One of the main indicators of human health is his body temperature. At the first sign of pathogenic bacteria or viruses entering the body, the body immediately responds with an increase in temperature. Interestingly, depending on where such indicators are measured, the result can differ dramatically even in a healthy person. What should be the temperature in the mouth or armpit and how to measure it correctly is described below.
Rules for measuring in the usual way
This option is considered the safest and is used everywhere in Russia, but in some countries it is considered inaccurate. To measure the temperature axillary (armpit), you must first shake off the mercury thermometer so that its column drops below 35 degrees.
After this, its entire tip must be placed in the armpit. At this time, it is advisable not to make sudden movements so as not to confuse the readings, and it is better to hold the children’s hands until the end of the process.
How long to keep a mercury thermometer under your arm depends on the accuracy of the required readings. An approximate result can be seen within 5 minutes, but the exact data will be known only after 10 minutes. You can hold the thermometer longer, the thermometer still will not rise above body temperature.
Rules for measuring in the mouth
It should immediately be noted that it is strictly forbidden for children to measure the temperature in their mouth with a mercury thermometer. This is due to the fact that they can accidentally damage the instrument with their teeth and get hurt, and mercury is very toxic.
Before starting the procedure, it is forbidden to eat too cold or hot food, as this may affect the result. Any inflammation in the oral cavity automatically raises the local temperature, so the thermometer will show an inflated result. If your nose is stuffy, you should also not measure the temperature in your mouth, since mouth breathing will cool the thermometer. Unreliable indicators are often observed in smokers.
How to measure oral temperature
Before starting the procedure, the thermometer should be thoroughly washed and dried. If a mercury thermometer is used, it must be shaken off so that the column drops to a value no higher than 35 degrees. The patient must remain calm for some time before the procedure so that his pulse returns to normal. Dentures, braces or plates must be removed from the mouth to avoid damaging the instrument.
Before taking your mouth temperature electronic thermometer, you should also remove all potentially dangerous items. After this, the instrument is placed behind the cheek or under the tongue. The mouth must be kept closed at all times during measurement. The procedure time is usually 4-5 minutes.
Difference of indicators
Before taking measurements, you should pay attention to the fact that even if absolutely all the rules listed above are observed, the temperature in the mouth will differ significantly from the measurement in the armpit. The difference can vary between 0.3-0.8 degrees, and sometimes reach a whole degree, depending on the structural features of the body or the location of the source of infection during the disease.
Some electronic devices today are specifically configured to be used in the mouth only. Such thermometers do not give an error and show the same data as mercury thermometers for axillary measurement, since they are configured this way and give a signal about the completion of the process earlier.
Standards for adults
The norm in the mouth is individual for each person. On average, it is 37.3 degrees for a healthy person. It can be determined more accurately based on the readings of a thermometer when measuring the temperature on the surface of the skin, that is, in the armpit.
There, the column in most cases shows 36.4-36.7 degrees, but in some cases a result of 35-37 degrees is considered normal. To the data obtained you need to add an average of half a degree, you will get the normal readings of a thermometer in the mouth.
Norms for children
Body temperature in young children is generally poorly controlled by the body and depends on many external factors, even ordinary overheating. For example, during sleep, a child's body temperature is higher than when he is awake. The result also depends on the method of measurement. The temperature in the mouth is considered normal for children if it does not exceed 37.1 degrees. At the same time, the measurement in the armpit will show the usual 36.6, but the measurement rate in the anus will be much higher and is usually half a degree higher than in the mouth. Since many parents measure their infants’ temperature rectally, you need to know about this.
There are also special nipple thermometers that are configured to immediately show the baby’s body temperature, as with axillary measurement.
What is the temperature
In fact, the normal temperature is precisely the indicator at which a person feels comfortable and remains functional. It may depend on the region of residence, nationality, time of measurement and many other factors. During the day, these indicators fluctuate for absolutely everyone within a whole degree. During rest, your heart rate slows and your temperature drops. With active movement, stress or after eating hot food or drink, on the contrary, it increases.
In addition, temperature indicators are divided into several types, which persist in any human condition.
- Increased In this case, the indicators when measured in the mouth exceed the mark of 37.5 degrees, but the person is completely healthy and feels good.
- Reduced temperature. In such cases, the thermometer readings do not rise above 36 degrees in the oral cavity. This condition is called hypothermia.
- Norm. This includes the average statistical indicators for all people, which fluctuate between 36-37.5 degrees in the mouth or half a degree lower in the axillary measurement.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that temperature standards for adults and children depend on many factors, it is easy to determine the deviation. First of all, this is poor health, always accompanied by additional symptoms of the disease. Too low indicators may indicate overwork and weakness of the body, which also necessarily signals secondary signs. In any case, the norm of your temperature should be determined by measuring only when you are feeling well and following all the rules, then the results will be as accurate as possible.
New and traditional ways measuring baby's temperature
Normal body temperature of a child
In newborns, body thermoregulation is not yet fully formed. Body temperature changes depending on whether the baby is wrapped up so warmly or completely undressed; even different parts of the body have different temperatures. For example, if measured in the mouth or rectally, the difference will be within 1 degree. For infants, a normal body temperature is considered to be from 36 degrees Celsius to 38. It will stabilize and reach 36.6 only by the age of 1 year.To find out what temperature is normal for your child, measure it every day in the morning, lunch and evening. The result that occurs most often is the norm for your baby, provided that he is completely healthy.
Possible causes of increased body temperature
In most cases, infants’ body temperature rises for the following reasons:- Overheat. It’s hot outside, in the room, or dressed too warmly.
- Lack of fluid in the body.
- Stool disorders.
- Increased activity.
- The appearance of the first teeth.
- Individual characteristics and reactions.
- Cold.
Temperature measurement methods
There are several ways to measure body temperature in young children:- Oral. For this method will do electronic thermometer or in the form of a pacifier.
- In the ear. You can purchase a special thermometer for this purpose.
- Rectally. The thermometer is inserted into the rectum. Mercury or electronic will do.
- In the armpit. You can use an electronic or mercury thermometer.
- Contactless. Devices with infrared meters appeared. It is enough to bring such a device close to the child’s body and it will show what the baby’s temperature is.
- Using disposable indicator strips. One strip is attached to the forehead or placed under the tongue.
Rules for measuring temperature with a mercury thermometer
To ensure that your mercury thermometer readings are as accurate as possible, follow these simple recommendations:- In the room where the baby is, the external temperature should not exceed 20-22 degrees.
- If you measure in the armpit, first wipe it with a dry cloth.
- Look at the thermometer, the readings should be reset to zero. If there are any left over from previous use, shake well.
- Place at the deepest point of the armpit.
- If the baby cannot yet hold the thermometer on his own, help him by holding it with your hand. At the same time, clothes should not interfere.
- Press the child's hand so that no air gets into the armpit.
- Measure the temperature when the baby is calm.
- Immediately after a walk, eating and drinking warm drinks, the readings will not be correct. Therefore, wait 15 minutes before measuring your child's body temperature.
- While measuring temperature, it is not advisable to talk, sing, make noise or do anything else.
- The mercury thermometer must be held for at least 10 minutes.
- Take it out without haste or sudden movements. The glass of the thermometer is fragile and may crack.
- If the baby is not sick, then it is better to control the temperature 2 times a day - in the morning and in the evening, and do it at the same time. If you have a cold, measure before and after your child takes antipyretics.
- After use, immediately reset the readings and wipe with alcohol.
An infrared thermometer is a modern device that will determine your body temperature in just a few seconds, without even touching it. Quite recently, non-contact thermometers appeared in Medtechnika Orthosalon stores and immediately became popular. After some time, buyers began to complain about inaccurate measurements.
“We bought an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature small child. It seemed to my husband that he was pointing incorrectly. Therefore, they began to test with mercury. It turned out that infrared actually overestimates the readings.”
- Oksana, buyer of the Medtechnika Orthosalon store
It is worth noting that most people use this device incorrectly, which is the main reason for inaccurate readings. In this article we will tell you how to measure temperature correctly .
Content:
Non-contact thermometer error
Manufacturers indicate in the instructions the permissible error of thermometers:
mercury - 0.1°C
electronic - 0.1-0.2°C
infrared - 0.3°C
Users note that the error of the infrared thermometer sometimes reaches 0.5°C. This is already significant, isn’t it? Experts say that a sick person's body temperature can change by +/- 1°C within minutes. Mercury models take these fluctuations into account and show the maximum value. Infrared detects the temperature in 1-3 seconds, at a specific moment. That is why it is not recommended to check infrared readings with mercury.
Why does an infrared thermometer lie?
Even if we assume that you measure your temperature correctly with a non-contact thermometer, there are several more reasons for its “lies”:
cleanliness of the sensor (it should be free of dust, scratches and stains);
the air conditioner or heater is turned on in the room;
the patient's forehead is damp;
presence of cosmetics or creams in the measurement area;
dead batteries (batteries).
If you have been using an infrared thermometer for several months and it suddenly begins to display incorrectly, we recommend that you take it to the manufacturer’s service center for verification. This way you will definitely be confident in the quality of the data.
How to use an infrared thermometer
In order for a non-contact thermometer to show the correct result, follow some rules for its use:
Eliminate extraneous air flows - air conditioner, fan, heater.
Make sure that the patient has a clean forehead, without makeup or creams.
If the person is sweating, wipe their forehead with a tissue.
Wipe the infrared sensor with a soft cloth to remove any dust particles.
Ask the patient to sit up straight and not move or talk during the measurement.
Brief instructions on how to correctly measure temperature with an infrared thermometer:
Turn on the device.
Body temperature is checked in different ways:
- Rectally - in the rectum.
- Orally - in the mouth.
- Under the arm.
- On the forehead - for this, infrared scanners are used to check the artery.
- In the ear - also with the help of scanners.
For each method, there are electronic thermometers specifically designed for each location. There is plenty to choose from. But there is also a problem: cheap (sometimes not very cheap) devices often lie or fail. Therefore, when choosing an electronic thermometer, do not skimp, be sure to read the reviews and check the mercury readings at least once.
The latter, by the way, is preferred by many. A maximum mercury thermometer (as a thermometer is correctly called) costs a penny and is quite accurate, which cannot be said about many electronic devices with “so-so” quality. However, it is dangerous because it is easy, and shards of glass and mercury vapor have not made anyone healthier.
No matter what kind of thermometer you use, read its instructions first.
After each use, it would be good to clean the thermometer: wash it, if possible, or wipe it with an antiseptic. Be careful if the thermometer is sensitive to moisture and may become damaged. It’s embarrassing to mention, but still, a thermometer for rectal measurements should not be used anywhere else.
How to measure the temperature under the arm
Most often, we measure the temperature under the arm with a regular mercury or electronic thermometer. Here's how to do it right:
- You should not take your temperature after eating or exercising. Wait half an hour.
- Before starting the measurement, the glass thermometer must be shaken off: the mercury column should show less than 35 °C. If the thermometer is electronic, just turn it on.
- The armpit should be dry. The sweat needs to be wiped off.
- Keep your hand pressed tightly. In order for the temperature under the armpit to become the same as inside the body, the skin must warm up, and this takes time. It is better to press the child’s shoulder yourself, for example, by picking up the baby in your arms.
- The good news: if you follow the previous rule, the mercury thermometer will take 5 minutes, not 10, as is commonly believed. Many electronic thermometers respond to temperature changes and measure as long as these changes exist. Therefore, if you do not press your hand, the temperature may change for a long time and the results will be inaccurate.
How to measure temperature rectally
This method is sometimes needed when you need to check the temperature of babies: it is difficult for them to hold their hand, it is unsafe to put something in their mouth, and not everyone has an expensive infrared sensor.
- The part of the thermometer that you will insert into the rectum should be lubricated with petroleum jelly or petroleum jelly (available at any pharmacy).
- Place the child on his side or back, bend his legs.
- Carefully insert the thermometer into the anus 1.5–2.5 cm (depending on the size of the sensor), hold the child while the measurement is taken. A mercury thermometer should be held for 2 minutes, an electronic one - for as long as written in the instructions (usually less than a minute).
- Remove the thermometer and look at the data.
- Treat your child's skin if necessary. Wash the thermometer.
How to measure the temperature in your mouth
This method is not suitable for children under four years of age, because at this age children cannot yet reliably hold a thermometer. Do not take your mouth temperature if you have eaten something cold in the last 30 minutes.
- Wash the thermometer.
- The sensor or reservoir of mercury should be placed under the tongue and the thermometer should be held with the lips.
- Use a regular thermometer to measure the temperature for 3 minutes, and an electronic thermometer for as long as necessary according to the instructions.
How to measure ear temperature
There are special infrared thermometers for this: it is useless to stick other thermometers into the ear. Children under 6 months old should not have their ear temperature measured. Age guidelines, because due to developmental characteristics, the results will be inaccurate. You can measure the temperature in your ear only 15 minutes after you return from the street.
Pull your ear slightly to the side and insert the thermometer probe into your ear. It takes a few seconds to measure.
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Some infrared devices measure temperature on the forehead, where the artery runs through. Data from the forehead or ear are not as accurate Fever: First aid, as with other measurements, but they are fast. But for household measurements, it is not so important what your temperature is: 38.3 or 38.5 °C.
How to read a thermometer
The measurement result depends on the accuracy of the thermometer, the correctness of the measurements and where the measurements were taken.
The temperature in the mouth is higher than under the armpit by 0.3–0.6 °C, rectal - by 0.6–1.2 °C, in the ear - up to 1.2 °C. That is, 37.5 °C is an alarming figure for measurement under the arm, but not for rectal measurement.
The norm also depends on age. In children under one year old, the rectal temperature is up to 37.7 °C (36.5–37.1 °C under the arm), and there is nothing wrong with that. The 37.1°C under the armpit that we suffer from becomes a problem as we age.
In addition, there is also individual characteristics. A healthy adult's temperature ranges from 36.1 to 37.2°C under the armpit, but someone's personal normal is 36.9°C and someone else's is 36.1. The difference is big, so in an ideal world it would be nice to take your temperature for fun when you are healthy, or at least remember what the thermometer showed during your medical examination.
Medicine appeared a very, very long time ago. It is constantly progressing, developing, scientists and doctors are gaining more and more new knowledge, using it in practice and ultimately saving lives and curing people from serious illnesses.
However, many centuries ago medicine was rather poorly developed; what today seems like a trivial sore to us used to be a fatal disease, even the same cold.
In contact with
The doctors had the most basic understanding of the human structure, the structure of the body, and even less knowledge about various human vulnerabilities, so the doctors did not perform operations or other complex procedures. They simply did not know how to treat only the most primitive infections, and even then, not always successfully.
Introduction
Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, medicine developed, various drugs began to appear, more and more new diseases were studied, and drugs for them appeared and were developed, mortality decreased, and some viruses completely disappeared.
Along with medicine, such an industry also developed public life, as a science, and it is not surprising that science also had something to do with medicine itself, to develop some kind of device for a physicist, or to obtain information about a new virus for a biologist, to create a new medicine for a chemist, these are the main tasks that scientists have been solving, and continue still practice to this day.
Undoubtedly, scientists have made a huge contribution to the development of medicine, found cures for many diseases, provided us with the opportunity to quickly diagnose this disease and begin treatment, the immune system has strengthened, and now it is not so easy for diseases to attack our body.
New electronic thermometer
Improvements and innovations consist not only in the development of new medicines and other drugs that can protect and preserve our body, but also in devices that can diagnose any disease, in the latest electronic devices that will significantly speed up the healing process and the treatment itself will do for us all the most difficult and painstaking work.
Moreover, absolutely all branches of medicine are now being improved, we don’t need to guess what’s inside a person, what interferes and complicates his life, we can simply turn to high technology and take an x-ray. Doctors do not need to perform complex cardiac massage; they can simply use more effective method- defibrillator. And even with such little things as a thermometer, we no longer need to bother and wait a certain period of time, sitting in an uncomfortable position with a thermometer under our armpit, we can use an electronic thermometer.
People have improved even such a small thing as a thermometer without much difficulty; an electronic thermometer is superior to a mercury thermometer in almost all respects.
The first thing to note is the mercury itself in the thermometer. Everyone knows that such a thermometer can break and mercury will leak out. It, in turn, is toxic, and there is a risk of harm if measures are not taken in time. Of course, everyone is accustomed to handling such thermometers with care and always monitoring their use, but there is always a small chance of problems arising, if parents do not keep an eye on the child who breaks the thermometer, and are not even aware of the toxicity of mercury, such a scenario can have very serious consequences. sad consequences. Which, fortunately, cannot be said about an electronic thermometer.
Prices for electronic thermometers
electronic thermometer
Advantages of the well b electronic thermometer
Electronics in their pure form have not yet poisoned or killed anyone, even if you break such a thermometer, and this is difficult to do due to the durable plastic case, then in any case no mercury will leak out of it and no one will suffer from such a breakdown, which I can’t help but rejoice, that is, the electronic thermometer is absolutely safe for use by both adults and children.
The second advantage, as well as the difference between an electronic thermometer and a conventional mercury thermometer, is the speed of temperature measurement, and this is the main purpose of a thermometer, to accurately and quickly measure temperature. To get an accurate result from the well-known mercury thermometer, you will have to wait about 10 minutes, then the mercury will heat up to body temperature, rise and, finally, show us the exact result.
In turn, an electronic thermometer carries out the same procedure much faster, you do not need to wait for any length of time, be careful and take your time, you only need to turn on the thermometer and measure the temperature in the most ordinary, well-known way, the thermometer gives the result immediately, which will subsequently speed up the process of deciding what to do next, giving medicine to the patient, calling an ambulance. It will be possible to make a decision much faster than in the 10 minutes that are required to obtain a result from a mercury thermometer.
But, if in the case of a mercury thermometer everyone knows how to use it, then for an electronic thermometer there are certain rules of use and instructions for use.
Features of the thermometer
It is important to understand that electronic thermometers show measurement results on a special display, have a sound signal that notifies you of the completion of the temperature measurement procedure, automatically turn off and, as mentioned earlier, do not beat. But measurements have their own subtleties.
First, you need to prepare the device for use, you need to wipe it, press the power button, and wait, the sensor needs time to calibrate and return to normal. Symbols such as Lo and C will typically flash on the display. It is also important to note that when high temperature air in the room, the sensor will show exactly this; it records the temperature from 32 degrees and above.
Advantages of a thermometer:
Flaws:
- May fail.
- Has measurement error. (accuracy).
Prices for Well B thermometer
Well B thermometer
Methods for measuring temperature and instructions for use
How to measure temperature correctly with an electronic thermometer? As they say, in the old fashioned way, it is customary to place the device under the armpits of the left or right hand and measure the temperature. However, it is believed that measuring temperature by placing a thermometer in the patient’s mouth, that is, oral, is much more effective, it is more accurate and, importantly, faster. It is necessary to place the thermometer on the side under the tongue. Of course, while pacification is being carried out, you cannot move, open your mouth, and, especially, talk.
Measurements are taken within one minute. The thermometer will beep when the procedure is complete and notify you of the result.
But indeed, you can measure the temperature in the so-called armpit; this method is called axillary. It is important that when measuring temperature in this way, the axillary area should be dry, moisture there should not be, so before taking measurements, wipe your skin with a dry cloth. Next, place the device in the center of the armpit and, for closer contact of the sensor with the skin, press your hand as tightly as possible to the body and hold it in this position until the end of the temperature measurement.
The measurement time in this way varies from 1.5 to 2 minutes. However, after the sound signal, it is worth holding the thermometer for some more time, this is due to the fact that the temperature in this zone is half a degree lower than under the tongue.
To measure the temperature correctly you need to follow the well b instructions
Rectal temperature measurement is also acceptable. It is performed only with the permission of the doctor or if any other is not available. When measuring rectally, the thermometer sensor is inserted into the anus 1.5–2 cm. The measurement time is also 1 minute, no more.
This method is usually used to measure temperature in infants. A special thermometer is used for this. for measuring rectal temperature. It differs from the usual one in its short and rounded end, which makes its use safe and, most importantly, painless. A regular thermometer is also suitable for this procedure, but for safety reasons you should use a special thermometer that is separate from the others.
In the case of a mercury thermometer, you would carefully need to shake off the temperature, but with an electronic one you just need to turn it on and, if necessary, lubricate it with a small amount of cream for better glide.
You should also remember about the technical side of the device, for example, about batteries. On average, batteries last about 2 years, after which they should be replaced, otherwise they will begin to “lie” and the thermometer will show an incorrect measurement result.
The thermometer comes with a plastic case; after measuring the temperature, you need to wipe the thermometer with a napkin, preferably alcohol, and place it in the case.
Many have noticed that sometimes an electronic thermometer can make mistakes, resulting in an error. But this is not such a serious problem. Firstly, so that there is no error or it is as small as possible, you should buy a cheaper thermometer. A high price does not always indicate good quality, there should not be too many parts on the thermometer. The error, if any, can average from 0.3 to 0.8 degrees. Although there are rumors that an electronic thermometer shows a temperature lower than a mercury one, with all this, the accuracy is good and you can measure the temperature with it, the measurements are correct.
That's all the information about the types and methods of using thermometers. Technology will make our lives easier, and medicine with electronic thermometers is no exception, although it will be better if you don’t have to use any of the existing thermometers at all. But if the need arises, you know what and how to do in order to measure body temperature correctly, knowing the instructions.
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