Introduction

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INTRODUCTION

A common measure of a person’s health is their body temperature. Normally an adult’s body temperature ranges between 96.8 to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (36 to 38 degrees on the Centigrade scale) depending on time of day and a person’s activity. Many different factors affect body temperature. No single temperature is normal for all people.

Why Measure Body Temperature?

There are many reasons for taking a person’s temperature:

To detect fever if a person feels ill
To monitor the effects of medicine for lowering fever
To check for an abnormally low temperature (hypothermia) of a person exposed to extreme cold
To check for an abnormally high temperature (hyperthermia) of a person exposed to extreme heat
To check the ovulation cycle of a woman wishing to become pregnant

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Normally the body maintains a balance of heat loss and gain, keeping a fairly constant temperature range.

Introduction

Why Measure Body Temperature?

Video: Taking a Tempurature