Why Do We Feel Cold When We Have Fever?

Why Do We Feel Cold When We Have Fever? 

When I was a kid, I always wondered why we felt cold during a fever when our bodies were hot.

There is a simple and logical explanation for "why we feel cold during fever. "Our body has a unique mechanism against threats to it. It is the defense system of our body known as the immune system.

Fever is one of the ways for our body to deal with threats(viruses and bacteria) and unknown contaminants.

The Scientific Explanation 

The immune system can be activated by many different things that the body doesn’t recognize as its own. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.

When there is any bacterial or viral infection, the immune system causes our body to raise its temperature.

Because many bacterias and viruses multiply at a slower rate, this increases white blood cell production speed which fights off bacteria at a high temperature of more than 98.6 Fahrenheit (37° Celsius). 

Raising the body temperature is not only a defensive mechanism of the body; there are many more -but it is considered one of the most effective.

So that's how our immune system works, but why do we feel cold? 

Reason

So our body is at higher temperatures than usual, and feeling cold is an indicator of decreased body temperature. 

In more simple words, we can say that our body releases heat to get back to the normal temperature, and as a result of this heat transfer, we feel cold.

There is another question why do we get chills in the cold? 

Chills occur because your muscles rapidly contract and relax to produce body heat. It happens in response to both cold air temperatures and an increase in your internal body temperature.

Well, now you know why do we feel cold when we have a fever.

Types Of Fever

The type of fever and how long it lasts depend upon certain factors. Fever for flu or cold will be different from the fever for pneumonia. The fever for meningitis will be different from the ear infection, for instance. If you or your kid have a fever after getting a vaccine shot, it is pretty normal because our immune system is trying to fight off the newly injected bacteria.

When a fever last for 2 or 3 days, it is considered normal when other symptoms don't accompany it 

However, it would help if you visited health care when the following occur:

> The fever lasts for more than 3 

> The fever is abnormally high, usually 101 degrees Fahrenheit. This is applied to newborns under 1 year old.

Immediately rush to the emergency if you or any of your loved ones experience fever with these symptoms:

> Suffering from seizure.

> Not being able to move the leg or arm – or not being able to walk.

> having difficulty in breathing.

Covid-19 And Fever 

Fever is a common symptom of COVID-19(Corona Virus). About 78% of people experience fever during infection. However, not everyone who has got COVID-19 infection will experience fever. Some other common symptoms include cough, fatigue, headache, and loss of taste and smell.

Many infections can cause fever, but if a person has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or above, they should stay at home and get medical advice. This is because the fever may be an early indication of COVID-19.

In the overall sense, fever is a sign that your body is struggling and fighting off infections.

Get more information about fever at Fever.