What symptom is often associated with septic shock?

Fever and chills are commonly associated with septic shock because they are part of the body's response to infection. In septic shock, the body reacts to an overwhelming infection that leads to systemic inflammation. This inflammatory response can cause the release of pyrogens, substances that induce fever, resulting in elevated body temperature. Chills may accompany fever as the body tries to regulate its temperature. Therefore, the presence of fever and chills can indicate that the body is fighting a serious infection, which is a critical underlying factor in septic shock.

While severe abdominal pain, rapid weight loss, and nausea and vomiting can occur in various medical conditions including infections, they are not as directly characteristic of septic shock as fever and chills. These other symptoms may indicate different types of underlying issues but are not specifically linked to the systemic inflammatory response seen in septic shock. Thus, the most tell-tale signs of septic shock are indeed fever and chills.