Tell us about your symptoms and treatment experience. Take our survey here.

caret icon Back to all discussions

Cold Chills

Hello everyone, I've had migraines since I was a child, but one of my newer symptoms I've been having a lot lately has been cold chills. I do not have a fever when I get them and I'm not sick otherwise. My nose, fingers and toes will be cold and then I just keep getting repeated chills running through my body. This is now happening during the 2nd and 3rd day of the migraine after the head pain has dulled. I used to just get a few chills during the worst part of the migraine. Wondering if anyone else has this? I don't take any kind of migraine meds except ibuprofen. Thanks!

  1. Hi UDinkel,

    Well it is now July and I'm embarrassed that no one has responded to your post yet. Please forgive us and I hope you are feeling ok.

    Migraine is thought to be a genetic neurological disease and that our entire body may be impacted during an attack. Some people do experience the chills when they have a migraine attack and during prodrome, the last phase of a migraine. We have some information on the four phases of a migraine attack and their symptoms that may be helpful; https://migraine.com/migraine-basics/migraine-phases.

    As far as cold fingers and toes, yes, many folks with migraine experience this too.

    May I ask how often you take ibuprofen? If we take migraine abortive medications such as the triptans or any kind of pain medication, prescription or over-the-counter, more than two or three days a week may create an unwanted situation called medication overuse headache, or moh. This can turn into an unending cycle of pain that makes migraines harder or near impossible to treat.

    I hope this helps, and that we hear from you again.
    Nancy

    1. I'm new to the forums and I am beginning to see that I'm not alone with many of the symptoms of migraines that plague me. One of these is having chills. Every time I check my temp and it is normal. When I have a migraine, I act like I have a fever until it passes.

      1. I to feel cold chills before a migraine.
        I have had migraines for 45 years now, the kind with an aura. I was taking imitrex shots till I had 3 migraines in one week I decided to try Iris 30c, its a homeopathic remedy. I didn't know if it would work or not but at that point I was will to try any thing, I was tired of the shots. I took a dose at the start of the auras. then 15 min later I took another dose, an hour later I felt a little discomfort so I took another dose. It worked wonderful. no pain, no nausea, I felt normal. I have been taking Iris now for about a year. works every time. sometimes I only need to take one dose at the start. It could work for you. it would be worth the try.
        you can order the iris on line. abc homeopathic sells it. get the liquid it works better then the pills, IRIS 30c.
        They say migraines go away after menopause, unfortunately mine have increased. from 1 a year to 3 a month.

        1. Hello, yes, I have extreme chills. My doctor does not know why. I hsve had them ever since an extremely long bout of migraine. I get them in thr daytime and when I am in bed for the night. Here is what hapoens at night. I get in bed. As I begin to relax chills begin at the bade of my skullcao, down my spine, travel down my shoulders to my fingertips. Thry sre light chills at first but in crease in intensity until they deel.like a light eletric shock. It happens quickly, within 1 second from beginning to end. Then it startes again. This reoests for hours. No extra bkankets stop this. I am so cold. As it increases in strength the chills move to my legs and feet. The sensation is horrible. Its not me shobering. It is shock after shock for hours. No dr has an answer. Next, if I am extremely tired in the daytime, and lsy down for a nap, this goosebump shocking thing will happen. I learned to let myself sleep through it. It wears me out.

          I have had migraine for 40 plus years, with aura, without aura, occipital migraine after auto accident, ophthalmic migraine, tmj, trgeminal neuralgia.

          Goosebump thing started in 2012. Any reasons, treatment or causes?

          1. Hi Dee29.

            Thank you for sharing your story with us. I am sorry to hear about the unpleasant chills/ goosebumps. I'm not sure of an answer, but if I run into anything regarding this I'll pass it along.

            Nancy

        Please read our rules before posting.