What Are Other Causes Of Chills
As many as two in three people experience chills and shivering after receiving general anesthesia for a surgery. Even if you arent feeling cold, a drop in body temperature may cause you to shiver as you come out of the anesthesia.
Some people tremble from a surge of adrenaline after a traumatic event like an accident or near accident. Psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder , may also make you feel shaky.
Could It Be A Cold Or Allergies
Like flu and COVID-19, colds are also caused by viruses and can be passed to others.
Symptoms of a cold tend to be mild. You may have a runny nose, cough, congestion, and sore throat. But you wont usually have the aches and fever that are common with COVID-19 and flu. Often, youll feel better in a couple of days.
Theres no cure for the common cold. Typical treatments include rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medicines. Some complementary treatments may help with cold symptoms, too. Taking honey may help with nighttime cough for children over 1 year old. Rinsing your nose and sinuses can help with congestion. You can use a neti pot or other nasal rinsing device. Be sure to only use water thats been properly processed, such as distilled or boiled water, not tap water. Nasal rinses can bring relief for both cold and allergies.
Allergies can cause a runny nose and sneezing. But theyre not contagious. If your eyes, nose, or ears itch, that also could be an allergy.
Exposure to things like dust, pets, and tree or grass pollen can trigger allergies, which are caused by the immune systemThe system that protects your body from invading viruses, bacteria, and other microscopic threats. overreacting.
Allergy symptoms tend to stop when youre no longer exposed to the cause. Unless you have asthma, allergies typically do not cause breathing problems. Allergies can be treated with drugs like antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroids.
You’ll Probably Have These Common Symptoms
If you think of sneezing, wheezing and watery eyes when you think of seasonal allergies, you’d be on the right track. There’s a good chance you have seasonal allergies if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Frequent sneezing
- Itchy throat
- Puffy eyelids
Most seasonal allergies are caused by pollen from trees, grasses and weeds. If you have winter allergies, you’re probably allergic to an indoor allergen like dust mites.
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What Can Cause Allergy Symptoms And Fever
Viral infections can cause a person to develop allergy-like symptoms alongside a fever.
One notable indication that a person has allergies is that allergy symptoms last only as long as people are experiencing an exposure to the allergen. Other causes, such as the flu or common cold, can last much longer.
Additionally, allergies cause a person to experience itchy and watery eyes. This does not typically occur alongside a cold or flu.
Is It An Allergy Or Covid
When COVID-19 and seasonal allergies are circulating at the same time, every sniffle can lead you to worry that you might have the virus. From the perspective of a parent, one of the biggest issues is when kids in school have allergy symptoms that are poorly controlled, and then the school system sends them home or says they need a physicians note, Dr. Leeds says.
The CDC has a Venn diagram that shows symptoms the two conditions have in common. These include congestion, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath. But comparing the most common symptoms reveals clear differences. Seasonal allergies usually cause itchy or watery eyes and sneezing, while COVID-19 is characterized by fever and chills, muscle and body aches, new loss of taste and smell, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea.
Because of COVID-19, people are afraid of you when youre sniffling, says Dr. Hsu. But it goes both waysa lot of people are sniffling and sneezing and coughing, and they are not getting tested for COVID-19, because they assume its allergies. And they are probably correct.
Often the distinction is clearpeople with allergies itch more, and they dont have the fatigue, malaise, and fever that comes with COVID-19. But anyone who is concerned should call their doctor, she says.
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What’s The Difference Between Allergy Symptoms And Covid Symptoms
Seasonal allergies and COVID-19 do have some of the same signs, but there are some notable differences, the CDC said.
Both COVID and allergies can make you cough, and both can give you headaches or fatigue. But you may have fever, chills or body aches with COVID that you wouldn’t experience with seasonal allergies. And while allergies can give you a runny or stuffy nose, that’s much less common with COVID.
Its allergy season. #COVID19& seasonal allergies share some symptoms, but not others. Use this chart to compare the symptoms of COVID-19 & seasonal allergies so you can tell the difference.If youre sick, you may need a COVID-19 test. More: .
Dont Freak Out If Allergies Get Worse
Due to fluctuations in pollen levels every year, its totally normal if your allergies are mild one year and then worse the next, Rampur says.
But what if youve never had seasonal allergies before and you suddenly get them? This is also common.
First, if youve recently moved to the area, you could develop allergies as your immune system adjusts to the new pollens youre exposed to. Typically how this works is your allergies wont develop until your second or third year in a new place, Ayars says.
If other people in your family have allergies, its possible you will develop them at some point, too. While its more common for allergies to begin developing in childhood or ones teenaged years, Ayars still sees plenty of patients who start getting a new allergy in adulthood.
Another thing that could make you more susceptible to seasonal allergies is having another medical condition linked to your immune system, such as asthma or eczema.
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Fever And Allergies Symptoms
The most common sign that you have an allergy is that it is short-lived and persists only as long as you are exposed to the allergen. If your symptoms persist, it may be that you have the flu or the common cold since they typically last longer.
However, itchy and watery eyes, which are common in allergies, are not signs of the flu or a cold.
Fever With Allergy Symptoms
When you develop congestion, regardless of the cause, the buildup of mucus in your sinuses can be a breeding ground for bacteria. When an infection takes hold, you can be hit with a fever that can last for several days.
Congestion can be the result of sinusitis, allergies, or something more serious, such as the flu virus. Its sometimes hard to know whats causing your symptoms, because a cold or flu can mimic many of the signs of an allergy.
Discovering exactly whats causing your symptoms, even if theyre mild, is important. Once you know the cause of your symptoms, you can start an effective treatment plan. And, in the case of an allergy, you can take steps to prevent symptoms or flare-ups in the future.
The key, however, is a proper diagnosis.
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Despite Symptoms Its Not The Flu
COVID-19 is not the flu.
As one of a class of pathogens known as coronaviruses, its actually more closely related to the common cold than the seasonal flu.
However, despite some overlap, the typical symptoms of COVID-19 are more similar to the flu than the common cold .
The new delta variant of COVID-19, however, may have more cold-like symptoms.
In terms of differentiating between flu and COVID-19, it can be almost impossible to distinguish, Dr. Jake Deutsch, co-founder and clinical director of Cure Urgent Care centers and Specialty Infusion in New York. Thats why people are recommended to have flu vaccinations so it can at least minimize the risk of flu in light of everything else.
Fevers, body aches, coughing, sneezing could all be equally attributed to them both, so it really means that if theres a concern for flu, theres a concern for COVID-19, Deutsch said.
If you have a mild case of COVID-19, the flu, or a cold, treatment is geared toward management of symptoms, said Cutler.
Generally, acetaminophen is recommended for fevers, he said. Cough drops and cough syrups can also help keep mucus secretions thinner. If there is associated nasal congestion, antihistamines may be useful.
About Author: Lisa Coon
Lisa Coon is a Writing Coordinator for OSF HealthCare, where she has worked since August 2016. A Peoria native, she is a graduate of Bradley University with a degree in journalism. Previously, she worked as a reporter and editor at several newspapers in Iowa and Illinois.She lives in Groveland with her husband and son. In her free time she likes to cook, bake and read. She freely admits that reality TV is a weakness, and she lives by the quote, The beach is good for the soul.
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Chills Joint Aches Nasal Congestion And Night Sweats
- Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Reviewed on 8/31/2020
Sometimes, chills, night sweats, and joint aches and pains can accompany upper respiratory conditions including nasal congestion, sinus infection, hay fever, or allergic responses to indoor allergens. It is common for respiratory conditions to cause general symptoms of feeling unwell. If you are experiencing worrisome symptoms, seek the advice of your doctor.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
Can A Cold Or Flu Cause Allergies
An allergy is an inflammatory immune response to specific foods or something in the environment, known as an allergen. Colds and flu are caused by viruses or bacteria. Therefore, a cold or flu cannot cause an allergy.
Sometimes, allergies can lead to a sinus infection, which may develop into a fever. Sinus infections are the result of excess mucus and debris getting trapped in the air-filled sinus passages. However, the infection develops due to the bacteria or viruses present rather than the allergens.
Knowing what a person is allergic to can help in treating the allergies. A person can be allergic to several allergens at once. Some of the key steps to reducing allergy symptoms include:
A person with severe allergies may benefit from immunotherapy. This approach involves injecting increasing amounts of allergens in the body to de-sensitize the bodys immune response. A doctor must prescribe these injections.
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How To Tell The Difference Between Seasonal Allergies And Covid
As allergy season collides with yet another rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide, deciphering the difference between symptoms of the coronavirus and allergies can be tricky. So how can you tell the difference between the two?
“The pollen counts are up throughout the country, and the symptoms can be quite similar,” board certified allergist, pediatrician and immunologist Dr. Anjuli Mehrotra told CBS News’ Vladimir Duthiers and Nancy Chen Thursday.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, common symptoms between seasonal allergies and COVID can include cough, headache and tiredness.
Seasonal allergies do not usually cause shortness of breath, which is a symptom consistent with COVID, unless the person has a respiratory condition like asthma. Allergies also do not typically cause a fever, chills, body aches or a loss of taste or smell, which are all common symptoms of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, COVID does not usually cause sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, a runny or stuffy nose, or sore throat, which are common allergies symptoms, the CDC says.
Its allergy season. #COVID19& seasonal allergies share some symptoms, but not others. Use this chart to compare the symptoms of COVID-19 & seasonal allergies so you can tell the difference.
If youre sick, you may need a COVID-19 test. More: .
CDC
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How Are Chills Treated
Layering clothes or getting to a warm place can make cold chills go away. You can also drink hot chocolate, coffee or tea to raise your internal body temperature.
If an illness, infection or another health problem causes chills, treating the condition should get rid of the symptom. Treatments vary depending on the underlying cause. They may include:
- Antibiotics for bacterial and parasitic infections.
- Antiviral medications for viral infections.
- Over-the-counter medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen , for conditions like flu that cause fevers and chills.
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Better Safe Than Sorry
At the end of the day, if you are unsure about your symptoms, then you should err on the side of caution.
If you aren’t feeling well, stay indoors and contact your health care provider. This is the best way to ensure that you aren’t contributing to the spread of coronavirus. You may also call the UMMS Nurse Call Line to discuss your symptoms. Only people with symptoms can get a doctor’s order to get tested for coronavirus.
Even if you don’t have symptoms or your doctor confirms that you have allergies, continue to wear a mask, social distance and get vaccinated to slow the spread of the disease.
UMMS provides our expert-reviewed content to keep our community informed. When sharing this copyrighted content, please link to our site so that critical updates are reflected.
In This Section:
Signs Your Symptoms Are Caused By Allergies
1. You have a combo of nasal congestion, a scratchy throat, a runny nose, pressure around your eyes, and itchy ears and eyes. Looks like allergies, smells would smell like allergies too, if you weren’t too stuffed up to smell.
2. Your symptoms last more than two weeks. If your nose runs on and on, with a scratchy throat and lots of congestion that gets no worse, but no better, it’s probably just allergies.
3. Your snot is yellow or clear. Even with pale yellow snot, you’re OK.
4. You’re fine the rest of the year. Asthmatic coughing and wheezing that starts up juuust about the same time as the flowers bloom in April, May, or June is an unlikely coincidence. *Puts money on allergies.*
5. If you do think you have allergies: Consider taking an OTC antihistamine, or better yet, see an allergist who can tell you exactly what to take and whether you could benefit from a nasal steroid or a nasal spray. And feel better!
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Should I Stop My Antibiotic If Im Having A Side Effect
If you are experiencing a bothersome or serious antibiotic side effect, you should contact your health care provider to discuss your symptoms. The outcomes may include:
- Staying on the same antibiotic and managing the side effect
- Adjusting the dose
- Switching to a different antibiotic
In most cases, antibiotic treatment should not be stopped without a health care providers approval all medication should be finished. Stopping antibiotics early may allow the infection to worsen and may lead to antibiotic resistance, making the antibiotic less effective. Even if the infection appears to have cleared up before all of the medication is gone, the full course of antibiotic treatment should always be completed unless you are told otherwise by your doctor.
What Is Your Body Telling You When You Get The Chills
You can expect to get the chills when in a cold environment or if you have a cold or the flu. While chills and fever often come together, they dont necessarily have to.
Chills are brought on by your muscles expanding and contracting its your bodys attempt to burn energy to keep you warm. By themselves, the chills are not an illness, but can signal that an illness might be causing them.
Dr. Scott Carrington, a family medicine physician with Advocate Medical Group, explains that sometimes the chills are the start of an illness and a fever may soon follow. It is very important to monitor this and consult a physician if a fever does present. Sometimes an infectious or systemic illness might bring on the chills, Dr. Carrington says. The infection or illness causes the immune system to shift the bodys temperature upward as a defense mechanism, which conversely results in the sensation of feeling cold.
But the chills arent always accompanied by a fever. According to Dr. Carrington, the most common causes of chills with no fever are:
- Anemia: a common blood disorder
- Anxiety: anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness
- Hypoglycemia: low blood sugar
- Hypothyroidism: thyroid gland is not active enough
- Prescription drugs: chills can be a side effect
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Symptoms Such As Coughing Headaches Sore Throats And A Runny Nose Are Ailments Of Both Allergies And Covid
An illustration of COVID-19.
Illustration by Alex Cochran, Deseret News
Every spring people start sneezing and coughing from seasonal allergies. The symptoms are similar to those of COVID-19. So, how do you know which one of the two youre suffering from?
Why it matters: This is the third allergy season since the pandemic began, but this year has the fewest restrictions, such as masking and social distancing.
The pollen counts are up throughout the country, and the symptoms can be quite similar, board certified allergist, pediatrician and immunologist Dr. Anjuli Mehrotra told CBS News Thursday.
Details: Here are the symptoms of allergies:
- Congestion, loss of smell, redness, runny nose, post-nasal drip, sneezing or stuffy nose.
- Puffy eyes and redness.
In the past, COVID-19 symptoms looked much different than allergies, dominated by:
- A fever.
- Shortness of breath.
- As well as coughing, sore throat, body aches and loss of smell and taste.
According to Fortune Magazine, most coronavirus patients now have milder symptoms because of resistance to the virus through vaccination or previous infection.
State of play: Its quite possible that people could have what they think are allergy symptoms and actually have COVID, Dr. Robin C. Colgrove, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard who works in the infectious disease division at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, told the magazine.
