
- Soup broths – Provide hydration and warmth. Chicken soup may have anti-inflammatory effects in the lungs.
- Tea – Warm, soothing liquids boost core temperature. Some teas like ginger or chamomile have anti-inflammatory compounds.
- Oatmeal – Provides steady energy from complex carbs. May relieve chills from digestive issues like diarrhea.
- Bone broths – Contain gelatin from animal bones which supports immunity and gut health.
- Bananas – Have potassium needed for proper electrolyte balance to reduce muscle cramps/spasms.
- Sweet potatoes – Give stable energy with complex carbs and fiber. Have vitamin A to support immune function.
- Nuts and seeds – High calorie foods help generate body heat. Rich in nutrients like zinc, selenium, and vitamin E.
Avoid cold drinks or frozen foods which can worsen chills. Drink plenty of warm liquids. Get bland, easily digested foods if you have nausea. Season food well for taste if you have illness-related taste bud changes.
What are other tips for getting over chills?
Follow these additional tips to manage chills:
- Rest adequately since your body needs energy to warm itself.
- Avoid drafts, wet clothes, and cold weather. Change out of damp clothes.
- Use layered blankets and clothing to trap heat close to your body.
- Wear socks, hats, and slippers to reduce heat loss from extremities.
- Place hot water bottles or microwavable heating packs on pulse points like wrists.
- Take tepid baths instead of hot showers to safely raise core temperature.
- Stay well-hydrated with warm liquids like herbal tea to support circulation.
- Get moving with gentle exercise to generate internal heat from muscle activity.
- Apply soothing balms containing menthol to provoke a cooling sensation first, followed by warmth.
Preventing recurrent chills involves identifying and treating the root cause, whether that involves antibiotics for infection, thyroid hormone for hypothyroidism, or intravenous immunoglobulin for autoimmune disorders.
When do chills need emergency treatment?
Seek immediate emergency care if you have:
- High fever over 104°F (40°C) – Indicates a severe infection like sepsis that can be life-threatening. Rapid cooling, IV fluids, and powerful antibiotics are needed.
- Violent, uncontrollable shaking – Suggests hypoglycemic shock from extreme low blood sugar which requires urgent glucose supplementation.
- Chest pain – May reflect pericarditis caused by lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, requiring high-dose anti-inflammatory medications.
- Severe headache with nausea – Could indicate meningitis, encephalitis, or hemorrhage needing rapid treatment.
- Stiff neck and altered mental status – Signs of meningitis requiring lumbar puncture and IV antibiotics to prevent permanent neurological damage.
- Difficulty breathing – Potential pneumonia or pulmonary embolism needing oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, or anticoagulation.
- Bleeding – Denotes possible leukemia, DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation), or hemorrhagic fever mandating transfusions and intensive support.
- Shock – Low blood pressure, high heart rate, altered consciousness, and poor perfusion caused by sepsis or anaphylaxis require resuscitation.
Do not simply try to tough out severe chills at home. Fever over 104°F (40°C) or symptoms of hemodynamic instability warrant emergency assessment to stabilize the patient and treat the underlying condition.
Conclusion
Chills are a common symptom of many conditions like infections, inflammatory disease, hormone shifts, and environmental exposures. Mild cases can often be managed with rest, hydration, extra layers of clothing, warm surroundings, hot packs, warm liquids, gentle exercise, and over-the-counter medications. Try home remedies like soups, teas, and broths as well.
See a doctor for any persistent, recurrent, severe, or unexplained chills to diagnose and treat the root cause. Severe chills demand emergency care to address risks like sepsis, meningitis, hypoglycemic shock, or hemorrhage. With proper treatment guided by a physician, even chronic chills from autoimmune or neoplastic conditions can typically be well-controlled. Address the underlying problem and make sensible warming interventions to relieve uncomfortable chills.