Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesHome RemediesWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Home Remedies
When to See a Provider
Body aches and chills (shivering) often occur with or before a fever. But you can also experience them without being sick or running a fever. Having body aches andchillswithout a fever can occur for multiple reasons, including cold weather, stress, certain chronic health conditions, and more.
Body aches are typically due toinflammation(swelling) or muscle tension. Chills are how the body warms itself up. They are the result of the muscles rapidly contracting and relaxing.Understanding and treating the root cause of body aches and chills with no fever can help you find relief.
SVPhilon / Getty Images
Causes of Body Aches and Chills but No Fever
Infection, illness, inflammation, allergies, or immune system problems can cause body aches and chills.But this can happen for less alarming reasons, including weather, stress, and other lifestyle factors.
1. Cold Exposure
Cold weather or consistently working with cold substances can trigger body aches and chills.When you get cold, the blood vessels near your skin constrict (narrow). Your body does this to conserve heat and keep your vital organs (heart, brain, etc.) warm.
This constriction causes blood flow to decrease peripherally, activating internal heating mechanisms like shivering or muscle contraction to warm up, causing chills, aches, or stiffness.
2. Stress
When you feel stress or anxiety, your body releasesadrenaline(a chemical that gives you a quick burst of energy when the brain perceives danger), known as the fight-or-flight response.
Fight-or-flight causes your heart to beat faster and your muscles to tense. The muscle tension, especially withpersistent stress, can cause body aches. Chills can occur with stress because it can alter how your body controls temperature.
3. Dehydration
Dehydrationoccurs when you don’t have enough fluids in your body. It can happen because you aren’t drinking enough or your body is getting rid of fluid too fast. Your body may lose fluid too quickly due to vomiting or diarrhea, excessive sweating or urination, skin burns or infections, or malnutrition.
Your body needs water for most of its functions. Thus, dehydration can lead to some surprising symptoms andcause you to feel bad.
It can make your heart work extra hard to push blood out to the rest of the body. Since water is an important component of muscle tissue, dehydration leads to body aches. It can also make it more difficult for the body to regulate temperature, causing chills.
4. Viral Infection
Your body may also raise your temperature in an attempt to kill the virus. Sometimes, this results in chills, a fever, or both. That said, it’s possible to get the chills before a fever or to have flu-like symptoms but no fever.
COVID-19The coronavirus (COVID-19) is also a virus that can cause body aches and chills with no fever or before a fever. While this is not an exhaustive list,other symptoms of COVID-19include:Loss of taste or smellSore throatCoughCongestionRunny noseUpset stomach, diarrhea, or vomitingHeadacheFatigueShortness of breathYou can also have COVID-19 without displaying any symptoms.
COVID-19
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is also a virus that can cause body aches and chills with no fever or before a fever. While this is not an exhaustive list,other symptoms of COVID-19include:Loss of taste or smellSore throatCoughCongestionRunny noseUpset stomach, diarrhea, or vomitingHeadacheFatigueShortness of breathYou can also have COVID-19 without displaying any symptoms.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is also a virus that can cause body aches and chills with no fever or before a fever. While this is not an exhaustive list,other symptoms of COVID-19include:
You can also have COVID-19 without displaying any symptoms.
5. Bacterial Infection
Chills can occur when the body tries to raise its temperature to kill the bacteria. This happens before a fever or without the body temperature getting high enough to be a fever.
6. Medications
Examples of medications that can cause body aches or chills include:
7. Chronic Conditions
While this is not an exhaustive list, examples of chronic conditions that could cause these body aches and chills without a fever include:
8. Seasonal Allergies
Congestion, sneezing, or watery eyes are common seasonalallergy symptoms. While less common, allergies can also cause body aches and chills when the immune system sees the allergen as a threat and activates an inflammatory response.
9. Lack of Sleep
Sleep deprivationcan lead to inflammation or make inflammatory responses worse. It can also causephysical symptomsthat can contribute to body aches and chills, such as:
10. Menstrual Cramps
For some people,menstrual (period) crampscan cause nausea, headaches, body aches, and chills.This is most likely due to theprostaglandins(chemicals that cause inflammation) the body releases during menstruation.
11. Hormone Changes
Hormone changes can contribute to inflammation and changes in how the body regulates temperature.For example, ifestrogen levels drop, females may experience night sweats, hot flashes, and body aches. Chills can follow hot flashes or night sweats as the body tries to cool down.
Home Remedies for Body Aches and Chills
Getting rid of chills and body aches depends on what’s causing it. Here are some ways to find relief at home.
1. Heat Therapy
Sometimes, rest and a warm bath or shower, a warm compress, heating pads, or a hot water bottle can help warm you up and relax your muscles.Consider addingEpsom salt to your bathwater for added benefits.
2. Hydration
If you don’t have a fever, consider warm lemon water, herbal teas, or clear broths to help warm the body. Ginger tea is a good choice as it can help decrease inflammation.
3. Light Exercise
Gentle exercises like stretching,Pilates, yoga, or walking can help reduce muscle aches, increase blood flow to the body, and decrease stress.However, it’s important not to overdo it, as overly strenuous exercise can cause muscle strain and body aches.
4. Over the Counter (OTC) Medications
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers likeTylenol (acetaminophen)orNonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)such as Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen) can help relieve inflammation and block pain.NSAIDs can cause stomach ulcers and kidney injury, while Tylenol should be used with caution in people with liver disease.
If you think allergies could be the underlying cause, considerOTC allergy medications.
Consult a healthcare provider before beginning new medicines (including OTC medications), vitamins, supplements, or herbal remedies. They could interact with other medications or cause complications for those with certain health conditions.
5. Relaxation and Stress Management
Or, you can try the 4-7-8 breathing technique as follows:
6. Magnesium
Some studies show thatmagnesium supplementationhelps decrease stress and pain, especially for those with chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia or restless leg syndrome.It also helps increase sleep quality.
Many people take magnesium pills orally, but others use it topically (rubbing magnesium oil or lotion on their feet, legs, hands, etc.).
7. Medical Treatment
Medical treatment depends on the underlying cause. For example, you may need medications to treat an underlying chronic illness or antibiotics for a bacterial infection.Chronic stress could require help from a mental health professional through treatments such ascognitive behavioral therapy.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
The following are signs that the underlying cause of body aches and chills requires medical attention:
Notify a healthcare provider if you have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or a weakened immune system.
Summary
Body aches and chills can occur with or without a fever. While an infection or illness can be the underlying cause, this can also result from cold exposure, stress, allergies, dehydration, or medications.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause. For example, heat therapy can help with cold exposure or muscle tension. However, an infection may require antiviral or antibiotic medication. If home treatment does not resolve symptoms or they worsen, seek medical attention.
32 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Roicke H, Köhler W, Baum P, Baerwald C, Krasselt M.Nichtentzündliche muskelschmerzen [Non-inflammatory muscle pain].Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 2020;145(13):887-894. doi:10.1055/a-1068-5210
MedlinePlus.Chills.
Farbu EH, Höper AC, Reierth E, Nilsson T, Skandfer M.Cold exposure and musculoskeletal conditions; a scoping review.Frontiers in Physiology. 2022;13. doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.934163
Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A.The impact of stress on body function: A review.EXCLI Journal. 2017;16:1057-1072. doi:10.17179/excli2017-480
Kozlowska K, Walker P, McLean L, Carrive P.Fear and the defense cascade.Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 2015;23(4):263-287. doi:10.1097/hrp.0000000000000065
Perry BG, Bear TL, Lucas SJ, Mündel T.Mild dehydration modifies the cerebrovascular response to the cold pressor test.Exp Physiol. 2016;101(1):135-42. doi: 10.1113/EP085449
Widyadharma IP, Dewi PR, Wijayanti IA, Utami DK.Pain related viral infections: A literature review.The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. 2020;56(1). doi:10.1186/s41983-020-00238-4
Chen L, Deng H, Cui H, et al.Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs.Oncotarget. 2017;9(6):7204-7218. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.23208
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical signs and symptoms of influenza.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 symptoms.
Holmqvist M, Inghammar M, Påhlman LI, et al.Risk of bacteremia in patients presenting with shaking chills and vomiting - a prospective cohort study.Epidemiology and Infection. 2020;148. doi:10.1017/s0950268820000746
MedlinePlus.Bacterial infections.
MedlinePlus.Opiate and opioid withdrawal.
Visco DB, Manhães-de-Castro R, Chaves WF, Lacerda DC, Pereira SDC, Ferraz-Pereira KN, Toscano AE.Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors affect structure, function and metabolism of skeletal muscle: A systematic review.Pharmacol Res. 2018;136:194-204. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.09.004
Manti S, Brown P, Perez MK, Piedimonte G.The role of neurotrophins in inflammation and allergy.Vitam Horm. 2017;104:313-341. doi: 10.1016/bs.vh.2016.10.010
Kim TW, Jeong JH, Hong SC.The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism.Int J Endocrinol. 2015;2015:591729. doi:10.1155/2015/591729
Staffe AT, Bech MW, Clemmensen SLK, Nielsen HT, Larsen DB, Petersen KK.Total sleep deprivation increases pain sensitivity, impairs conditioned pain modulation and facilitates temporal summation of pain in healthy participants.PLoS One. 2019;14(12):e0225849. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225849
Baker FC, Siboza F, Fuller A.Temperature regulation in women: Effects of the menstrual cycle.Temperature. 2020;7(3):226-262. doi:10.1080/23328940.2020.1735927
Barcikowska Z, Rajkowska-Labon E, Grzybowska ME, Hansdorfer-Korzon R, Zorena K.Inflammatory markers in dysmenorrhea and therapeutic options.International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020;17(4):1191. doi:10.3390/ijerph17041191
Freiwald J, Magni A, Fanlo-Mazas P, Paulino E, Sequeira de Medeiros L, Moretti B, Schleip R, Solarino G.A role for superficial heat therapy in the management of non-specific, mild-to-moderate low back pain in current clinical practice: A narrative review.Life (Basel). 2021;11(8):780. doi: 10.3390/life11080780
Samayochitha K, Geetha Praveena B.Epsom salt hot water and plain hot water application: Reduce knee joint pain updated review.Indian Journal of Nursing Sciences. 2020;5(2):139-144. doi:10.31690/ijns.2020.v05i02.003
Ozkur M, Benlier N, Takan I, et al.Ginger for healthy aging: A systematic review on current evidence of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2022;2022. doi:10.1155/2022/4748447
Macian N, Dualé C, Voute M, Leray V, Courrent M, Bodé P, Giron F, Sonneville S, Bernard L, Joanny F, Menard K, Ducheix G, Pereira B, Pickering G.Short-term magnesium therapy alleviates moderate stress in patients with fibromyalgia: A randomized double-blind clinical trial.Nutrients. 2022;14(10):2088. doi:10.3390/nu14102088
Reno AM, Green M, Killen LG, O’Neal EK, Pritchett K, Hanson Z.Effects of magnesium supplementation on muscle soreness and performance.J Strength Cond Res. 2022;36(8):2198-2203. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000003827
Arab A, Rafie N, Amani R, Shirani F.The role of magnesium in sleep health: A systematic review of available literature.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2023;201(1):121-128. doi:10.1007/s12011-022-03162-1
Razzaque, M. S.Magnesium: Are we consuming enough?Nutrients. 2018;10(12). doi.org/10.3390/nu10121863
Harvard Health Publishing.Fever in adults: When to worry.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: When to seek medical treatment.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
