Yes, with sepsis, you feel extremely sick, often described as the worst you've ever felt, getting worse rapidly, like your body is fighting an overwhelming infection. It's a serious, life-threatening condition where the body's response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs, leading to confusion, rapid breathing, fever, chills, severe pain, and potential organ failure, requiring immediate medical attention.
Symptoms of sepsis
Sweating for no clear reason. Feeling lightheaded. Shivering. Symptoms specific to the type of infection, such as painful urination from a urinary tract infection or worsening cough from pneumonia.
Early warning signs of sepsis include fever or low temperature, chills, rapid breathing or heart rate, confusion, slurred speech, extreme pain or discomfort, clammy/sweaty skin, and reduced urine output, with children potentially showing fewer wet nappies, vomiting, or a non-fading rash. These symptoms, often appearing after an infection, signal a severe body response and require immediate emergency care, as sepsis can rapidly worsen, according to the Mayo Clinic.
you feel more drowsy than usual or find it more difficult to wake up. you have cold, clammy and pale or mottled skin – on brown or black skin this is easier to see on the palms of your hands.
The six main symptoms of sepsis are:
Sepsis is diagnosed through a combination of rapid clinical assessment (fever, fast heart/breathing rate, confusion, low blood pressure) and tests like blood cultures, CBC, lactate, CRP, and urine/fluid analysis, often using tools like qSOFA, to find the infection source and check organ function, as there's no single test for it. Doctors look for signs of organ dysfunction alongside suspected infection, ordering imaging (X-rays, CT scans) to pinpoint the cause, with immediate antibiotic treatment crucial even before definitive results arrive.
Some medical issues that can mimic the symptoms of sepsis are as follows:
Time matters when diagnosing and treating sepsis. Seek immediate medical attention if you have a severe infection and are experiencing symptoms such as shivering, fever, chills, extreme pain or discomfort, clammy or sweaty skin, confusion or disorientation, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat.
The development of sepsis can vary from person to person and depends on several factors. It can manifest rapidly within hours or take a few days to fully develop. Regardless of the speed of progression, early detection and prompt medical attention are vital for the management and treatment of sepsis.
You may see small, dark-red spots on your skin. Other common sepsis symptoms include: Urinary issues, such as reduced urination or an urge to urinate. Low energy/weakness.
Stage 1: Sepsis
A high fever above 101℉ (38℃) or low temperature below 96.8℉ (36℃) A heart rate above 90 beats per minute. A bacterial infection, fungal infection, or viral infection confirmed through positive blood culture results. Rapid breathing rate higher than 20 breaths per minute.
Because sepsis can happen quickly, it is important to be alert for early signs. The most common signs include the following: Source of infection (cough, sore throat, abdominal pain, pain with urination) and fevers. High heart rate.
It can be hard to spot. There are lots of possible symptoms. They can be like symptoms of other conditions, including flu or a chest infection. If you think you or someone you look after has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E.
Signs and symptoms of an infection
Fever (this is sometimes the only sign of an infection). Chills and sweats. Change in cough or a new cough. Sore throat or new mouth sore.
Early Signs and Symptoms
Sepsis is defined as systemic inflammatory response syndrome plus an infectious source. Therefore, earlier on in the presentation of sepsis, patients present with the following vital sign changes: Fever, temperature higher than 38 C, or hypothermia, temperature lower than 36 C.
The research discussed here includes the following subset of the core measure sepsis bundle, the components of which must be completed within 3 hours of presentation time: measure serum lactate level, obtain blood cultures before administration of antibiotics, and administer broad spectrum antibiotics.
These infections are most often linked to sepsis:
The first stage is called sepsis, sometimes called mild sepsis. This initial infection is when your body's response to the disease gets out of hand. If not treated quickly, it can progress to severe sepsis, where organs like your kidneys start to fail.
With systemic response, all blood vessels dilate causing the blood pressure to drop. Instead of assisting in fighting the infection, the body's response to sepsis actually slows down blood flow making our immune system less effective.
These conditions include anaphylaxis, gastrointestinal emergency, pulmonary disease, metabolic abnormality, toxin ingestion/withdrawal, vasculitis, and spinal injury.
Most people have a fever, but some have a low body temperature. People may have shaking chills and feel weak. Other symptoms may also be present depending on the type and location of the initial infection (for example, people with pneumonia may have cough, chest discomfort and trouble breathing).
Identifying Early Signs of Sepsis
Recognizing the early signs of sepsis is vital for ensuring timely medical intervention. Common indicators include a sudden fever, increased heart rate, and rapid breathing. These symptoms might seem benign at first, but they can quickly escalate.
A laboratory workup, including CBC, chemistry panel, LFTs, and biomarkers such as blood lactate, is essential for diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognosis of sepsis. The SOFA score is used to define sepsis and has diagnostic and prognostic value.
However, the combination of vague clinical presentations and regulatory urgency often leads to both over- and under-diagnosis. Too often, patients without sepsis are treated for it, and many with true sepsis are missed—resulting in diagnostic errors, ineffective treatment, and worse outcomes.
Feeling very hot, very cold, or shivering. Not eating normally. Being sick. Don't worry if you are not sure you have sepsis, it is still better to call 999.