Constipation is defined by having fewer than three bowel movements per week, or by passing hard, difficult, or painful stools. Chills are episodes of shivering, often accompanied by paleness, signaling the body is trying to raise its core temperature, typically in response to a fever. While many people experience both symptoms, constipation alone rarely causes true chills. These two symptoms usually appear together because they are triggered by a shared underlying condition, or when severe constipation leads to complications requiring medical attention.
The Direct Answer: Is There a Direct Connection?
Constipation is a mechanical problem involving the slow movement of stool through the colon and does not directly induce a fever or true chills. However, severe or prolonged constipation can lead to generalized discomfort and a feeling of malaise that some individuals might interpret as feeling chilled or systemically unwell. The sheer physical stress of abdominal distension and the buildup of waste can trigger a mild, non-infectious systemic reaction.
In extreme cases, the stagnation of matter in the large intestine can alter the gut microbiome. This can lead to a minor increase in the reabsorption of bacterial byproducts or toxins. This mild systemic exposure contributes to a vague feeling of illness or low-grade fatigue, which is still distinct from the body’s inflammatory response that causes a true fever and chills.
Therefore, any significant shaking or true chills accompanied by a measured fever suggests a more serious process at work than simple constipation discomfort.
Understanding Systemic Causes of Both Symptoms
The more common scenario is a single, serious medical condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract and simultaneously triggers the body’s inflammatory response, resulting in both constipation and true chills.
Specific Infections Causing Overlap
A severe infection or inflammation in the abdomen, such as diverticulitis, is a frequent cause of this symptom overlap. Diverticulitis occurs when small pouches in the colon become infected or inflamed, causing pain, changes in bowel habits, fever, and chills. Similarly, appendicitis, the inflammation of the appendix, often presents with abdominal pain, nausea, and changes in bowel function like constipation, alongside fever and chills. These examples illustrate how localized infection can slow gut motility while simultaneously provoking the immune system to raise the body’s core temperature.
Other Serious Causes
Intestinal obstruction is another serious cause, where a blockage prevents the passage of stool and gas. This potentially leads to secondary infection or sepsis, which immediately results in fever and severe chills. Systemic issues like severe dehydration can also cause both symptoms. A lack of fluids slows bowel transit and can impair the body’s ability to regulate temperature, leading to a feeling of being chilled. When constipation and true fever-driven chills occur together, the focus shifts from treating simple sluggish bowels to addressing the potentially severe, underlying infectious or inflammatory process.
Clarifying the Symptom: Chills Versus Shivering
It is helpful to differentiate between a true chill and involuntary muscle contractions known as shivering. A true chill is the body’s mechanism to generate heat in response to an elevated temperature set point (fever), usually signaling a systemic infection and causing noticeable shaking. Shivering, however, can occur without a fever due to simple cold exposure or in response to intense physical or emotional stress.
Intense straining during a difficult bowel movement can cause a temporary drop in blood pressure, known as a vasovagal response. This physical reaction, or resulting muscle fatigue, might be perceived as a sudden tremor or shivering, which the individual may confuse with a chill.
To accurately assess the symptom, checking the body temperature is the most straightforward method. A true chill will almost always be accompanied by a fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
When to Seek Urgent Medical Care
While mild constipation can be managed at home, the combination of constipation and chills requires immediate medical evaluation if certain warning signs are present. A high fever, typically measured above 101 degrees Fahrenheit, is the primary indicator that an infection needs urgent attention. Seek immediate care if the chills and constipation are accompanied by any of the following:
- Severe, worsening abdominal pain, especially if the abdomen feels rigid or board-like.
- Persistent vomiting.
- Inability to pass gas.
- Blood in the stool.
- Sudden change in mental status, such as confusion or extreme lethargy.
These symptoms together suggest a potentially life-threatening complication, such as intestinal obstruction, perforation, or severe systemic infection, requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment.