Your healthcare providers want to get an accurate picture of your body tempera-
ture and chart what happens over time. Body temperature is a vital indicator
of one’s health. A number of diseases are accompanied by characteristic changes
in body temperature. Likewise, the course of certain diseases can be monitored
by measuring body temperature. The efficiency of many treatments can be
evaluated by monitoring body temperature and changes therein. Fever is a reaction
to disease-specific stimuli, where the set point of the temperature control center is
varied to promote the body’s defenses against the disease process. Fever is the most
common form of pathological (disease-related) elevation of body temperature.
To ensure a reliable reading follow these recommendations:
•
Do not take a reading while eating, talking, drinking alcohol, smoking, exercis-
ing, and bathing for more than 30 minutes before taking your measurement.
Rest for 15 minutes before taking the measurement.
•
Do not take measurement when you have your ear covered.
•
Do not take measurement when you have been exposed to extreme tem-
perature.
•
Remain still and do not talk during measurement.
• For accuracy, the ear must be free from excess earwax build-up.
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