Chills (without fever)

This code signifies the subjective sensation of coldness or shivering without an accompanying elevation in body temperature. It describes a patient's complaint of chills when objective fever is absent.

Assign this code when documentation clearly indicates a patient experiences chills, but their temperature is recorded as normal or afebrile. This is often a symptom reported by patients that may be associated with various non-infectious conditions or as an isolated complaint.

• Ensure documentation explicitly states "without fever" or provides a normal temperature reading alongside the chills.
• Do not use this code if the patient also has a documented fever; refer to the Excludes1 note.
• Always code any underlying definitive diagnosis if known and documented, with chills as a secondary symptom.