Experiencing chills and a headache is common. Chills are the body’s involuntary response to feeling cold, often signaling a rise in internal temperature (fever) as muscles contract to generate heat. A headache is pain in the head or face. These symptoms often signal a disruption in the body’s normal functioning.
Common Reasons for Chills and Headache
Many common illnesses and everyday occurrences can cause chills and headaches. Viral infections, such as the common cold and flu, are frequent causes. When the body encounters these viruses, its immune system releases pyrogens, elevating core temperature and causing fever and chills. Headaches during viral infections can result from inflammation, sinus congestion, or changes in blood flow.
Other minor infections can also trigger these symptoms. Sinus infections involve inflammation and pressure in the sinus cavities, causing headaches and a general feeling of unwellness, sometimes with chills. Ear infections can also cause head pain and systemic symptoms. Dehydration, a common cause, occurs when the body lacks sufficient fluids. Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, as brain tissue may shrink and put pressure on nerves. It can also interfere with temperature regulation, leading to chilliness.
Psychological and physical stressors can also cause chills and headaches. Stress and fatigue can weaken the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections that cause these symptoms. Prolonged stress can induce psychogenic fever, a rise in body temperature caused by psychological factors, which may include chills and headaches. Anxiety can trigger the fight-or-flight response, leading to physical symptoms like headaches, muscle aches, and sometimes chills.
Other Significant Causes
Other significant causes for chills and headaches include more severe infections. Bacterial infections, such as strep throat, UTIs, or pneumonia, often produce more pronounced chills and higher fevers than viral infections. These infections lead to a systemic inflammatory response, with common symptoms like fever, chills, exhaustion, and headache. Severe bacterial infections can cause sepsis, an exaggerated immune response leading to clammy skin, chills, and increased heart rate.
Certain headache disorders, like migraines, can also cause chills. While headache is the primary symptom, some individuals report feeling cold or experiencing chills before or during a migraine attack. This connection is thought to be due to brain areas involved in migraine also regulating temperature. Medication side effects can also contribute. Various drugs can induce chills or headaches as an adverse reaction, sometimes affecting temperature regulation.
Environmental factors, such as extreme heat or cold, can also trigger chills and headaches. Heat exhaustion, occurring when the body overheats but can still sweat, can present with headache, dizziness, and sometimes cold, clammy skin. Conversely, prolonged exposure to severe cold can lead to hypothermia, a dangerously low body temperature. Chills are an early sign as the body tries to generate heat, and headaches can also occur.
When to Seek Professional Medical Advice
Knowing when to seek medical attention for chills and a headache is important. Consult a healthcare professional if symptoms persist, worsen, or do not improve with self-care.
Certain associated symptoms are red flags requiring immediate medical evaluation. These include a stiff neck, confusion, light sensitivity, a rash, severe abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, or loss of consciousness. Very high fevers (above 103°F/39.4°C in adults) or any fever in infants younger than three months (100.4°F or higher) should prompt a medical visit. Additionally, seek medical advice if symptoms develop after a head injury or if the individual has underlying chronic health conditions.