Does anyone know the reason why we feel cold/ shiver when we have a fever? The body's response should be to cool itself in order to lower the tempature, but yet the opposite happens. Can anyone explain why?

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• I like the idea, but the fever doesn't actually heat your body to a temperature that is capable of killing bacteria or viruses, your immune system does that.

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  by Cyndi Ninja on January 15th, 2008

• The normal body temperature of a healthy man is 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit. When bacteria, viruses, or even fungi, invade our body it usually results to an infection. When our body gets infected, its natural response is to activate cells in the immune system. These cells are called white blood cells. When they are activated, they fight these bacteria in many ways, one of which is to raise the body temperature. That's when you have a fever.
  
  When the virus or bacteria enters the body system, they produce toxins that can directly set the body's temperature up. Meanwhile, these toxins also trigger the white blood cells to emit substances that can also increase the body temperature.
  
  Fever then, fights off toxins when we are sick. Toxins are usually weaker than normal cells and have low tolerance to heat. When we start to sweat because of the fever, our body starts to detoxify from the viruses, tumors and other toxic cells that caused the infection. Moreover, blood circulation and respiration

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  by Zombies on January 15th, 2008

• http://www.healthandfitnessadvices.com/articles/health/why-do-we-get-fever.html

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  by Zombies on January 15th, 2008

• Thanks, Seraphin also gave a good explaination as well :)
  It all makes sense now :)

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  by Cyndi Ninja on January 15th, 2008

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• Interesting, I wonder why that is...because the temperatures we produce are not high enough for the heat alone to kill bacteria or viruses. So even though the fever is dangerous, the body tells you that you are cold so that it can improve it's ability to fight the infection?

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  by Cyndi Ninja on January 15th, 2008

• you heat up because your immune system works better at a slightly higher temperature. sometimes its the actual infection that highers the temperature so your body sweats, the sweat evaporates and takes some heat away with it. thats why you have a fever but also feel cold.

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  by Seraphim Shinobi on January 15th, 2008

• Considering the body will also 'sweat out' impurities, I wonder if the sweating is also a way for the body to try and excrete what it feels is a toxin? That may also be another reason if it's true. Thanks :)

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  by Cyndi Ninja on January 15th, 2008

• no, the toxin is in your blood, the sweat comes from a different place.

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  by Seraphim Shinobi on January 15th, 2008

• One of those old wives tales then I suppose.

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  by Cyndi Ninja on January 15th, 2008

• yep just like the feed a cold starve a fever thing

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  by Seraphim Shinobi on January 15th, 2008

• Indeed :)

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  by Cyndi Ninja on January 15th, 2008

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