Axillary method
The armpit temperature is mainly measured in Central and Eastern European countries. This is a fairly accurate method of measurement, provided that the thermometer is placed deep, pressed tightly, and the measurement is taken for at least 7-10 minutes.
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Features : This measurement method is not suitable for obese people. Adipose tissue serves as a layer between the thermometer and the body, so the thermometer readings cannot always be trusted. An axillary measurement will also be inaccurate if the armpit is sweaty or if the person took hot or cold water before the measurement.
The normal temperature in the armpit is 36.0-36.9 degrees.
2. Reasons
There are a great many reasons for an increase in temperature, many of which are purely situational, but in this case, low-grade fever is always transient in nature and passes more or less quickly. These are, for example, temperature fluctuations during the day (slightly higher in the evening), in response to intense physical activity, overheating, a stressful situation, or (in women) the ovulation phase of the cycle.
An increase in temperature is one of the most common, almost always occurring reactions to an infection, no matter what pathogen it is caused by; Accordingly, persistent low-grade fever often turns out to be a symptom of a chronic infectious-inflammatory process, with which the immune system has entered into a kind of “clinch” without a clear “winner.”
The causes can also be HIV/AIDS, oncological processes, endocrine disorders (usually thyroid pathology), autoimmune diseases, asthenic conditions after an illness, anemia, viral hepatitis, chronic inflammation of the structures of the nasopharynx, kidneys, reproductive system, etc.; eroding and ulcerating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, parasitosis, cardiovascular pathology, taking certain medications.
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Oral method
“The most popular way to measure temperature in the USA,” says Tatyana Muravskaya, an infectious disease doctor at St. Barnabas Hospital (New Jersey, USA) . “Clinical trials and medical practice in the United States have shown that when measuring temperature in the mouth, the indicators are much more accurate than when measuring in the armpit.”
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Features : When measuring temperature, it is important to ensure that the tip of the thermometer is located under the tongue and the mouth is closed.
It is also important not to smoke or drink hot or cold drinks 5 minutes before the measurement. The normal value of oral temperature is 36.0-37.4 degrees.
What does basal temperature show and how to determine it correctly?
Basal temperature is the temperature in the rectal area. Measuring basal temperature allows you to calculate when ovulation occurs, whether pregnancy has occurred, and what is the cause of menstrual irregularities.
The correct basal temperature can only be determined if all the rules for measuring it are followed. When measuring basal temperature, you need to take measurements at the same time of day, do not move during the five-minute measurement, and exclude a state of nervous excitement. It is appropriate to record all the data obtained on a basal temperature form, which will subsequently allow you to analyze the woman’s condition.
Can basal temperature be an indicator of pregnancy or health problems?
Many people do not quite understand why basal temperature can indicate the occurrence of ovulation or problems with hormonal levels. A basal temperature test, if measured correctly, will help not only the woman, but also her treating gynecologist, determine the condition of the reproductive system. The determination of basal temperature is based on the relationship between progesterone levels and an increase in temperature in the anus.
At different periods of the monthly cycle or pregnancy, normal basal temperature has many digital discrepancies. That is, for different periods there are different examples of basal temperature that are acceptable.
What can low or elevated basal temperature mean?
The normal average basal temperature in the first menstrual phase is a rather low basal temperature of 36.6 degrees. If in the first days of the cycle a high basal temperature is observed, from 37.0 degrees or more, then there is a possibility of inflammation of the appendages or disruption of estrogen production.
In the second phase, after ovulation, the norm is considered to be an increase in basal temperature to 37.2 degrees. How long can this basal temperature last after ovulation? The basal temperature remains at such a high level until the onset of menstruation and continues until the end of the discharge. If in the second period of the cycle the basal temperature drops, this may mean a lack of progesterone production. Also, a drop in basal temperature can occur immediately before ovulation. Many people do not know what basal temperature means when it falls. First of all, this is a sharp drop in temperature lasting about a day, after which the temperature returns to its previous levels. This process is influenced by hormonal changes, which are not permanent.
basal temperature
Temperature measurement in the ear
A rather exotic method, but in the ear you can catch the earliest temperature changes in the body.
Features : You cannot measure the temperature in the ear with ordinary thermometers. A special infrared ear thermometer is required. If there is an inflammatory process in the auricle, the device will give an inflated result.
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The normal temperature in the auricle is 35.5-37.5 degrees.
Basal temperature is normal
- From the 1st day until the end of menstruation, BT consistently decreases from 37.0 to 36.3-36.5.
- Until approximately the middle of the cycle (in longer cycles - approximately until the day 2 weeks before the start of the next menstruation), BT fluctuates between 36.3-36.6.
- 2 weeks before the start of the next menstruation, the egg matures, and therefore BT increases to 37.0-37.3 within 1-3 days (in many women, before increasing by 1-2 days, BT may decrease by 0.1-0 ,2°). This rise means ovulation - the release of an egg from the ovary.
- During the 2nd phase, BT remains within the range of 37.0-37.5.
- 2-3 days before the start of menstruation, BT begins to decrease, reaching approximately 37.0 at the beginning of menstruation.
- The difference between the average BT of the first and second phases of the cycle should not be less than 0.4-0.5°.
What is described is an ideal that does not occur often enough.
Deviations can be varied, with each feature indicating certain violations. Attention:
- With a cycle longer or shorter than 28 days, the 1st phase is lengthened or shortened (until the temperature rises), and the 2nd phase in any case should be at least 12-14 days.
- If BT during a missed period is 37.0 or higher, this is a likely sign of pregnancy. Pregnancy tests need to be done.
- BBT should not be measured when taking oral contraceptives: the temperature will be approximately the same throughout the entire cycle, which depends on the concentration of hormones in the tablets, but not on your own hormonal activity.
See our article - ovulation test
Measuring rectal temperature in pregnant women
Pregnancy causes extensive changes in a woman's body. He is preparing to bear and feed a child, the mammary glands and even the skeleton are changing. All these processes are controlled by female hormones. In this case, body temperature plays a huge role. And it is often measured rectally, because, as already mentioned, this method gives more accurate readings. This temperature is called basal.
3. Symptoms and diagnosis
In medicine, there is a stable expression “low-grade fever without signs of a cold.” If there really are no such signs, it is very important to understand and tell the doctor what is unusual in your condition and well-being, what associated symptoms or discomfort are accompanied by persistent low-grade fever. It is impossible to list all the options; their number is almost endless and ranges from intense pain syndromes to a barely noticeable decrease in function. Changes can be found in any system or physiological process of the body - digestion, sensory organs, skin, musculoskeletal system, etc.
In some cases, to reliably establish the causes, it is enough to collect complaints and anamnesis, as well as a standard therapeutic examination with palpation, auscultation and percussion. In others, a thorough multifaceted examination may be required using laboratory tests, instrumental imaging, endoscopic and functional diagnostic methods. However, in the vast majority of cases, given the diagnostic capabilities of modern medicine, the cause is eventually found.
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How to calculate days favorable for conception
It is possible to calculate days favorable for conception only after analyzing several cycles. Count 3-4 days back from the date when the BT jump occurred, and 2 days forward. This will cover the period of viability of sperm and egg.
Analyze all cycles: for example, in the first, the earliest release of the egg occurred on the 13th day, and in the fourth - on the 14th, thus, the number of days favorable for conception increases. However, if pregnancy does not occur within several months, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
What factors influence the correctness of measurements?
During the period of constructing the BT chart, you need to remember that there are factors that significantly distort the readings. First of all, it is alcohol, and in any quantity. In addition, you need to remember that alcohol destroys follicles with eggs, so if a woman wants to have children, then she should not drink alcohol in principle, since the number of eggs in her body will be limited.
You cannot have sex 10-12 hours before measurements. Temperature levels are affected by stress, so situations that could affect a woman’s mental state should be avoided.
With any infection, the body temperature rises, so it will be impossible to determine ovulation or pregnancy under such conditions.
Although it is believed that BT is not affected by the environment, you need to understand: the presence of a heating pad nearby or frozen feet will in any case have some effect on the temperature readings. At the time of measurement, the woman should feel comfortable, she should not be cold or too hot.
