Chills

Chills and fever

Chills (feeling cold, shivering, shaking or chattering teeth) usually come with a fever, which is a temperature of 38°C or higher. Infection resets the body's thermostat higher, and shivering is a common fever symptom. For comfort, wear lightweight clothing rather than piling on blankets or doonas, which can push your temperature up, and skip cold baths or sponging, which can make you shiver more. Shaking you can't control, or teeth that keep chattering, is a reason to see a doctor.

When shaking chills are a warning

Chills can also be a sign of sepsis, a medical emergency where the body's response to an infection damages its own organs. Call Triple Zero (000) or go to an emergency department if chills, a fever or an unusually low temperature come with fast breathing or breathlessness, a fast heart rate, confusion, drowsiness or slurred speech, blotchy or discoloured skin, or passing less urine than usual. If an infection isn't getting better or you are quickly getting worse, ask a doctor: “Could it be sepsis?” A fever with chills while travelling or after returning from overseas needs a doctor urgently. Malaria usually starts 10 to 15 days after infection but can appear weeks or months later, so tell the doctor where you have been.

Sources: healthdirect — Fever; Better Health Channel — Fever; healthdirect — Sepsis; healthdirect — Malaria