• Question: When we are ill why do we feel hot an cold and get all shivery?

    Asked by Flori to Angela, Robert, Sarah on 21 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Robert Bowles

      Robert Bowles answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      I had thought it was the bodies way of raising the body temperature to make it hard for any microoragniusms which cause the infection but it looks like it might be more complicated than that.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fever

    • Photo: Angela Stokes

      Angela Stokes answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      Hi flori

      Body temperature rises because of an infection,are caused by chemicals called pyrogens flowing in the bloodstream. Pyrogens travel to the hypothalamus in the brain, which regulates body temperature. When pyrogens bind to some receptors in your hypothalamus, your body temperature rises.
      One common pyrogen called Interleukin-1 (IL-1). IL-1 is produced by white blood cells when they come into contact with some bacteria and viruses.

      As Robert has said, the hifgh temperature is also thought to kill off some bacteria.

      We shiver because when we are really hot, the air outside seems cold so our body thinks it is cold and shivering and getting goose bumps is our normal reaction to cold.

    • Photo: Sarah Harris

      Sarah Harris answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      And I don’t think I can add anything to what the other two said!

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