Can Constipation Cause Fever?

Constipation can accompany a fever but does not directly cause a fever. Instead, you may have an infection or illness with constipation and fever, such as Crohn’s disease or diverticulitis. Likewise, constipation does not typically cause body aches and chills, also symptoms of an infection.

Constipation cannot cause a fever in babies in children. A fever may indicate a mild infection. Children with constipation and fever may have appendicitis if they have severe abdominal pain.

See a healthcare provider if you have constipation and fever. They can prescribe treatments, which may include diet changes and medicines. Severe cases may require surgery.

Read on to learn about some of the most common causes of constipation and fever in adults, as well as in infants and children, and when to consult a healthcare provider.

Symptoms 

Constipation happens when your stool moves through your colon slower than usual.

Signs and symptoms of constipation may include:

• Feeling like you have not passed all of your stool during a bowel movement
• Having fewer than three bowel movements per week
• Having stools that are difficult to pass, hard, or lumpy

Some common causes of constipation include a change in your diet, certain medications, dehydration, and lack of exercise. Delayed emptying of your colon and other gastrointestinal (GI) disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may cause constipation.

Causes of Constipation and Fever

Constipation cannot directly cause a fever, Rudolph Bedford, MD, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., told Health. Instead, there may be an underlying cause for both if a fever is present with constipation.

A fever is your body's response to an illness or infection. Your body is trying to kill off the bacteria or virus by creating a higher-than-normal temperature. A rise in body temperature activates your immune system and makes it hard for microbes to survive.

"Fever is a sign of some inflammatory process that's going on," said Dr. Bedford. 

For example, constipation and fever may occur with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn's disease causes inflammation in the lower end of your small intestine and the start of your large intestine.

Another likely culprit may be diverticulitis. Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can form along the colon. Many people have diverticula that do not cause problems. With diverticulitis, bacteria can enter those pouches, causing infection and inflammation.

Infants and Babies

Infants and babies may develop constipation if they have trouble passing stools. They may become fussy and spit up more than usual if they have constipation. 

Infants have weak abdominal muscles, which makes it hard to pass stool. You may notice that infants cry and have a red face while straining to have a bowel movement. Those are not always signs of constipation. Instead, hard, lumpy stools may indicate that an infant has constipation.

An infant or baby may have an infection if they develop a fever with constipation. Consult a healthcare provider if an infant has a fever higher than 100.4 degrees. Older babies typically have high fevers with mild infections.

Toddlers and Children

Constipation is common in toddlers and children. They may have pain while passing stool or traces of stool in their underwear if they have constipation. Sometimes, toddlers and children ignore the urge to pass stool, which causes constipation.

Appendicitis, or when your appendix becomes inflamed, is a common cause of constipation and fever in toddlers and children. Appendicitis most commonly occurs in children and adolescents aged 5–20. Rarely does appendicitis affect infants and babies.

The hallmark symptom of appendicitis is severe abdominal pain. Seek medical attention right away if your toddler or child has all three symptoms.

Treatment Options

Consider seeing a healthcare provider if your symptoms indicate an infection or illness like appendicitis, Crohn's disease, or diverticulitis. Often, you can treat what's causing constipation and fever at home after consulting a healthcare provider.

A surgeon will likely remove your appendix if you have appendicitis. A healthcare provider may first prescribe antibiotics to treat an infection if you have an abscess.

There's no cure for Crohn's disease, but you can manage symptoms at home. Treatment typically includes dietary changes and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation. 

You may require bowel rest, or not drinking or eating anything, if your symptoms are severe. You will likely receive nutrients by drinking a certain liquid or through a feeding or intravenous (IV) tube at a hospital. Surgery can treat complications, such as intestinal obstructions.

You can treat diverticulitis at home with fluids, pain relievers, and rest. Sometimes, a healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics. They may advise slowly adding fiber to your diet after your symptoms subside. A high-fiber diet, including fruits, grains, and vegetables, helps prevent future flares.

In addition to a high-fiber diet, you can generally alleviate constipation by:

• Not ignoring the urge to pass stool if you need to
• Regularly exercising
• Staying hydrated
• Using laxatives and other medicines as advised by a healthcare provider

When To Call a Healthcare Provider

Constipation and fever may occur at the same time, but that does not necessarily mean constipation is the cause of your fever. Usually, having both symptoms means there's another underlying issue. 

First, you'll want to verify that you have a fever. Then, consult a healthcare provider if you have a fever higher than 105 degrees that does not respond to treatment.

See a healthcare provider if an infant aged 3 months or younger has a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher or if a baby aged 3 to 12 months has a fever of 102.2 degrees or higher. They can help figure out the underlying cause.

"A lot of people feel feverish, hot chills, fatigued, when you feel sick, but it doesn't mean you're actually running at a higher temperature," Elana Maser, MD, an assistant professor of gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Health.

"If you have fever and constipation, you shouldn't be self-diagnosing," added Dr. Maser. Those two symptoms are not specific enough to help narrow your diagnosis down. 

In addition to fever, seek medical attention if you have other symptoms with constipation, such as:

• Rectal bleeding
• Bloody stool
• Abdominal pain
• Inability to pass gas
• Vomiting
• Low back pain
• Unexplained weight loss
  

A Quick Review

Constipation and fever may occur at the same time, but constipation does not cause a fever. Instead, a fever may indicate you have an infection or illness, like appendicitis, Crohn's disease, or diverticulitis.

Seeing a healthcare provider if you develop a fever with constipation is essential. They can test you for different illnesses and narrow down a diagnosis. Treatment depends on what's causing your symptoms but may include diet changes and medicines.