Cold chills meaning: how to understand them

Shivering generates heat when your body senses cold, but chills can also occur as a fever starts or rises. Infection is one possible cause: influenza, malaria, dengue fever, pneumonia, and urinary or kidney infections can present with chills and other symptoms. A cool room, wet clothes, stress, low blood sugar, or a medicine can produce a similar sensation. The meaning becomes clearer when you consider cough, painful urination, abdominal pain, rash, travel, and whether a thermometer shows fever. Start with [Chills](/symptoms/chills/) and [Pneumonia](/conditions/pneumonia/).

Move to a comfortable environment, change out of wet clothing, and use a light layer. Check your temperature and drink fluids if you can. Rest while noting when the episode began and what happened before it. Look for a specific source of symptoms rather than assuming the chills identify one condition. Avoid taking antibiotics left over from an earlier illness. A clinician may need to examine you and choose tests based on the full pattern.

Call emergency services for confusion, fainting, severe breathing difficulty, blue or grey skin, chest pain, or a sudden serious decline. Get prompt medical advice for chills with persistent fever, severe headache, stiff neck, repeated vomiting, flank pain, painful urination, or a new rash. Recent travel, mosquito exposure, or an immune condition should lower the threshold for assessment. Sepsis can cause chills with rapid deterioration and needs immediate care. Related information is available on [Sepsis](/conditions/sepsis/) and [Urinary Tract Infection](/conditions/urinary-tract-infection/).

Could my chills be caused by fever, medication, or another problem? Which symptoms should I monitor? Do I need urine, blood, or chest testing? What should I do if the chills return tonight?