Why is rectal temp higher than oral

This causes temperature to rise to high levels. Check for a very low body temperature in people who have been exposed to cold. Check for a very high body temperature in people who have been exposed to heat. Find out how well a fever-reducing medicine is working. Help a woman plan for pregnancy by finding out if she is ovulating. How To Prepare Take your temperature a few times when you are well.

Before you take your temperature: Wait at least 20 to 30 minutes after you smoke, you eat, or you drink a hot or cold liquid. Wait at least an hour after hard exercise or a hot bath. There are different types of thermometers.

Electronic thermometers are plastic and shaped like a pencil. They have a display window at one end and the temperature probe at the other end. These thermometers can be used in the mouth, rectum, or armpit.

They are easy to use and easy to read. If you buy this type of thermometer, check the package for information about its accuracy.

Ear thermometers are plastic and come in different shapes. The small cone-shaped end of the thermometer is placed in the ear. Body temperature is shown on a digital display. The results appear in seconds.

Some models also show what the oral and rectal readings would be. Temporal artery thermometers have a small "cup" that is moved across the skin over the artery in the forehead. Products for taking temporal artery temperature sweeping thermometer across your child's forehead at home have not yet been shown to be accurate or reliable enough for home use.

How It Is Done Before you take a temperature, read the instructions for how to use your type of thermometer. How to take an oral temperature Oral by mouth is the most common method of taking a temperature. Place the thermometer under the tongue, just to one side of the centre. Ask the person to close his or her lips tightly around it. Leave the thermometer in place for the required amount of time.

Time yourself with a clock or watch. Some digital thermometers give a series of short beeps when the reading is done. Remove the thermometer and read it.

Clean a digital thermometer with cool, soapy water and rinse it off before you put it away. How to take a rectal temperature This is the most accurate way to measure body temperature.

Apply a lubricant jelly or petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, on the bulb of the thermometer. This will make it easy to insert. With a baby or small child, place them safely on their stomach on your lap or a comfortable surface.

If a baby is unable to safely lie on their stomach, place them on their back. Choose a quiet place so that the child won't be distracted or move around too much. Spread the child's buttocks with one hand. With the other hand, gently insert the bulb end of the thermometer into the anus. Push it in about 1. Don't force it into the rectum.

Hold the thermometer in place with two fingers close to the anus not near the end of the thermometer. Time yourself with a watch or clock. How to take an armpit axillary temperature Taking a temperature in the armpit may not be as accurate as taking an oral or rectal temperature.

Place the thermometer under the arm with the bulb in the centre of the armpit. Press the arm against the body, and leave the thermometer in place for the required amount of time. How to take an ear tympanic temperature This method is recommended for children older than 2 years.

Check that the probe is clean and free of debris. If dirty, wipe it gently with a clean cloth. The probe can be placed in the mouth, rectum, or armpit. Plastic strip thermometers change color to show the temperature. This method is the least accurate.

Electronic ear thermometers are common. They are easy to use. However, some users report that the results are less accurate than with probe thermometers. Electronic forehead thermometers are more accurate than ear thermometers and their accuracy is similar to probe thermometers.

Always clean the thermometer before and after using. You can use cool, soapy water or rubbing alcohol. Wait at least 1 hour after heavy exercise or a hot bath before measuring body temperature. Wait for 20 to 30 minutes after smoking, eating, or drinking a hot or cold liquid. The average normal body temperature is The normal temperature can vary due to things such as:.

You need to have an accurate temperature measurement to determine if a fever is present. Be sure to tell your health care provider which type of temperature measurement you used when discussing a fever.

The exact relationship between different types of temperature measurement is unclear. However, the following general guidelines for temperature results are used:. Digital electronic thermometers are easily found in stores. They do not cost very much. They can be used for rectal, armpit and oral temps.

Most of them give an accurate temp in 10 seconds or less. The AAP suggests you replace any glass thermometer in the house with one of these products. Another way is on the back with the legs pulled up to the chest. Put some petroleum jelly on the end of the thermometer and the anus.

Slide the thermometer gently into the anus no more than 1 inch. That means until you can no longer see the silver tip. Be gentle. There should not be any resistance.

If there is, stop. Hold your child still. Leave a digital thermometer in until it beeps about 10 seconds. Your child has a fever if the rectal temp is above Warning: do not take rectal temperatures in young children with leukemia or other cancers.

Also avoid in other children with weak immune systems such as organ transplant, HIV or sickle cell disease. Make sure the armpit is dry.

Close the armpit by holding the elbow against the chest. Do this until it beeps about 10 seconds. It is important to remember: Rectal temperatures are generally thought to be the most accurate for checking a young child's temperature.

The manufacturer of the temperature device you use, such as an ear or forehead thermometer, provides information on how to use it. Be sure to read and follow the instructions to obtain an accurate temperature. The information may also include how the results of the device correlate with the results from other methods of taking a temperature. Plastic strip thermometers have some uses, but they aren't recommended for general home use.

Unlike oral, rectal, and ear thermometers, plastic strip thermometers measure skin temperature, not body temperature. Temperature comparison table The temperature comparison table below will give you the range of temperature correlation with the different methods used to take a temperature. To use the table: Find the method that you used to take a temperature. Find the correct temperature range.

Look for the temperature range of the other methods that correlates to the method you used.