Chills Without Fever
Chills are nothing but an unusual sensation of coldness. A person experiencing chills is likely to shiver considerably. It is an uncomfortable feeling that may last for hours. Incidence of shivering might not stop, even after wearing warm clothes or sleeping under a blanket. Chills and fever that go hand in hand cause teeth chattering are often the result of a viral or bacterial infections that many times trigger an increase in body temperature (fever). Read more on chills and fever.
‘Chills without fever’ is something we haven’t heard off, right? This is because chills are usually associated with high body temperature. However, there have been instances, wherein the person has severe chills, but the body temperature still remains normal.
Causes of Chills Without Fever
What causes chills without fever? Although, chills are normally accompanied by fever, it is not necessary. Many people suffer from frequent bouts of chills, but do not have any viral or bacterial infection. Some of the possible factors that trigger body chills without fever are given below:
Exposure to Cold Climatic Conditions
‘Chills’ is the body’s natural response to cold weather. Shivering of the body in cold environment indicates that the body is no longer able to tolerate the low temperature of the surrounding area. The huge difference between the temperature of the body and its surroundings is replicated in the form of chills without fever. No wonder, people staying in places like Canada and Alaska are not new to chills and shivers.
Food Poisoning
Sudden uncontrollable shivering in the absence of fever could also mean food poisoning, a medical condition that occurs after consuming food containing harmful pathogens. Unhygienic food or the one that is not stored properly harbors pathogens and so their consumption is likely to cause food poisoning. Although this food borne illness is generally marked by fever and chills, there have been many reports in which patients contracted this illness without experiencing any high body temperature. The chills associated with food poisoning can be so horrible that one may find it difficult to speak without stuttering. Apart from feeling excessively cold, the illness may cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps and vomiting.
Prescription Drugs
Side effects of prescription drugs is common, especially when the dosage of medicine is incorrect. The person put on medications for the treatment of a specific disease, may experience sessions of constant chills without fever, for long or short periods of time.
Acute Bronchitis
This is a viral or a bacterial infection of the bronchi, tubular passages that transport inhaled air to the lungs. This infection that goes away within a few weeks typically causes swelling of the bronchi and is then followed by frequent bouts of cough, chest pain and breathing problems. A common symptom associated with acute bronchitis is chills or fever. While both these symptoms can be present in acute bronchitis, in most cases either of them affects. Thus, shivering without fever is relatively common in people diagnosed with this respiratory tract infection. So, besides coughing, sudden chills and shaking is one of the initial symptoms of acute bronchitis.
Thyroid Problems
The thyroid gland found in the neck does a very important job of producing hormones, that ensure normal metabolic rate, for overall well-being. Thyroid problems can affect normal production of hormones. It is observed that symptoms of chills without fever and extreme tiredness are experienced by people, when the thyroid hormone is not being produced in sufficient amounts. Also, known as hypothyroidism, this condition can bring sudden chills without fever and shivers that may travel down the spine.
Toxoplasmosis
This is a parasitic infection that is rarely severe in humans. The parasite ‘Toxoplasma gondii’ that causes this diseases is not a cause for concern in people with a healthy immune system. However, those with low immunity have increased risk of facing severe health problems. In healthy individuals, the parasite may not cause any symptoms or those that occur will be too mild to get noticed. Eating raw meat is the primary contributory factor in the transmission of this infection to humans. Symptoms that usually manifest are muscle aches, fatigue, swollen glands and chills. Toxoplasmosis patients with a weakened immune system may complain about recurring bouts of chills.
Insect Bites
Spider bites are generally not a cause of concern, but certain spiders like the black widow or the brown recluse can bring trouble to its victim. When these spiders bite, their venom (poison) is capable enough to trigger an allergic reaction that is not restricted around the bite area. In other words, the entire body is affected and the person may fall ill and experience nausea, vomiting and shaking chills without fever. In such cases, immediately visiting a doctor is essential to prevent further deterioration of health.
Nutritional Deficiency
Lack of proper diet can also trigger this strange feeling of coldness that often comes along with shivering. People showing deficiency in vitamin B, particularly vitamin B12 are bound to suffer from chills. Fish and eggs are great sources of vitamin B12 and including them in the diet can surely prevent occurrence of chills.
Mental Illness
Poor physical health is not the only reason behind occurrence of this cold sensation that causes shivering without fever. People suffering from emotional problems like anxiety disorders (panic attacks) could get this sudden cold feeling from time to time. Visible shivering is often considered as a body’s natural response to fear resulting from anxious thoughts. Nervousness, dry mouth and a reduction in body temperature also accompany during anxiety disorders.
Gallstones
Accumulation of hardened deposits of cholesterol (gallstones) in the gallbladder can also cause shivers all over body with no fever. The gallbladder is a small muscular organ found below the liver. Its main job is to collect bile from the liver and then pass it on to the stomach and the intestine. The bile produced by the liver aids in digestion. When there is excess of cholesterol in the bile, it crystallizes and forms a solid mass, leading to the formation of gallstones. Symptoms usually occur when the gallstone has shifted from the gallbladder and is somewhere in the duct (tubular passage that provides free flow of bile from the gallbladder). This trapped gallstone in the duct can make the gallbladder inflamed, which may lead to right abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting and chills.
Iron Deficiency Anemia
Unexplained sensation of cold even during summer that causes shivering and is accompanied by fatigue may suggest anemia, a condition that is typically characterized by low hemoglobin levels in the blood. Hemoglobin or iron compounds in red blood cells play a crucial role to transport oxygen to different parts of the body. With low hemoglobin, patients do experience intermittent episodes of shivering during the day and may especially complain about cold hands and feet. Other than iron deficiency, people affected with hemolytic anemia (a condition in which red blood cells die early) can also experience chills, despite wearing warm clothes.
On the whole, chills without fever that are more common during winter and can always be prevented by wearing warm clothes and having a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Persistent shaking chills without fever certainly cannot be ignored and an appointment with a doctor is essential to diagnose the underlying cause. During your visit to the doctor, make him aware of all the symptoms you are facing. This will in turn help the doctor to diagnose the medical problem correctly.
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