Can Migraines Cause Fever? Understanding the Connection

Can a Migraine Cause a Fever?

So, does a migraine cause a fever? Generally, fever is not considered a typical feature of a migraine attack.

Migraine is a neurological condition that can cause a range of symptoms before, during, and after the headache phase. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Some people also experience less familiar symptoms, including body chills and sweating.

This is why the question of whether a migraine can** give you a fever** can be confusing question. A person may feel cold and shiver during an attack, then feel hot or sweaty later. Those sensations do not necessarily mean that the body’s core temperature has risen enough to qualify as a fever.

If you are unsure, check your temperature with a thermometer rather than relying only on how your body feels. A confirmed fever occurring with a headache should not automatically be blamed on migraine.

For more information about typical symptoms, see Pantheon Clinical’s guide to what a migraine feels like.

What Does Fever With Migraine Mean?

A fever with migraine does not necessarily mean that the migraine caused the fever.

Headache and fever can occur together when another illness is affecting the body. Infections, including viral illnesses, can cause fever and headache at the same time. An illness can also trigger a migraine attack in someone already prone to migraine.

This distinction matters because treating the headache as though it were only a migraine could overlook another cause of the fever.

Pay attention to the overall pattern. A familiar migraine accompanied by nausea and light sensitivity is different from a new headache with a measured fever, worsening symptoms, or other signs of illness.

A fever should therefore be assessed on its own rather than automatically being considered another migraine symptom.

Can Migraines Cause Fever and Chills?

Migraine can be associated with chills, but chills and fever are not the same thing.

The American Migraine Foundation notes that some people experience body chills, shivering, or sweating during the hours or days around a migraine attack. Changes involving areas of the brain associated with migraine may contribute to these temperature-related sensations.

Chills can happen without a fever. You may feel cold or shiver while your measured temperature remains normal.

On the other hand, chills accompanied by a confirmed fever may occur with an infection or another illness. If both are present, consider the fever separately from the migraine instead of assuming that the attack explains everything.

Can Migraines Cause Body Temperature Changes?

People often ask, can migraines cause body temperature changes? They can cause sensations that seem related to temperature.

During or around a migraine attack, some people may feel unusually hot or cold, sweat more than usual, or experience chills. These symptoms are recognized among the less typical features that can accompany migraine.

However, there is an important difference between feeling a change in temperature and having an objectively elevated body temperature.

For example, you might feel cold and shiver during a migraine while your thermometer shows a normal temperature. Conversely, feeling hot does not automatically mean that you have a fever.

If you suspect you have a fever, take your temperature rather than judging it by sensation alone. This simple step can provide more useful information about what may be happening.

Can a Migraine Cause a Low-Grade Fever?

A measured low-grade fever should not automatically be considered a migraine symptom.

The phrase “low-grade fever” is used somewhat differently across medical sources, so the exact temperature matters less than the overall situation. What is important is whether your temperature is objectively elevated and whether other symptoms are present.

A mild fever may occur with an infection or another temporary illness. That illness could also make a migraine more likely in someone who experiences migraines.

If the temperature remains elevated, keeps returning, or occurs with symptoms that are unusual for your normal migraine attacks, contact a healthcare professional for guidance.

Can Migraines Cause a High Fever?

A high fever should not simply be assumed to be part of a migraine.

A high temperature combined with a severe headache can sometimes signal an illness that requires medical evaluation. The concern becomes greater when the headache is new or unusually severe, or when symptoms such as stiff neck, confusion, seizures, weakness, difficulty speaking, or vision changes occur.

This does not mean every person with a headache and fever has a serious condition. It does mean that a high fever deserves attention rather than being automatically attributed to migraine.

If the symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or significantly different from your usual migraine pattern, seek medical care promptly.

Can a Migraine Cause Flu-Like Symptoms?

It can sometimes feel that way.

A migraine attack may involve fatigue, nausea, vomiting, chills, sweating, body discomfort, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms can make an attack feel similar to being sick with the flu.

The important difference is that similar symptoms can also occur during an infection.

For example, if you have a headache and feel exhausted, nauseated, and chilled, migraine may be one possibility. If you also have a confirmed fever or other symptoms suggesting an infection, however, it is important not to assume that migraine is the only explanation.

The pattern, timing, temperature reading, and other symptoms all matter when determining what may be happening.

When Could Headache and Fever Mean Something Else?

A headache and fever occurring together are not automatically signs of migraine.

Infections can cause both symptoms, and some more serious conditions can also present with headache and fever. This is why a new or substantially different headache deserves more attention when systemic symptoms are present.

Seek urgent medical evaluation if headache and fever occur with warning signs such as:

• A sudden, severe headache that reaches maximum intensity quickly
• Stiff neck
• Confusion or changes in consciousness
• Seizures
• New weakness or numbness
• Difficulty speaking
• Significant vision changes
• Trouble walking or maintaining balance
• Rapidly worsening symptoms

These symptoms do not establish a diagnosis on their own. They are warning signs that require a healthcare professional to determine the cause.

When Should You Seek Medical Care for Fever and Migraine?

If you have a familiar migraine pattern and only experience your usual symptoms, you may be able to follow the migraine care plan provided by your healthcare professional.

Contact a healthcare professional if a fever persists, your headache pattern changes, or the symptoms are significantly different from your usual attacks.

Seek urgent or emergency care for a headache that is sudden and severe, particularly when it occurs with a high fever, stiff neck, confusion, fainting, seizures, weakness, numbness, difficulty speaking, or vision changes.

A headache that feels substantially different from your typical migraine should also be evaluated rather than automatically labeled as another migraine attack.

What Can You Do If You Have a Migraine and Fever?

If you have migraine symptoms and a fever, focus on supportive care while paying attention to how your symptoms develop.

• Rest in a quiet, comfortable environment.
• Drink fluids as tolerated to help prevent dehydration.
• Check your temperature with a thermometer.
• Follow your established migraine treatment plan.
• Avoid known personal migraine triggers when possible.
• Monitor whether the fever or headache is getting worse.
• Contact a healthcare professional if symptoms are unusual, persistent, or concerning.

You can also review Pantheon Clinical’s guidance on migraine self-care and tips for migraine relief for general strategies.

These steps can support comfort, but they do not replace medical evaluation when an underlying infection or other condition may be present.

Migraine Symptoms vs. True Fever: What’s the Difference?

How Pantheon Clinical Supports Migraine Research

Clinical research helps researchers better understand migraine, its symptoms, and potential approaches to care. People interested in migraine research can explore clinical studies to learn whether a particular study may be relevant to them.

Pantheon Clinical conducts clinical research studies, including research involving pediatric migraine. Its pediatric migraine clinical trials page provides information about research opportunities and study requirements.

Eligibility varies from one study to another. Anyone considering participation should review the specific requirements and discuss questions with the research team.