Why do I shiver when I have a high temperature, not when I have a low one?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the physiological response of shivering during a fever, specifically addressing why shivering occurs at high temperatures rather than low ones. Participants explore the mechanisms behind fever and body temperature regulation, with a focus on the body's set-point changes during illness.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes experiencing shivering when having a fever of 103.8°F, questioning the logic behind needing to generate more heat to combat pathogens when already at a high temperature.
  • Another participant explains that fever involves a change in the body's "set-point," suggesting that during a fever, the body perceives normal temperatures as too cold, prompting shivering as a response.
  • There is a suggestion that the medication taken lowers the fever-inducing mechanism in the brain, which in turn affects the set-point and reduces shivering.
  • Participants express concern for health, advising that high fevers, particularly in adults, warrant medical attention.
  • One participant humorously reflects on the experience of receiving medical advice that confirms a viral infection with no treatment, highlighting the emotional aspect of online support.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the physiological mechanisms of fever and shivering, but there is no consensus on the implications of these mechanisms for treatment or the necessity of medical intervention based on fever severity.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the physiological processes involved in fever and shivering are not fully explored, and there is a lack of detailed discussion on individual variations in fever responses.

wasteofo2
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I'm sick and running a fever. If I take an Advil and my fever goes down, I stop shivering, but as the medicine starts wearing off, I begin to shiver more. I thoguht shivering was a mechanism designed to raise you're body heat, so it doesn't make sense that when I'm running a 103.8 temperature I'd need to generate any more heat to kill whatever pathogen's inside of me.

Paz,
Jacob
 
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Fever is a different mechanism than simply being overheated. Your "setpoint" changes (like raising the temperature on a thermostat as opposed to turning on a separate heater in a room containing the thermostat). When you're running a fever, you perceive room temperature to be too cold, so start shivering. The medicine works on the fever-inducing mechanism in the brain to lower that set-point and help get your temperature down.

Since you're running close to 104 F, if you haven't already seen a doctor, you should do so soon! While 104 isn't unusual for a kid, for an adult, it gets dangerous. Have someone drive you to a doctor (you shouldn't be driving yourself if you are that sick).

Feel better soon!
 
I'm a teenager, and I meant 102.8

Thanks for the info hombre,
Jacob
 
wasteofo2 said:
I'm a teenager, and I meant 102.8

Thanks for the info hombre,
Jacob

When I was saying "kid" I was thinking little kid, like under 12. In terms of high fevers, I'd lump teenagers in with adults in terms of when it's time to see a doctor.

Are you feeling any better today? If the fever doesn't start to go down today, go see a doctor anyway (if it gets worse, call a doctor immediately...I know Sundays aren't the best days to get ahold of a doctor otherwise).
 
Moonbear said:
When I was saying "kid" I was thinking little kid, like under 12. In terms of high fevers, I'd lump teenagers in with adults in terms of when it's time to see a doctor.

Are you feeling any better today? If the fever doesn't start to go down today, go see a doctor anyway (if it gets worse, call a doctor immediately...I know Sundays aren't the best days to get ahold of a doctor otherwise).
I actually am doing better, thanks for caring. It's amazing what some advil, chicken soup, juice and a few days rest will do for a viral infection. It's also amazing what a doctor can do (say: "Yep, it's a virus, nothing I can do for you, that'll be $75).

It's amazing the feeling of sympathy that a series of 1's and 0's tranfered over phone wires into a series of red, green and blue pixels can confer.
 
wasteofo2 said:
It's amazing the feeling of sympathy that a series of 1's and 0's tranfered over phone wires into a series of red, green and blue pixels can confer.

Behold the power of cheese..I mean, err the Internet
 

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