Thermometer is widely used to check body temperature when one is suffering from fever. It would be wise to keep a thermometer in your first-aid kit. Variety of thermometers are available in the market. Choosing what type of thermometer and knowing how to use it is very important. Using a thermometer to check the body temperature is very simple. Let’s get acquainted with the different types of thermometers and their uses.
The thermometers are either manual or digital type. One must shake the manual thermometer for every single use or after every use to bring down the level of the mercury to below 96 degrees F and through this only, one can record the correct body temperature. While using a digital thermometer is simpler. All you need is to turn on the thermometer by pressing the button and wait till it beeps out. The temperature will be recorded automatically. Given below are some types of it.
1. Oral thermometer
The oral thermometer is used to record the body temperature by placing it under the tongue. If you are using this thermometer, put it under the tongue and leave it for around 5 minutes. But when using a digital thermometer, wait till the thermometer beeps. Remove the thermometer and record the temperature. Be careful not to record the temperature right after eating or drinking as it may change the temperature.
2. Rectal thermometer
Rectal thermometer is taken in case of infants or in cases where no other method can be used to check the body temperature. A lubricant, such as petroleum jelly is used and the thermometer is placed in the anal opening. Wait for five minutes if a manual thermometer is used and wait till the instrument beeps in case of a digital one and record the temperature.
3. Tympanic (ear) thermometer
Ear is the organ that is nearest to the brain. Hence, it becomes a point to measure the accurate body temperature. The ear thermometer is placed inside the ear lobe. But you must be cautious that the thermometer does not touch the ear walls while measuring the temperature of the eardrum.Eardrum is very sensitive and thus should be handled with care. Infrared sensors are used to measure the temperature of the eardrum. Put the thermometer in the ear canal opening and press the button on the thermometer till it beeps. Pointing the thermometer in the wrong direction may give an altered and inaccurate result.
4. Temporal thermometer
This thermometer uses the temporal artery to record the temperature of the body. It gives a more accurate reading of the body temperature than the oral thermometer. The temperature of the forehead does not change even after a person eats or drinks. To use a temporal thermometer, we must remove the cover from the tip of the thermometer and clean the end with an alcohol wipe. Press the button on the thermometer while holding it, slide it across the forehead. A red light and a beeping sound indicates that the thermometer has recorded the temperature. Insure that there is no sweat on the forehead or it might give a false result.
5. Axillary thermometer
The thermometer used to measure the temperature in the armpit is called Axillary thermometer. The tip of the thermometer is placed under the arm. For a manual thermometer, we have to wait for 5 minutes to record the body temperature. And we will wait till the device beeps in case of a digital one.
All the thermometers will serve the same purpose and equally successfully. The choice of thermometer is mainly based on your need and availability. For example, you cannot use an oral thermometer to check an infant’s temperature. You can introduce rectal one in such situation. A tympanic thermometer cannot be used if you have an ear infection. One has to choose the type of thermometer according to his/her requirements.
