What is the best thing to do for shivers?

Author: Tanner Jenkins  |  Last update: Monday, October 6, 2025

How are chills treated? Layering clothes or getting to a warm place can make cold chills go away. You can also drink hot chocolate, coffee or tea to raise your internal body temperature. If an illness, infection or another health problem causes chills, treating the condition should get rid of the symptom.

How do you get rid of shivers fast?

Home remedies
  1. drinking plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
  2. taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to reduce discomfort.
  3. resting.
  4. taking acetaminophen for pain relief.
  5. applying damp, lukewarm cloths to the forehead.
  6. wearing comfortable clothes.
  7. making sure that the person has enough covers to feel comfortable.

What is the best treatment for shivering?

Strategies to help stop shivering may depend on the cause, but can include deep breathing, using extra blankets, and medical treatment. When people are cold, the muscles in their body will contract and relax rapidly to generate heat. This causes part or all of the body to shiver or shake.

How do you get rid of full body chills?

Make sure you rest, stay hydrated—especially if you have a fever—and use over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen to help relieve body aches and reduce fever. If you're experiencing chills, dress in warm clothing and adjust your room temperature to help keep you comfortable.

What is shivers a symptom of?

Chills (shivering) may occur at the start of an infection. They are most often associated with a fever. Chills are caused by rapid muscle contraction and relaxation. They are the body's way of producing heat when it feels cold.

How to treat a cold | NHS

What is trigger shivering?

When the core body temperature drops, the shivering reflex is triggered to maintain homeostasis. Skeletal muscles begin to shake in small movements, creating warmth by expending energy. Shivering can also be a response to fever, as a person may feel cold.

What is the best medicine for chills?

Evaporation cools the skin and reduces body temperature. Sponging with lukewarm water, about 70°F (21.1°C), may help reduce a fever. Cold water may increase the fever as it can trigger chills. Medicines such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen are helpful in fighting a fever and chills.

Should I be worried if I have chills?

You should contact your healthcare provider if you experience body chills and: Temperature above 104 F (40 C) or below 95 F (35 C) in an adult or a child older than three. Temperature above 102.2 F (39 C) in a child aged three months to three years.

What causes shivering without a fever?

You may get chills from intense exercise, low blood sugar, medications, exposure to cold temperatures, and other illnesses like certain cancers, Lyme disease, and malaria. Learn more about various causes of chills.

How can I stop my body shivering?

Drink a hot beverage. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and other warm drinks can provide a temporary warming effect to your body, which helps combat shivering.

What is the drug of choice for shivering?

An evidence-based protocol based on the most current research has been developed for the management of shivering during therapeutic hypothermia. Meperidine is the drug of choice and provides the greatest reduction in the shivering threshold.

Can stress cause chills?

But you might not know that chills can also be a symptom of anxiety. Physiological reactions to anxiety can cause your blood to flow less efficiently and, therefore, leave you with chills. If you have chills from anxiety, you can begin to feel shaky and start to shiver.

Is shivering a symptom of COVID?

Symptoms of COVID-19

COVID-19 symptoms can include: a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

Is it better to stay warm or cold when you have a fever?

"Fever is a sign that the body is fighting these viruses, and patients will have chills related to the fever. Staying warm will reduce the discomfort of the chills and help circulate blood to carry the immune cells to their destination." Jone said it is OK to take fever-reducing medication to make you feel better.

How do you warm up when shivering?

Remove cold, wet clothes.
  1. Put on dry clothing—made of moisture-wicking fabrics, such as wool, polyester, or nylon (not cotton)—that insulates well. Cover your head.
  2. If dry clothing is not immediately available, you can try to get warm by making skin-to-skin contact. ...
  3. Warm up under a heated blanket, if available.

What is shivering a symptom of?

Shivering can be caused by strong emotions such as stress, fear, excitement, and anxiety due to a surge of adrenaline in the body. As part of the body's fight-or-flight response, the adrenaline hormone causes shivering. Shivering can be caused by a sudden increase in adrenaline levels in the blood.

What infection causes a low body temperature?

The early symptoms of sepsis include: a high temperature (fever) or, due to changes in circulation, a low body temperature instead.

What illness starts with body aches and chills?

Flu-Like Symptoms. Flu-like symptoms include fever, chills, cough, body aches and headache. Besides the flu, other infectious diseases that can cause these symptoms include RSV, COVID-19 and pneumonia.

How do you get rid of chills ASAP?

Take over-the-counter medications

If your chills are caused by an infection like the common cold or COVID-19, there are OTC medicines you can pick up at your pharmacy to help relieve your symptoms. These include: Acetaminophen.

What medication chills you out?

Benzodiazepines are often used as chill-out drugs after parties, to help people sleep after taking stimulants. Some people use them to help come down off acid, cocaine, speed or ecstasy after a big night out.

Can allergies cause chills?

Although chills are not a common symptom of seasonal allergies, they can occur when the allergic reaction is intense, and the immune system is more affected than usual. Keep in mind that chills are more typical of infections, like colds, rather than allergies.

What medication is used for shivering?

Morphine, fentanyl, alfentanil, and meperidine are most commonly used for shivering, with meperidine as perhaps the most effective.

What is the fastest way to cure fever and chills?

Suggestions to treat fever include:
  1. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen in appropriate doses to help bring your temperature down.
  2. Drink plenty of fluids, particularly water.
  3. Avoid alcohol, tea and coffee as these drinks can cause slight dehydration.
  4. Sponge exposed skin with tepid water. ...
  5. Avoid taking cold baths or showers.

Why do I get trembling and chills after drinking water?

Your muscles feel shaky or weak

Drinking too much water can cause muscle weakness, spasms, or cramps, according to the Mayo Clinic. These symptoms may arise when the sodium in your blood becomes diluted.

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