Chills can be caused by exposure to cold temperatures or a variety of diseases and medical conditions. Severe chills lasting over an hour can indicate rarer conditions such as malaria or hypothermia. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, with home remedies suitable for less serious cases and medical attention required for more severe cases. Hypothermia is a common cause of severe chills and requires medical treatment. Anyone showing signs of hypothermia should seek immediate medical attention and be covered with warm blankets.
Experiencing chills, or rigors, is often just a symptom of exposure to cold temperatures or a rapid change in temperatures to which the body is exposed. They can also be caused by a wide variety of diseases, medical conditions such as childbirth, from taking certain medications. Severe chills that last more than an hour can be a symptom of rarer conditions such as malaria or hypothermia. Depending on the cause, rigors can often be treated at home, but more severe cases require medical attention.
Symptoms
A person with severe chills usually feels very cold, even when wearing warm clothing or wrapped in heavy quilts or blankets in a warm room. Depending on the underlying condition, you may go through periods of feeling too hot and too cold, and many people have a fever at the same time. He or she may also turn very pale and get goosebumps. Children may be listless and sleepy or irritable, depending on the cause. Rigors that cause violent, uncontrollable, and prolonged tremors often indicate widespread infection throughout the body and should be reported to a healthcare professional.
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Many different conditions can cause severe chills, but viral and bacterial illnesses such as the flu and pneumonia are among the most common. Other infections and inflammations in the body, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), colds, heat stroke, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and rheumatic fever can cause chills and similar symptoms. Trauma from an abscessed tooth or infected wound can also trigger chills. Other medical conditions associated with the rigors include pleurisy, psoriasis and meningitis. Some people even get the chills just from the common cold.
Severe bouts of shivering and shivering can also be associated with medical conditions such as childbirth and miscarriages. Puerperal fever and sepsis, a life-threatening infection associated with childbirth, can cause this symptom, so any postpartum shivering or miscarriage should be reported to a health care professional. Side effects or allergic reactions to prescribed medications can also cause severe chills, along with medical procedures such as blood transfusions, heart surgery, and dental work.
Hypothermia
One of the most common causes of severe chills is hypothermia, in which the body temperature becomes too low. Although the body usually maintains a healthy temperature on its own, rising and falling throughout the day and night in reaction to normal temperature cycles and outside temperature, some medical conditions can cause it to drop abnormally and dangerously low. Things like cardiovascular disease, anorexia, hypothyroidism, substance abuse, and trauma can predispose a person to hypothermia. Being in extremely cold places, especially those that have high humidity and low wind chill, can also rapidly lower a person’s core temperature.
Symptoms of hypothermia indicate that medical treatment is needed. These include shivering, slurred speech, pale skin, and slow breathing. People also lose coordination and feel lethargic and confused. Hypothermic babies often have cold skin that appears bright red.
Treatment
If the underlying cause of the chills is something not too serious, such as a cold, home treatment with warm blankets and liquids, a hot water bottle, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and rest can be used. For more serious causes such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and the flu, a person should see a doctor and prescribe medications.
Anyone shivering continuously or showing signs of hypothermia should seek immediate medical attention and have a caretaker ready to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately if they stop breathing. The person should be kept away from sources of cold and covered with warm, dry blankets until medical personnel arrive. Do not use hot water and other heating devices, especially on the extremities, as this can lower the core temperature of the body. Warm drinks are good, but the person should not take any type of alcohol, as it causes the blood vessels to expand, drawing blood away from major organs.
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