Shivering Without Fever: Causes, Symptoms, & More Information

Has your body ever experienced chills (shivering) without fever? If yes, today’s blog deserves your attention. 

Although shivering is your body's natural response to cold temperatures, it can be caused by muscle movement assisting the body in generating heat. Nonetheless, shivering without fever raises eyeballs, indicating medical conditions, stress, or environmental factors.

Read on to learn the potential causes and symptoms and when to see a doctor when shivering is not induced by fever. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) are also given to address the issue. 

What is Shivering?

In other words, chills (shivering) describe how your body adjusts to its temperature. They are involuntary and may or may not be serious, depending on the underlying cause. 

In other words, chills (shivering) are the body's attempt to adjust to its temperature. They are involuntary and may or may not be serious, depending on the underlying cause. 

Remember, you may have shivering (chills) with or without fever. Shivering with fever may be due to an infection or virus, resulting in sore throat, runny or stuffed nose, muscle aches, nausea, throwing up, and fatigue. 

Additionally, you might get chills because of a kidney stone infection, causing pain in your pee, back, or side pain, frequent urination, and cloudy urine that smells funny.

In all these conditions, call your doctor right away, as you may need immediate treatment, including medications, to bring the condition under control. 

Also read: 12 Common Types of Fever

12 Main Causes for Shivering Without Fever

Shivering without fever, meaning shivering triggered by non-temperature-related causes, is a matter of concern. Several reasons that can cause cold and shaking without fever include: 

1. Anxiety and stress

Since the body releases stress chemicals like adrenaline in response to emotional stress and worry, shivering may result. These hormones activate the neurological system, which may cause chills or tremors. 

2. Cold temperatures and hypothermia 

Even without a fever, shivering can occur when one is exposed to cold temperatures without appropriate clothes. If this occurs, it can lead to hypothermia, a severe decrease in body temperature.

The shivering caused by being cold differs from hypothermia, a serious medical emergency. It can cause unconsciousness and even death. The risk of hypothermia increases if you have been under extremely low temperatures for an extended period. However, you may also experience hypothermia in moderate weather if wet in the rain or in a swimming pool.

3. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

A rapid decrease in blood sugar levels may lead to shivering, particularly in individuals with diabetes. Additional symptoms can consist of dizziness, sweating, and confusion.

If you experience hypoglycemia, you may feel body chills but not have a fever. Other typical symptoms include:

• Nervousness
• Shaking 
• Fatigue
• Cold
• Sweaty skin
• Perspiration
• Hunger
• Nausea
• Drowsiness

Identifying hypoglycemia early can be treated by consuming glucose tablets, hard candies, juice, or sugary sodas. In cases of severe hypoglycemia, where you lose consciousness, you may get injected with glucagon, a hormone that aids in managing blood sugar levels. 

4. Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia limits the amount of oxygen delivered to muscles, resulting in feelings of cold and shivering. Additional typical symptoms include tiredness and a lack of color in the skin.

5. Underactive thyroid

An underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, reduces metabolic rate, causing the body to become more vulnerable to cold and resulting in ongoing shivering.

In addition to experiencing shivering without having a fever, symptoms may also encompass:

• Exhaustion
• Dryer skin
• feeling absent-minded 
• Low mood
• Difficulty with bowel movements

You can manage hypothyroidism with medication. Your doctor may recommend medicines that provide the hormones your thyroid has stopped producing.

6. Medications

Certain medications, including antidepressants, anti-nausea medications, or anesthetics, may lead to shivering without fever as a side effect. 

7. Panic attacks

Individuals facing panic attacks might tremble as a result of an adrenaline rush, which is frequently paired with excessive sweating, a rapid pulse, and difficulty breathing.

8. Dehydration

Insufficient hydration in the body can result in imbalances in electrolytes, leading to muscle tremors and shivering. 

9. Sepsis (without fever)

In certain situations, intense infections (sepsis) can lead to shivering even without a clear fever, particularly in older adults or those with weakened immune systems.

10. Hormonal imbalances

Hormonal fluctuations during menopause, pregnancy, or adrenal gland insufficiency can lead to shivering episodes. 

11. Cancer

The chills associated with cancer are different from those experienced during illnesses like the common cold. If you are dealing with cancer, you might encounter a chill on a nightly basis. That is a clear indication that you should consult a healthcare provider. 

Primary cancers linked to chills are Hodgkin's disease and leukemia. Both types of cancer cause an increase in white blood cell counts (WBC). Additionally, to experiencing chills, an elevated white blood cell count can also result in body aches, fever, and headaches.

12. Menopause

If you are going through menopause, you might feel chills and hot flashes due to hormonal changes. Estrogen levels significantly influence temperature regulation, and as they vary during menopause, you might suddenly experience chills.

Also read: Menapuse Causes Symptoms and Treatment

Top 7 Signs That Might Be Associated with Shivering: 

You must consult a doctor immediately if you have shivering accompanied by other symptoms but not fever. Some common accompanying symptoms include:

1. Cold hands or feet
2. Feeling dizzy or faint.
3. Weakness in the muscles
4. Elevated heart rate
5. Feeling nauseous.
6. Exhaustion, sweating, or experiencing chills.
7. Confusion or trouble focusing.

How to Stop Your Body from Shivering?

If you experience shivering (chills) due to cold weather, you can adopt the following preventive measures, such as: 

• Move to a warmer location
• Wear thicker clothing
• Consume hot drinks to raise your body temperature. 

If your chills occur due to an existing medical condition, the approach to treating them will depend on the underlying cause. Your healthcare provider may suggest antibiotics or antivirals, over-the-counter drugs to reduce your fever, and iron supplements if you have anemia.

When should you see a doctor for shivering without a fever?

Shivering without fever is harmless, but you should consult your doctor if you experience:

• Chest pain
• Confusion
• Intense dizziness
• Difficulty breathing. 
• Shivering that lasts for a long time. 

Other risk factors include unexplained weight loss, excessive perspiring, severe cold, and numbness. 

Diagnosis: How Do Doctors Identify the Cause?

A physician may conduct a physical examination to check for visible signs such as trembling or sweating to confirm the reason for unexplained shivering without fever. 

He may order blood tests to know your blood sugar levels, iron content, thyroid levels, and markers of infection. 

Additionally, he may suggest a urine test to identify infections, electrolyte assessments to evaluate sodium, potassium, and calcium concentrations, and a neurological exam to investigate conditions related to tremors.

Other conditions when you should reach out to your physician: 

• If the temperature exceeds 100.4 F in infants under 3 months old
• If the temperature exceeds 102.2 F in children between 3 months and 3 years
• If the temperature exceeds 104 F in adults above 3 years
• Falling below 95 F in anyone aged three or over

Contact Redcliffe Labs: Blood & Urine Tests for Shivering Without Fever! 

Shivering without a fever can result from stress, low blood sugar, anemia, thyroid problems, or neurological conditions. Although infrequent shivering is harmless, a professional should assess prolonged episodes. 

Healthy India Ki Trusted Lab-Redcliffe Labs offers a comprehensive menu of tests, including routine, specialized, and genetics, at the best available rates. We are a call away to book a Fever test with home sample collection, ensuring a timely and accurate analysis of your symptoms by the experts. We typically provide reports within deadlines. 

Additionally, by following these steps, you can book a test online:

1. Visit the official Redcliffe Labs website: https://redcliffelabs.com/.
2. Browse or search for the specific test you need. 
3. Add the test to the cart. 
4. Complete the payment process online.

Note: You will receive confirmation through SMS and WhatsApp.

Shivering can be properly managed by pinpointing the root cause and implementing suitable measures. An expert’s advice can help reduce complications if you encounter frequent chills. 

FAQs: 

1. Why do you shiver without a fever?

Shivering without fever can be triggered due to anxiety & stress, low blood sugar, thyroid disorders, anemia, or neurological conditions. 

2. What are the main causes of shivering without fever?

The main causes of shivering without fever are cold exposure, anemia, dehydration, anxiety, hypoglycemia, medications, and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease.