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What to do if…
your temperature is unusually low while you are ill and you feel confused or disoriented

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Call 911 now, or have someone call for you, if you are ill, unusually cold, and confused or disoriented. A temperature below 95°F / 35°C strongly supports treating this as an emergency, but do not wait to get help if confusion is present.

Do not do these things

  • Do not try to sleep it off, drive yourself, or stay alone while confused.
  • Do not use rapid, high-heat rewarming, such as a hot bath, hot shower, heating pad directly on skin, heat lamp, or sitting right against a heater or fire.
  • Do not rub or massage arms or legs to warm them up.
  • Do not drink alcohol.
  • Do not keep taking cold or flu medicines while confused; set the bottles aside for EMS instead.
  • Do not keep rechecking your temperature if it delays calling 911 or opening the door for help.

What to do now

  1. Call 911 now. Say: “I am sick, my temperature is low, and I feel confused or disoriented.”
  2. Get another person with you immediately. If you are alone, call or text a nearby person to come over, unlock the door if you can do so safely, and stay on the phone with someone until help arrives.
  3. Move to a warmer, dry place. Go to a warm room or shelter. If you are wet or sweaty, change into dry clothing if you can do it without falling or delaying help.
  4. Start gentle warming. Put on dry layers, wrap in blankets, and cover your head and neck if you can.
  5. Warm the center of the body first. Focus warmth on the chest, neck, and groin. If you use a hot water bottle or chemical heat pack, wrap it in a towel first.
  6. Sip a warm non-alcoholic drink only if you are fully awake and swallowing normally. Stop if you cough, choke, vomit, or become sleepier.
  7. If it does not delay care, write down one temperature reading. Note the number, time, and method, such as oral, ear, forehead, or armpit. Do not keep repeating checks.
  8. Gather medicines for EMS if you can do so quickly. Include prescription medicines, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, sleep aids, alcohol, and any cold or flu products taken in the last 24 hours.
  9. If the person becomes unresponsive or is not breathing normally, follow the 911 dispatcher’s instructions and start CPR if told to do so.

What can wait

  • You do not need to work out whether this is hypothermia, infection, a medicine effect, or a thermometer problem before calling 911.
  • You do not need to take more medicine, eat a meal, shower, pack a bag, or repeatedly check your temperature before getting help.
  • You do not need to decide what treatment you need; EMS and emergency clinicians can assess that.

Important reassurance

Confusion or disorientation during an illness is a strong reason to get urgent help. Calling 911 for low temperature with confusion is a reasonable safety-first step, even if the cause is not clear yet.

Scope note

These are first steps only, meant to reduce immediate risk and get emergency assessment started. Later decisions about testing, diagnosis, treatment, or follow-up may need medical professionals.

Important note

This guide is general information, not legal, medical, financial, therapeutic, or other professional advice. It does not diagnose the cause of a low temperature or confusion.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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