why do we get chills when sick

Chills during illness are mainly your body’s way of turning up its internal thermostat to help fight off an infection, which makes you feel freezing even though your temperature is actually rising.

What chills actually are

• Chills are rapid, repeated muscle contractions that generate heat, similar to shivering in the cold.

• They often come with fever, body aches, fatigue, and other infection symptoms like sore throat or cough.

Why chills happen when you’re sick

• When germs (like viruses or bacteria) enter the body, the immune system tells the brain’s “thermostat” (the hypothalamus) to raise your set body temperature to make it harder for those germs to multiply.

• While your actual temperature is still lower than this new set point, you feel cold, so your body triggers shivering and goosebumps to warm you up—those sensations are the chills.

Common illnesses that cause chills

• Colds and the flu are classic causes, especially when symptoms come on suddenly with fever, headache, and body aches.

• Other triggers include infections such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, strep throat, and stomach bugs (gastroenteritis).

When chills are a concern

• Chills with a high fever, stiff neck, trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion, or severe headache can signal a more serious infection and need urgent medical care.

• Very high fevers, or fevers in young children, older adults, or people with weak immune systems, should be checked by a healthcare professional sooner rather than later.

Quick self-care tips

• Rest, fluids, and fever-reducing medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen (if safe for you) can help reduce fever and ease chills.

• Dressing in light layers and using a blanket you can easily remove helps you stay comfortable as your temperature goes up and down.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.