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Using a thermometer to monitor your temperature can help you manage an illness.
A rise in your temperature is usually caused by an illness, infection, or injury.
Normal body temperature
Normal body temperature is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (or 37 degrees
Celsius). Your temperature often varies from 1 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit (.5 to 1
degrees Celsius) throughout the day. Your temperature is usually low in the
morning and gradually increases during the day, reaching its high in the late
afternoon or evening.
Types of thermometers
An oral thermometer has a long, slender bulb at one end, containing mercury.
Oral thermometers are usually used in the mouth, but can also be placed under
the armpit. A rectal thermometer has a shorter bulb of mercury at one end and is
used in the rectum, usually in children. As the mercury in the thermometer
expands in response to your body heat, it moves up the column to display your
temperature.
Electronic and temperature strip thermometers are also available, but might be
less accurate.
When purchasing a thermometer, choose one with a column that is easy to see
and with degree markings that are easy to read.
How to take your temperature
Wash your hands with soap and warm water.
Wash the thermometer in cold water.
Make sure the top of the mercury column is down near the bulb.
Hold the thermometer firmly at the end away from the mercury bulb and
shake it with a downward flick of your wrist. This drives the mercury level
down below the normal mark.
Insert the bulb end of the thermometer under your tongue and close your
mouth.
Wait one minute and remove the thermometer. To read the temperature, hold
the thermometer near the light and rotate it slowly until you see the silver
column of mercury. The number on the thermometer at the top of the mercury
column is your temperature.
Rinse the thermometer in cold water and clean it with alcohol before
storing it.
When to call your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you have a temperature of 101 degrees
Fahrenheit or higher. This could be a sign of infection and should be treated
right away.
If you have a fever and any of these other signs, call your health care
provider right away:
- Severe headache
- Stiff neck
- Severe swelling of your throat
- Mental confusion
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