Fever sore throat headache body aches chills dizziness

Q: Why does my body ache and I have chills and a headache?

You have a viral or bacterial infection. Your body temperature increases, even though you might feel cold. If you have a viral infection, you will usually notice other symptoms along with chills, such as sore throat, cough, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.

How do I know if I have the flu?

The CDC defines flu symptoms to include fever (temperature of 100.3 degrees F [38 degrees C] or greater, or signs of fever such as chills, sweats, flushing, skin feeling hot) with cough and/or sore throat. In addition, you may experience headache, body aches, fatigue, nasal congestion, vomiting and diarrhea. To help determine if you have a cold or flu, and for more advice, complete this brief, flu screening.

Table of Contents Show

How do I know if I have the flu?
Cold or flu? What to do?
High risk conditions include:
How to Care for Yourself
When to Seek Medical Care
Who can I talk to if I need more advice?
Does Covid start with body aches and chills?
Does flu cause headache and dizziness?
Why does my body ache and I have chills and a headache?
Will the flu make me dizzy?

Cold or flu? What to do?

In general, unless you are experiencing difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent vomiting, severe diarrhea or instability related to dehydration, persistent fever more than 3-4 days, or have a high-risk condition, you should stay home and use self-care measures.

High risk conditions include:

lung diseases like asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis or emphysema
heart disease
chronic kidney disease
metabolic diseases like diabetes
blood disorders like sickle cell or other severe anemia
a weakened immune system caused, for example, by cancer or cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS, organ transplant, or corticosteroid therapy
certain conditions such as nervous system or muscular disorders or seizure disorders that can cause breathing problems or increase the risk of inhaling oral secretions.
pregnancy

How to Care for Yourself

Medications used to treat the flu or a cold control symptoms. Antibiotics won’t work – they combat bacterial, not viral, infections. Viruses actually hide inside your own cells where antibiotics cannot affect them. Flu and cold care is aimed at symptom relief and immune system support. These include the following:

Get plenty of rest.
Do not smoke.
Drink plenty of fluids—up to 3-4 liters per day (to prevent dehydration from fever and to help loosen mucous or phlegm).
For fever, headache, body aches, or sore throat pain, take Tylenol (acetaminophen) Advil (ibuprofen), or Aleve (naproxen) every 4-6 hours.
For sore throat, gargle every 4 hours with warm, salty water (mix 1/2 teaspoon salt or baking soda in 8 oz. of warm water). Also, try using throat lozenges containing a numbing medication.
For hoarseness or laryngitis, talk as little as possible. Straining the voice can prolong or worsen laryngitis.
For heavy amounts of nasal discharge or a large amount of phlegm associated with cough, consider using a mucolytic, such as Mucinex (available over-the-counter).
For persistent runny nose or nasal congestion, antihistamines and decongestants may be used. Mild antihistamines such as Chlor-Trimeton are useful for runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes. Use a decongestant such as Sudafed (pseudophedrine) for nasal/sinus congestion or ear fullness. A combination antihistamine/decongestant such as Actifed or Dimetapp may be taken for multiple symptoms. But remember, antihistamines may make you drowsy (decongestants usually will not)!
Read this flu information (PDF) for more guidance.

When to Seek Medical Care

Flu and colds may lead to secondary bacterial infections or worsening of chronic conditions such as asthma for which prescription medication would be necessary. You should seek medical attention if you are not improving after 7-10 days or for any of the following symptoms:

Very sore throat that shows no signs of improving after 3 days, or that is accompanied by fever and without any other usual cold symptoms
Painful swelling of the lymph nodes or glands in the neck
Discolored mucus from nasal passages for more than 7-10 days
Pain or tenderness around the eyes
Ear pain (as opposed to a “full” feeling)
Cough with production of a large amount of discolored mucus
Painful breathing, wheezing or shortness of breath
Cough that persists more than 2-3 weeks
Severe headaches or facial pain not relieved with over-the-counter medication
Fever higher than 100.4 degrees for more than 3-4 days

Who can I talk to if I need more advice?

If you are ill and need additional advice you may call the SHS Urgent Care nurse at (858) 534-3302. After hours, you can reach an advice nurse by calling our main phone (858) 534-3300 and choosing the "Advice Nurse" option.

Symptoms

Most people infected with yellow fever virus will either have no symptoms or mild symptoms and completely recover. For people who develop symptoms, the time from infection until illness is typically 3 to 6 days.

Initial symptoms can include sudden onset of fever, chills, severe headache, back pain, general body aches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue (feeling tired), weakness.
- Most people who develop symptoms improve within one week.
- For some people who recover, weakness and fatigue (feeling tired) might last several months.
A few people will develop a more severe form of the disease.
- For 1 out of 7 people who have the initial symptoms, there will be a brief remission (a time you feel better) that may last only a few hours or for a day, followed by a more severe form of the disease.
- Severe symptoms include high fever, yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), bleeding, shock, and organ failure.
- Among those who develop severe disease, 30-60% die.
Once you have been infected, you are likely protected from future infections.

Diagnosis

See your healthcare provider if you have visited an area where yellow fever is found and have symptoms described above.

Tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled.
Your healthcare provider can order blood tests to look for yellow fever or other similar viruses, like dengue.

More information on diagnostic testing is available on the For Healthcare Providers page.

Treatment

There is no medicine to treat yellow fever. However, a vaccine is available to prevent disease.
Rest, drink fluids, and use over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce fever and relieve aching.
- Avoid certain medications, such as aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve), which may increase the risk of bleeding.
People with severe symptoms of yellow fever infection should be hospitalized for close observation and supportive care.
If after returning from travel you have symptoms of yellow fever (usually about a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito), protect yourself from mosquito bites for up to 5 days after symptoms begin. This will help prevent spreading yellow fever to uninfected mosquitoes that can spread the virus to other people.

Does Covid start with body aches and chills?

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever and/or chills, headache, muscle pain or body aches, feeling tired or weak, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, vomiting and diarrhea, and change in or loss of taste or smell. Learn more about the flu and older adults.

Does flu cause headache and dizziness?

Lightheadedness may also occur if you have the flu, low blood sugar, a cold, or allergies. More serious conditions that can lead to lightheadedness include: Heart problems, such as a heart attack or abnormal heart beat.

Why does my body ache and I have chills and a headache?

You have a viral or bacterial infection. “Your body temperature increases, even though you might feel cold. If you have a viral infection, you will usually notice other symptoms along with chills, such as sore throat, cough, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.

Will the flu make me dizzy?

Flu symptoms often deter some from eating and drinking, however, this can usually lead to dizziness—especially when you're dehydrated. “Dizziness can also occur as a post-viral condition where the inner ear is affected causing varying degrees of dizziness,” Dr.

fever sore throat headache body aches chills dizziness