What do chills feel like with malaria?

A malaria-related episode can begin with an intense feeling of cold even when the surrounding room is warm. Shivering may become rhythmic or forceful, with teeth chattering, goosebumps, muscle tightening, and a strong urge to wrap up. The cold phase can be followed by feeling hot, sweating, headache, body aches, weakness, or nausea as body temperature changes.

Chills alone cannot identify malaria. Other infections and non-infectious problems can also cause shivering. Malaria needs prompt testing, especially after travel or residence in a malaria-risk area, because symptoms can worsen after an apparently brief episode.

Arrange medical assessment promptly if chills occur with fever, headache, unusual tiredness, muscle aches, vomiting, or recent travel to a malaria-risk area. Tell the clinician where you have travelled and when symptoms began. Keep warm during shaking, sip fluids if you can swallow safely, and record temperature readings and the timing of episodes. Do not rely on home treatment to rule out malaria.

Seek emergency help for confusion, fainting, trouble breathing, a seizure, severe weakness, repeated vomiting, inability to drink, or rapidly worsening fever and shaking. Urgent assessment is also needed for a child, pregnant person, or anyone with reduced immunity who develops chills after possible malaria exposure.

Ask whether malaria testing should be repeated if an early result is negative but symptoms continue, which warning signs require emergency care, and how to manage fluids and fever while awaiting results.