Taking a Temperature: The Right Way to Do It

What is the best place to take a temperature? And which thermometer is best? Here you can find out how to take your body temperature correctly.

Which thermometer to take a temperature?

Body temperature changes during the day, so it is usually lower in the morning than in the evening. It is therefore better to take the temperature at the same time of day and always in the same place (e.g. always rectally or always orally). You can use a contact thermometer or an infrared thermometer for this – both variants are easy to handle.

• A digital thermometer is battery operated and can be used on different parts of the body. It usually only needs 30 to 60 seconds for the measurement, ends with a signal tone and shows the temperature on the display.
• The ear thermometer measures via infrared spots on the eardrum. It is not necessarily suitable for infants, as the ear canals may still be too narrow. The forehead thermometer works on the same principle at the temples.
• The analogue glass thermometer is no longer widely used, but very accurate. The newer ones also no longer contain toxic mercury, as this has been banned since 2009. In contrast to the other clinical thermometers, it takes several minutes to take a temperature. And: It is not break-proof and therefore not recommended for children and infants.

What is the best place to measure?

Ear, mouth, armpit or butt? In fact, the results differ depending on the method. Although not very popular, the rectal measurement is considered the most accurate. Lying on your side or on your back and greasing the tip of the thermometer with e.g. some Vaseline before use.

• If you prefer to take your temperature in your mouth, place the thermometer under your tongue. The temperature here differs from the real body temperature by about 0.3 to 0.5° Celsius. In order not to falsify the result any further, you should not eat or drink anything cold 15 minutes before.
• When taking a temperature, the specially developed ear thermometer is one of the most pleasant methods. Before inserting it into the external auditory canal, pull the ear slightly upwards and backwards. Here too, the results can be 0.5 to 1° Celsius lower.
• You can also take a temperature at the forehead by simply holding the thermometer against the temples. However, this method is not as accurate as the others. The same applies to the determination of the body temperature in the armpit, because there it deviates too much from the actual core temperature of the body.