The word chills refers to the feeling of being extremely cold without an obvious cause
When your muscles contract and relax, you get the sensation of being freezing cold. If the symptoms last for more than a day or two, they're called chills. Chills can happen due to a cold or high fever and often cause shaking or shivering.
During the day, your body's temperature stays quite constant. However, it drops off at night when you're sleeping. It's during the night hours when you can feel chills. They can be felt most commonly in the upper part of your body. In fact, some experts believe chills are caused by an increase in blood pressure.
Medical experts are not entirely certain about how to treat chills. They believe that they are caused by a number of things including anxiety and stress. This causes you to tense up and can make you feel cold or freeze.
Some people have chills because their bodies are experiencing some sort of hormonal imbalance. Other times, it could be that the immune system has been compromised. This means your body isn't able to produce enough antibodies that keep bacteria in check.
Also, a virus or bacteria may be responsible. You may also get chills if you're suffering from an illness, a drug reaction, or an infection. It's also possible that you're allergic to a substance such as salt, perfume or detergent.
Cold sores are another possible cause. Many people say that chills come about because the body is trying to warn you of a possible cold sore and so it releases histamine, which is responsible for triggering a painful rash.
One of the more common types of chills is called tinnitus, which is often confused with hearing loss. Tinnitus occurs when there is a ringing in the ears that does not respond to external stimuli. The sound is often heard inside your head but is not seen by the outside.
There are many possibilities for why you might get chills and finding out what causes them could be crucial to helping yourself to deal with them.
If the symptoms do go away on their own, then there is no need to seek medical attention
However, if you experience frequent chills and the severity is severe, then you should consult a doctor. Your doctor will probably want to run tests to determine whether you have an allergy or another disorder. He will likely take a physical examination as well. He will want to test to make sure there is no structural damage to your ears.
If he suspects that you do have a problem with your ears, then your doctor may suggest hearing aids or an MRI to make sure your head is healthy. In some cases, surgery may be necessary.
In addition to treatment of the ailment, your doctor will also ask you to avoid certain substances that might trigger the symptoms. If you smoke, then you should quit, since smoking is known to aggravate the problem. Chills can also be induced by certain foods.
It's also a good idea to stay away from alcohol, which can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Also, you should keep yourself hydrated at all times. If you're experiencing chills during menstruation, then it's also important that you stop using contraceptives and if you're taking prescription pain medication, then make sure you read the labels carefully and see your doctor.
If you suspect that you are having symptoms related to a specific ailment or illness, then you should check to see if the problem can be solved by eliminating or reducing the possible causes. For example, if you're allergic to chocolate then it may be worth eliminating the food in question or eliminating chocolate altogether.