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What Causes Constant Body Tremors And High Body Temperature In An Elderly Patient?

Posted on Fri, 27 Nov 2015

Question: For two weeks, my 87 year old mother has experienced shaking and body warming at bedtime. . Initially, it lasted for 5 minutes and increased through most of the night. When she got up, hoping it would subside, it continued as soon as she laid back down.

Answered by Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (34 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Needs work up. Likely infection

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for asking

I read your question and i understand your concern. Shaking and warmth / fever in an 87 year old should be first considered for an infection. A few baseline investigations like blood picture, urine exam etc will help finding the focus of infection.

Please record the temperature of your mother when she feels warm, and give her some tylenol for the relief. Meanwhile try to consult a doctor and let them sort it out for you.

Apart from it these shaking and chills could be considered for geriatric pneumonia, essential tremors, drug induced tremors etc. Only a detailed clinical correlation will tell what it is.

I hope it helps. Take good care of yourself and don't forget to close the discussion please.

Regards
Khan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (25 hours later)

Thank you for your response. I took her to the Emergency Room and they drew blood and urine, gave an EKG and chest x-ray. Everything came out negative. No infection. However, they could not conclude what was going on with the nightly shaking and warm body. They diagnosed her as having Insomnia and we were flabbergasted!. I really think they thought she was hallucinating!. My mother is alert and has the brain of a 45 year old intellect. If this continues, we are going demand that her primary doctor send her to a neurologist. Something is happening to her body nightly and I am helpless to help her presently. Can you recommend any more suggestions?

Answered by Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
neurological cause evaluations

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back to me
With baseline workup normal next suspicion is neurological illness involving badal ganglia that is causing these tremors. She needs thorough neurological evaluation by a neurologist. I am sorry that you have to go through that. She is not hallucinating for sure.

It will need a complete neurological correlation to connect the dots. Good thing infectious causes have been ruled out. Brain involvement can both cause hyperthermia and tremors. So wait and see what neurologists have to say.

I hope it helps.
Regards
Khan

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar