What does fever feel like with malaria?

Some people experience a cycle in which chills and shaking are followed by intense heat, then sweating and exhaustion. Headache, weakness, body aches, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea may also occur. The pattern is not the same for everyone, and fever can be present without a predictable cycle. Recent travel or residence in a malaria-risk area is important information for a clinician, even if you have already returned home.

Seek same-day medical assessment for fever after possible mosquito exposure or travel in a malaria-risk area. Tell the clinician where you have been, when you returned, and whether you used prevention. Rest and take fluids if you can, but do not wait for the fever to follow a particular pattern. Malaria needs testing and specific treatment; home fever care alone is not enough.

Get emergency help for confusion, fainting, seizure, difficulty breathing, severe weakness, repeated vomiting, yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, or inability to drink. Urgent review is needed for any rapidly worsening fever after travel, including when chills have stopped. Children, pregnant people, and those with reduced immunity should seek advice without delay.

Ask which tests are needed, whether repeat testing may be required, which treatment is appropriate, and what symptoms should prompt emergency care while awaiting results.