With ongoing health concerns like pandemics, monitoring your temperature is essential, especially since fever is a key symptom. As medical professionals advise, accurate measurement helps detect issues early. Here's how to do it right.
A fever is typically 38°C (100.4°F) or higher, but what counts as an increase varies by individual. Your baseline—your normal temperature—differs based on genetics, exercise, meals, and time of day. Afternoon readings are often 0.5–1°C higher than morning ones. To find your baseline, measure several times daily over a few days. Once established for yourself or your children, spotting elevations becomes straightforward and reliable.
Related reading: 'Feeling under the weather at home? How to avoid catching the flu.'
Different thermometers yield varying results: ear, rectal, forehead, underarm, or no-touch models. For most accurate core temperature readings in adults, ear thermometers are preferred by doctors. The eardrum mirrors your hypothalamus—the brain's temperature regulator—due to shared blood supply. At home, insert gently to avoid injury.
For infants and young children, rectal measurement remains the gold standard for precision. When using oral methods, wait 30–60 minutes after eating or drinking hot/cold items, as they skew results.
Now from €1.99
To the digital kiosk
