The best body temperature thermometer is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or 37 degrees Celsius (°C). The normal temperature often varies from 1° to 2°F (½° to 1°C). A normal temperature is typically lower within the morning and increases during the day.
Thermometers: How to Take Your Temperature
An accurate reading of a person’s temperature may be a vital tool in managing illness. Here are the various sorts of body temperature thermometers and the way to use them, alongside information on when it’s time to call your healthcare provider.
Why Should I Take My Best Body Temperature Thermometer?
Checking your body’s temperature with the best body temperature thermometer is a simple thanks to seeing if a fever is present. A fever, which may be a rise in the body’s temperature, is typically caused by an infection. Though fevers can be uncomfortable, they are a sign that the body is fighting off infection.
There are many various sorts of thermometers you’ll use to live temperature. When using any quiet thermometer, confirm you read and follow the instructions that accompany the thermometer. If your thermometer uses batteries, check them. You might notice that weak batteries give inconsistent readings.
What is a Normal Body Temperature?
Normal body temperature is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or 37 degrees Celsius (°C). The normal temperature often varies from 1° to 2°F (½° to 1°C). The best body temperature thermometer is typically lower within the morning and increases during the day. It reaches its high in the late afternoon or evening.
What Temperature is Considered a Fever?
In adults, a fever is taken into account to be a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or above. You can treat this reception with a fever reducer medication and fluids to form yourself easier or let it run its course. But if it reaches 102°F (38.8°C) or higher and home treatment doesn’t lower it, call your healthcare provider.
What Sorts of Thermometer Should I Exploit to Require a Temperature?
A digital thermometer is the most accurate and quickest thanks to taking a temperature. Digital thermometers are available in most drug stores and supermarket pharmacies. Depending on where you shop, a digital thermometer can cost from $6 to $20. Be sure to follow package instructions while using any thermometer.
How to Use a Digital Thermometer?
A digital thermometer is often used in three alternative ways. These include:
Oral: For this method, the thermometer is placed under the tongue. This method is used for adults and children 4 and over who are able to hold the thermometer in their mouth.
Rectal: For this method, the body temperature thermometer is inserted gently into the rectum. This is mostly done in babies but can use in children up to 3 years of age. You can take rectal temperatures in children older than 3 years, but it might be difficult to keep them as still as they need to stay.
Axillary: For this method, the thermometer is placed in the armpit for young children or adults whose temperature can’t safely be done orally. This method isn’t as accurate as oral or rectal but is often used as a fast first check. You can follow this with oral or rectal reading.
Other Types of Thermometers (Young Children and Adults)
Tympanic (ear): this sort of the best body temperature thermometer measures the temperature inside the ear by reading the infrared heat there. For best results, make sure to follow the instructions on the device about placing the tip correctly. For older babies and children, ear thermometers can be quicker and easier to use.
However, they are not recommended if your baby is three months old or younger. They should not be used if your child has too much earwax, or if they have an earache.
Temporal artery (forehead): Forehead thermometers also are wont to measure temperature, but might not be as reliable because the digital thermometers and are usually costlier. They are placed on the cerebral artery of the forehead and measure the infrared heat that comes off of the top.
What Types of Thermometers Aren’t Recommended?
Some thermometers aren’t recommended due to their inaccuracy.
1. Plastic strip thermometers only measure the skin temperature
2. Pacifier thermometers are not precise and are difficult to use correctly because they have to stay in the child’s mouth for long enough to record the temperature
3. Smartphone app thermometers
Is My Old Mercury Glass Thermometer Okay to Use?
No, you ought to not use your old glass thermometer that contains mercury. The mercury thermometers were difficult to read then didn’t always provide accurate information.
If you do still have one of these body temperature thermometers, you should contact your local waste department and find how to dispose of hazardous waste properly. There are glass thermometers available that don’t use mercury, but most people prefer digital thermometers that don’t shatter.
How Do I Take a Temperature with the Best Body Temperature Thermometer?
Using a digital oral thermometer
1. Wash your hands with soap and warm water
2. Do not eat or drink anything for at least five minutes before you take your temperature because the temperature of the food or beverage could make the reading inaccurate You should keep your mouth closed during this point
3. Place the thermometer tip under the tongue
4. Hold the thermometer in the same spot for about 40 seconds
5. Readings will continue to increase and the F (or C) symbol will flash during the measurement
6. If you’re keeping track, record the temperature and therefore the time
Using a Digital Rectal Thermometer (for Babies and Children Up to 3 Years Old)
1. Wash the rectal thermometer with soap and warm water. Don’t use an oral thermometer
2. Put a small amount of lubricant (petroleum jelly or Vaseline®) on the sensor (tip) of the thermometer
3. Place your child’s belly down on your lap or table, with one palm on their back. Or place them face-up, with legs bent toward their chest, and hold the back of their thighs with one hand. Put a diaper or cloth under your child as he or she may poop immediately after the removal of the thermometer
4. Using your other hand, gently insert the thermometer into the anus until the tip is completely inside the rectum. DO NOT force it if you feel resistance
5. Keep the thermometer steady with your hand until you hear the beep (around 30 seconds)
6. Gently remove. Record temperature and time
7. Clean the thermometer thoroughly with soap and water. You may want to clean it off again with alcohol and then rinse it again
Using a Digital Axillary (Same as Oral) Thermometer
1. Remove the child’s shirt and place the thermometer tip into your child’s armpit. Make sure your child’s armpit is dry to get the most accurate reading
2. Keep the axillary thermometer in place by folding your child’s arm across his or her chest
3. Remove and record temperature and time
4. Clean the thermometer with soap and water or with alcohol, always rinsing as the last step
Should I Add a Degree to Oral (Under the Tongue) and Axillary (Under the Arm) Readings?
Yes, for the most accuracy. Oral and axillary temperature readings are about ½° to 1°F (.3°C to .6°C) below rectal. Add these numbers to oral and axillary temperature readings for the most accurate reading.
Using a Tympanic Thermometer (for Adults and Children Over 2 Years Old)
1. Pull gently back on the top of the ear to open the ear canal
2. Place the protective cover on the tip of the thermometer
3. Press and hold down the button for 1-2 seconds until you hear a beep (follow the manufacturer’s instructions)
4. Remove the thermometer, discard the cover, and record temperature and time
Using a Temporal Artery Thermometer
1. Turn the thermometer on
2. Place the protective cap on the thermometer
3. Sweep the thermometer gently across the forehead so the infrared scanner can measure the temperature of the temporal artery
4. Record the temperature and time
5. Remove the protective cover and dispose of it
Note: Some newer forehead thermometers don’t require covers because the thermometer doesn’t get to touch the forehead.
How Often Should I Take My Best Body Temperature Thermometer?
If you are feeling ill or if your child seems to be ill, it’s likely that you will reach for your thermometer. You may plan to take medicine to scale back the fever. If you do, there is usually a period of time on the instructions about when it is safe to take the medicine again.
However, if the primary temperature is extremely high, you would possibly plan to recheck the temperature on a more regular schedule, maybe once or twice an hour. You might decide to recheck temperatures when medicine doesn’t seem to be working, such as when the illness is not getting better, and you still have symptoms.
Your healthcare provider might recommend times to require your temperature, like mornings and evenings. You should keep a record of these temperatures to be able to report back.
How Should I Clean and Store My Best Body Temperature Thermometer?
It is a good idea to keep the instructions that come with your thermometer so you can refer back to them for questions like this. Clean any thermometer before and after you employ it. You can use soap and water or alcohol to wash the ideas of digital thermometers. You should rinse afterward with lukewarm water.
If you’re using one thermometer as a rectal thermometer, confirm to wash it thoroughly and label it. Store it in a way that you can tell immediately that it is the rectal and not the oral or axillary thermometer.
Check the Directions As You Have Known
However, make sure you use water to wipe off the disinfectant so it does no damage to the handle or to your hands. If your thermometer comes with a case to guard it, store your thermometer within the case.
When Should I Call My Healthcare Provider?
If you’ve got questions on the way to take a temperature, call your provider. They can give you tips on what’s the best type of thermometer for your family and the best way to take your temperature or your child’s temperature.
This is a good time to ask things like how often you should recheck temperatures or if you should do anything to try to reduce the fever. Call your healthcare provider directly if anyone in your household features a fever and any of the following:
Severe headache.
Stiff neck
Swelling of the throat
Confusion
Any change that worries you
Remember, you and your healthcare provider act together to keep you and your family members healthy. While a fever may be scary, it’s also trying to tell you something. Your provider is your partner in knowing what is being said and how to respond.
Conclusion on Best Body Temperature Thermometer
The best normal body temperatures vary depending on many factors, including a person’s age, sex, and activity levels. The normal body temperature for an adult is around 98.6°F (37°C), but every person’s baseline body temperature is slightly different, and may consistently be a little higher or lower.
In this article, we discuss the normal ranges of temperature for adults, children, and babies. We also consider factors affecting body temperature, and when to call a doctor.
