One of the main indicators of human health is the temperature of his body. At the first signs of pathogenic bacteria or viruses entering the body, the body immediately responds with an increase in the degree. Interestingly, depending on the place of measurement of such indicators, the result can be radically different 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 states 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 that, its entire tip must be placed in the armpit. At this time, it is advisable not to make sudden movements so as not to knock down the readings, and it is better to hold the hands of the children until the end of the process.
How much to keep a mercury thermometer under your arm depends on the accuracy of the desired readings. An approximate result can be seen after 5 minutes, but the exact data will be known only after 10 minutes. You can keep the thermometer longer, the thermometer still does not rise above body temperature.
Mouth measurement rules
It should be noted right away that it is strictly forbidden to measure the temperature in the mouth with a mercury thermometer for children. This is due to the fact that they can accidentally damage the instrument with their teeth and get hurt, besides, mercury is very toxic.
Before starting the procedure, it is forbidden to eat too cold or hot food, this may affect the result. Any inflammation in the oral cavity automatically raises the local temperature, so the thermometer will show an overestimated result. With nasal congestion, you should also not measure the temperature in the mouth, since mouth breathing will cool the thermometer. Unreliable indicators are often observed in smokers.
How to measure the temperature in the mouth
Before starting the procedure, the thermometer should be thoroughly washed and dried. If a mercury thermometer is used, then it must be shaken off so that the column drops to a value no higher than 35 degrees. Before the procedure, the patient must be in a calm state for a while so that his pulse returns to normal. Remove dentures, braces or plates from the oral cavity so as not to damage the instrument.
Before taking the temperature in the mouth electronic thermometer, you should also remove all potentially dangerous items. After that, the instrument is placed behind the cheek or under the tongue. The mouth must be kept closed during the measurement. The procedure time is usually 4-5 minutes.
Difference of indicators
Before measuring, you should pay attention to the fact that even if absolutely all of the above rules are observed, the temperature in the mouth will differ significantly from the measurements in the armpit. The difference can vary within 0.3-0.8 degrees, and sometimes reach a whole degree, depending on the structural features of the body or the location of the focus of infection during the disease.
Some electronic devices today are specially tuned for mouth only. Such thermometers do not give an error and show the same data as mercury ones in axillary measurement, since they are configured this way and give a signal about the completion of the process earlier.
Norms for adults
The norm in the mouth for each person is individual. On average, it is 37.3 degrees for a healthy person. It can be determined more precisely based on the thermometer readings when measuring the temperature on the surface of the skin, that is, under the armpit.
There, the column in most cases shows 36.4-36.7 degrees, but in some cases the result is 35-37 degrees. To the data obtained, you need to add an average of half a degree, you get the norm of thermometer readings 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, the body temperature of a child 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, an armpit measurement 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 the temperature of infants 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 temperature norm is exactly the indicator at which a person feels comfortable and maintains efficiency. It may depend on the region of residence, nationality, time of measurement and many other factors. During the day, these indicators fluctuate absolutely for everyone within a whole degree. During rest, the heart rate slows down and the temperature drops. With active movement, stress, or after taking a hot meal or drink, on the contrary, it rises.
In addition, temperature indicators are divided into several types that persist in any state of a person.
- Increased At the same time, the indicators when measured in the mouth exceed 37.5 degrees, but the person is completely healthy and feels good.
- Decreased 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 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 the temperature norms 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 in good health and subject to all the rules, then the results will be as accurate as possible.
New and traditional ways baby temperature measurements
Normal body temperature of a child
In newborns, thermoregulation of the body is not yet fully formed. Body temperature varies depending on how warm the baby is wrapped up 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, body temperature is considered normal from 36 degrees Celsius to 38. It stabilizes and will be equal to 36.6 only by 1 year of life.To find out what temperature is normal for your child, measure it every day in the morning, afternoon and evening. The result that is obtained most often is the norm for your baby, provided that he is completely healthy.
Possible causes of an increase in body temperature
In most cases, in infants, body temperature rises for the following reasons:- Overheat. It is hot outside, in the room, or dressed too warmly.
- Lack of fluid in the body.
- Chair 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:- Orally. For this way fit 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. Suitable mercury or electronic.
- In the armpit. You can use an electronic or mercury thermometer.
- Contactless. Appeared devices with infrared meters. It is enough to bring such an apparatus at a close distance to the body of the child and it will show what the temperature of the baby 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 make the readings of a mercury thermometer as accurate as possible, follow these simple recommendations:- In the room where the baby is located, the external temperature should not exceed 20-22 degrees.
- If you measure in the armpit, wipe it with a dry cloth first.
- Look at the thermometer, the indicators should be reset. Shake well if left over from previous use.
- Install at the deepest point of the armpit.
- If the baby still cannot hold the thermometer on his own, help him by holding it with your hand. At the same time, clothing should not interfere.
- Press the child's arm so that no air enters the armpit.
- Take the temperature when the baby is at rest.
- Immediately after a walk, eating and warm drinking, the indicators will not be correct. Therefore, wait 15 minutes before taking the child's body temperature.
- During the measurement of temperature, it is not advisable to talk, sing, make noise or do something else.
- The mercury thermometer must be held for at least 10 minutes.
- Get out without haste and sudden movements. The glass of the thermometer is fragile and can break.
- 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. For a cold, measure before and after the child takes antipyretics.
- After use, immediately bring down the indicators and wipe with alcohol.
An infrared thermometer is a modern device that will determine body temperature in just a few seconds without even touching it. Quite recently, non-contact thermometers appeared in Medtekhnika Ortosalon stores and immediately became popular. After some time, buyers began to complain about the inaccuracy of measurements.
“We bought an infrared thermometer in order to measure the temperature little child. My husband thought he was showing wrong. Therefore, they began to check with mercury. It turned out, indeed, that infrared overestimates the readings ”
- Oksana, buyer of Medtekhnika Ortosalon 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 the temperature correctly. .
Content:
Non-contact thermometer error
Manufacturers in the instructions indicate 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. That's already significant, isn't it? Experts say that the body temperature of a sick person can change by +/- 1°C within minutes. Mercury models take into account these fluctuations and show the maximum value. Infrared determine the temperature in 1-3 seconds, at a particular moment. That is why checking infrared readings with mercury is not recommended.
Why does an infrared thermometer lie?
Even assuming that you measure the temperature correctly with a non-contact thermometer, there are several more reasons for its “lie”:
cleanliness of the sensor (it should be free of dust, scratches and streaks);
the air conditioner or heater is on in the room;
wet forehead in a patient;
the 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 starts to show incorrectly, we recommend that you take it to the manufacturer's service center for verification. So you will definitely be sure of 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 conditioning, fan, heater.
Make sure that the patient has a clean forehead, free of cosmetics and creams.
If the person is sweaty, wipe the forehead with a tissue.
Wipe the infrared sensor with a soft cloth to remove dust particles.
Ask the patient to sit up straight and not move or talk during the measurement.
Brief instructions on how to correctly measure the 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 specially designed for each location. There are plenty to choose from. But there is a problem: cheap (sometimes not very cheap) devices often lie or fail. Therefore, when choosing an electronic thermometer, do not save money, be sure to read the reviews and check the readings of the mercury one at least once.
The latter, by the way, is preferred by many. The maximum mercury thermometer (as the 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 glass fragments and mercury vapor have not made anyone even healthier.
It doesn't matter which thermometer you use, read the instruction manual 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 deteriorate. It's embarrassing to mention, but still, a rectal thermometer 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 conventional mercury or electronic thermometer. Here's how to do it right:
- You can not measure the temperature after eating and physical exertion. 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. Sweat must be wiped off.
- Keep your hand firmly pressed. In order for the temperature under the arm 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 on your own, for example, taking the baby in your arms.
- The good news is that if you follow the previous rule, a mercury thermometer will take 5 minutes, not 10, as is commonly believed. Many electronic thermometers respond to changes in temperature and measure as long as these changes are present. Therefore, if the hand is not pressed, the temperature can change for a long time and the results will be inaccurate.
How to measure temperature rectally
This method is needed when it is necessary to check the temperature of infants: it is difficult for them to hold their hand, it is not safe 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 must be lubricated with petroleum jelly or petroleum jelly (sold at any pharmacy).
- Put the child on his side or on his back, bend his legs.
- Gently insert the thermometer into the anus by 1.5-2.5 cm (depending on the size of the sensor), hold the child while the measurement is in progress. A mercury thermometer must be held for 2 minutes, an electronic one - as long as it is written in the instructions (usually less than a minute).
- Remove the thermometer, look at the data.
- Treat the child's skin, if necessary. Wash the thermometer.
How to measure the temperature in the mouth
This method is not suitable for children under four years of age, because at this age children cannot yet reliably hold the thermometer. Do not take your temperature in your mouth 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 hold the thermometer with your lips.
- Use an ordinary thermometer to measure the temperature for 3 minutes, electronic - as much as necessary according to the instructions.
How to measure the temperature in the ear
For this, there are special infrared thermometers: it is useless to put other thermometers in the ear. Children under 6 months of age do not have their ear temperature taken. Age guidelines, because due to developmental features, the results will be inaccurate. You can measure the temperature in your ear only 15 minutes after you have returned from the street.
Pull your ear a little 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 the temperature on the forehead, where the artery passes. Data from the forehead or from the ear is not as accurate Fever: First aid, as with other measurements, but they are fast. And for household measurement, it is not so important what temperature you have: 38.3 or 38.5 ° C.
How to read a thermometer
The result of the measurement 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 arm 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 measuring under the arm, but not for rectal.
Also, the rate depends on age. In children up to a year, rectal 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 arm that we suffer from becomes a problem with age.
In addition, there are individual characteristics. The temperature of a healthy adult ranges from 36.1 to 37.2 ° C under the arm, but someone's personal norm is 36.9 ° C, and someone's is 36.1. The difference is big, so in an ideal world it would be nice to take your temperature when you are healthy for the sake of interest, or at least remember what the thermometer showed there at the physical examination.
Medicine has been around for a very, very long time. It is constantly progressing, developing, scientists and doctors receive more and more new knowledge, use it in practice and, as a result, save lives and heal people from serious illnesses.
However, many centuries ago, medicine was rather poorly developed, what today seems to us a trifling sore, used to be a deadly disease, even the same cold.
In contact with
The doctors had the most elementary ideas about the structure of a person, about the structure of the body, and there was even less knowledge about various human vulnerabilities, so the doctors did not perform any operations or other complex procedures. They simply did not know how, they treated 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 was reduced, and some viruses disappeared altogether.
Along with medicine, such an industry has also developed. public life, as a science, and it is not surprising that science was also related to 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 to 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, immunity has increased, now it is not so easy for sores to attack our body.
New electronic thermometer
Improvements and innovations are not only in the development of new drugs 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 process of recovery and the treatment itself, will do for us all the most difficult and painstaking work.
Moreover, absolutely all branches of medicine are being improved now, we do not need to guess what a person has inside, what hinders and complicates his life, we can simply turn to high technology and take x-rays. Physicians do not need to perform complex cardiac massages, they can simply use more effective method- defibrillator. And even in such trifles as a thermometer, we no longer need to bother and wait for a certain period of time, sitting in an uncomfortable position with a thermometer under our arm, we can use an electronic thermometer.
Even such a trifle as a thermometer, people improved without much difficulty, the electronic thermometer surpasses the mercury one in almost all respects.
The first thing that can be noted 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 suffering if measures are not taken in time. Of course, everyone is accustomed to handling such thermometers with care and always monitor their use, but there is always a small chance of problems if the parents do not keep track of the child who breaks the thermometer and are not even aware of mercury toxicity, such a scenario can be very 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 its pure form has not yet poisoned or killed anyone, even if you break such a thermometer, and it is difficult to do this due to the durable plastic case, then no mercury will flow out of it in any case and no one will suffer from such a breakdown, which cannot 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 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 any longer, 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 subsequently speeds up the process of deciding what to do next, give medicine to a sick person, call an ambulance. The decision may be taken much faster than the 10 minutes 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 for use, instructions for use.
Thermometer Features
It is important to understand that electronic thermometers show the measurement results on a special display, have an audible 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 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. The display usually flashes symbols such as: Lo and C. It is also important to note that when high temperature the air in the room the sensor will show exactly it, it fixes the temperature from 32 degrees and above.
Advantages of the thermometer:
Flaws:
- May fail.
- Has measurement error. (accuracy).
Well B thermometer prices
Well B thermometer
Methods for measuring temperature and instructions for use
How to measure temperature with an electronic thermometer? As they say, in the old fashioned way, it is customary to place the device precisely under the armpits of the left or right hand and measure the temperature. However, it is believed that taking the temperature by placing a thermometer in the patient's mouth, that is, oral, is much more effective, it is more accurate and, importantly, fast. It is necessary to place the thermometer on the side under the tongue. Of course, while reconciliation is being made, you can’t move around, open your mouth, and, moreover, talk.
Measurements are made within one minute. The thermometer will beep when the procedure is completed and notify you of the result.
But really, you can measure the temperature and, in the so-called armpit, this method is called axillary. It is important that when measuring temperature in this way, the axillary zone should be dry, moisture should not be, therefore, before taking a measurement, wipe the skin with a dry cloth. Next, put the device in the center of the armpit and for closer contact between the sensor and 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 instructions well b
Rectal temperature measurement is also acceptable. It is made only with the permission of the doctor or if any other is not available. The thermometer sensor for rectal measurement is inserted into the anus by 1.5–2 cm. The measurement time is also 1 minute, no more.
Typically, this method is used to measure temperature in infants. For this, a special thermometer is used. for measuring rectal temperature. It differs from the usual one with a short and rounded end, which makes its use safe, and, most importantly, painless. An ordinary thermometer is also suitable for this procedure, but for safety reasons, a special thermometer separate from others should be used.
In the case of a mercury thermometer, you would gently need to shake off the temperature, while the electronic one just needs to be turned on and, if necessary, lubricated 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 start to “lie”, and the thermometer will show an incorrect measurement result.
The thermometer comes with a plastic case, after measuring the temperature it is necessary to wipe the thermometer with a napkin, preferably with alcohol, and place it in the case.
Many have noticed that sometimes an electronic thermometer can be wrong, and an error is obtained. 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. Not always a high price indicates good quality, the thermometer should not have too many details. 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 the temperature can be measured with it, the measurements are correct.
That's all the information about the types and methods of using thermometers. Technology will make life easier for us and medicine with electronic thermometers is no exception, however, it would be better if you did not have to use any of the existing thermometers at all. But if the need arises, you know what and how to do it correctly, knowing the instructions, to measure body temperature.
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