Body temperature changes when exposed to various factors. It depends on the time of day, exposure to external stimuli and age. An increase or decrease in temperature affects the general condition of the body. Viruses, hypothermia, stress and many other events are the causes of body temperature, that is, its deviation from the norm.
Symptoms
Hypothermia - a decrease in body temperature below 35 ° C. It is divided into moderate and severe. Up to 32 ° C the temperature is considered moderate.
At this temperature, it is common:
- feeling of drowsiness;
- apathy;
- shiver;
- retardation;
- lethargy;
- dizziness;
- heart rhythm disturbance.
At home, bed rest and plenty of warm drinking can help. It is imperative to consult a cardiologist to prevent serious consequences. A full examination is desirable, as the reasons may be different.
Temperatures below 32 ° C are severe. Under such conditions, the body cannot fully function, organs fail, a fatal outcome is possible. Call an ambulance immediately. Deviation of 1-1.5 degrees below normal gives rise to a trip to the doctor.
Above normal body temperatures are classified as elevated and high.
Increased may be:
- low-grade (37 ° C - 38 ° C);
- febrile (38 ° C-39 ° C).
Symptoms at elevated temperature:
- general malaise;
- mild chills;
- headache;
- decreased appetite;
- heart palpitations;
- pain in the limbs and muscles.
Prolonged subfebrile body temperature indicates a sluggish inflammatory process.
It is observed at:
- a cold
- pneumonia;
- tuberculosis
- tonsillitis;
- psoriasis
- typhoid fever;
- also indicates the presence of parasites.
Febrile fever can be caused by:
- viral infections;
- allergies
- inflammatory processes;
- violation of the circulatory system;
- cardiovascular disease.
High:
- pyretic (39 ° C - 41 ° C);
- hyperperitic (above 41 ° C).
Symptoms of fever:
- fever;
- chills;
- increased heart rate;
- high perspiration;
- dehydration;
- rave;
- joint and muscle pain.
Temperature in babies
Children often get sick, and many diseases are accompanied by fever, as the body is fighting infection. Moms with any, even slight deviations in the behavior of their children begin to panic. In fact, this is wrong, because in newborns the body is only being formed. In the first month, the temperature will be from 37 to 37.5 degrees, and this is considered quite normal. Gradually, the temperature will drop to our usual indicators, but this will happen throughout the year.
You can measure the temperature in children in three ways:
- In the armpits, it will be 36 ° C-37.3 ° C.
- In the mouth under the tongue - 36.6 ° C-37.2 ° C.
- In the intestines - 36.9 ° C-38 ° C.
Here you also need to understand that the measurements are taken while the child is stationary, and 38 ° C is considered normal if there are no clear signs of malaise.
In general, in order to understand what the body temperature of the baby will be normal for him, you need to measure it for a couple of days and keep a special diary, because babies are very easily influenced from the outside. You can wrap it up too much and overheat.
Correct measurement
If the thermometer is mercury, then the measurements take place in the axillary region. The thermometer should be kept so that it does not fall, since mercury is very dangerous. Measurements take 5-7 minutes.
Using an electronic thermometer is easier, and it can more accurately determine body temperature in just 3 minutes. But here, too, not everything is so simple, in the armpits it will show with an error of one degree, but in the intestine or under the tongue it shows more precisely. Moreover, 1 minute is enough in the mouth. There are also dummy thermometers or indicators. The indicator is applied to the child's forehead, and the dummy is simply put in the mouth.
Indicators in an adult
When determining the body temperature in an adult, you must consider:
- The age group to which the patient belongs.
- His gender.
- Used measurement methods.
- Features of daily and seasonal biorhythms.
- The current physical or mental stress of the patient.
The infant has the highest normal temperature under the armpit; in it, it can reach 36.8 ° C. The temperature of adults returns to this figure and will be so up to 65 years. After that, it will drop to 36.3 ° C. In addition, the female body is usually half a degree warmer than the male. It is equally important to take into account the way in which temperature is measured. A thermometer under the armpit will give half a degree less than it, but in the mouth, and in the ears, vagina and anus will be one degree more. For a healthy body, temperature fluctuations per day are considered the norm. So, the temperature will be more in the morning than in the evening.
How to measure?
Thermoregulation of the body is an important process of the whole organism. Interestingly, the range of normal human temperature ranges from 36.0 ° C to 37.2 ° C. It is important to understand your optimal temperature, as its deviation may indicate any disease. That is why it is necessary to learn how to use the thermometer correctly.
Here are some principles for measuring a thermometer:
- Measurements of body temperature must be made in a room where the temperature of the room varies from 17 to 25 degrees Celsius.
- Before inserting the thermometer into the armpit, you should pat it with a dry cloth, otherwise the evaporation of the sweat will give a cooling effect, and the temperature will be lower than it actually is.
- Before inserting a thermometer, you need to shake the mercury to the level of 35.5 ° C.
- Ensure tight contact between the end of the thermometer and the skin of the armpits.
- About half an hour before the measurement must be carried out in a calm and relaxed state. In the same position, you need to sit all the time while the temperature is being measured.
- For an accurate result, keep it from 7 to 10 minutes.
As a result, the more accurately all measurement requirements are met, the higher the probability of identifying the correct temperature.
Normal body temperature
In a healthy person, the average temperature norm is 37 ° C. Although it can change, a healthy body can keep the temperature within 37 degrees for a long time.
Fever is a symptom, not a disease. The temperature rises to effectively fight the body against infections. The temperature range of the human body depends on how fast the metabolism proceeds. The faster it runs, the greater the norm will be, the slower the less it will be.
Other factors on which the results of temperature measurements depend:
- Times of Day;
- part of the body;
- season.
The temperature will be lower in the morning, as the body rested during sleep, and in the evening it will increase due to physical exertion and eating. In addition, each part of the body has its own temperature characteristics. The oral cavity - one of the most convenient parts of the body for measuring temperature - has an indicator of 37 ° C. This is considered a generally accepted temperature norm and standard. The armpit temperature is the longest and most inaccurate measurement, the norm here is 36.4 ° C. For rectal measurement, the temperature should correspond to the figure of 37.6 ° C.
Mercury thermometer
Mercury, which is located in the thermometer, expands with increasing temperature and moves along a glass rod until it reaches a mark corresponding to the temperature of the human body. This thermometer is the most accurate.
Pros:
- high accuracy of temperature measurement;
- inexpensive;
- easy to use;
- durable.
Minuses:
- fragile;
- danger of mercury vapor;
- long temperature measurement.
Electronic thermometer
It has a metal tip in its design, which changes its conductivity of electricity depending on the temperature of the human body. Measurements are recorded on an electronic scoreboard.
Pros:
- accuracy of measurements of human body temperature;
- quick result;
- easy to use;
- is safe;
- cheap;
- additional functions.
Minuses:
Infrared thermometer
The design has a sensor that picks up radiation from the human body, and then converts the data into numbers on the display.
Pros:
- fast result within 1-3 seconds;
- is safe;
- big screen.
Minuses:
- expensive;
- small margin of error;
- dependent on batteries.
Means for raising the temperature
There are many ways to raise body temperature. To do this artificially means harming the health, albeit insignificant. Here are a few methods to help increase the temperature:
- Consume iodine. This method involves the use of a solution with food. For example, moisten a piece of pie with it.
- Eat a pencil. You need to sharpen it to such an extent that you can get the stylus. It consists of graphite, and it is known to many that it can very quickly increase the temperature, the action lasts for 3-4 hours.
- Coffee drink. Eat 2 teaspoons of coffee, the method is not particularly effective, but a slight increase will occur.
- Geranium plant. Take a few fresh leaves and apply them to the nostrils.
- Mustard Powder. The same way, how to raise body temperature, which without harm affects the body. We take the powder and rub it under the armpits.
- Acetic acid. We take it and dissolve 4 tablespoons of acid per liter of water. Using a cloth, we rub the body and wrap ourselves in a plaid.
Here are some ways you can increase your body temperature, just remember that if you feel unwell you should immediately consult a doctor.