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Chills are a protective reaction of the body to infections. Find out here about the causes, accompanying symptoms and when medical help is urgently required.
Shivering is a symptom in which the body shakes uncontrollably violently in order to rapidly increase the body temperature.
It is a natural reaction of the organism, usually in response to an infection, in which the body defends itself against invading pathogens. The temperature setpoint in the brain is regulated upwards, causing muscles to tense and relax rhythmically - the trembling generates heat and drives the fever upwards.
The most common causes of chills are bacterial or viral infections./strong>, such as flu, pneumonia, urinary tract infections or sepsis. Diseases such as malaria, COVID-19 or a severe Tonsillitis can trigger chills. Typically, chills occur together with other symptoms, such as fever, weakness, headache and aching limbs, cough /strong> or nausea. In rare cases, chills can also be observed after vaccinations or allergic reactions.
A single brief chill during a mild infection is usually harmless. Repeated or very severe chills -especially in combination with high fever, shortness of breath, confusion or circulatory problems-should, however, be treated as a Warning sign and requiresand requires immediate medical clarification. The treatment depends on the underlying cause and can range from rest, fever reductionandtreatment.span class="Apple-converted-space"> up to antibiotic therapy .