Contact your local trash collection program to see if there's a hazardous waste collection site in your area. Don't use the same thermometer in both places. Mercury thermometers. Check the bulb of the thermometer to make. Otherwise? Unfortunately, your chances of accurately guessing whether or not you have a fever without a thermometer are fair at best, he says. To use a digital ear thermometer: Hold the thermometer up … Do this by holding the thermometer firmly and flicking the wrist until the mercury reads at or below the lowest number. Most electronic contact thermometers can record temperatures from the forehead, mouth, armpit or rectum Ensure thermometer is away from people and objects before shaking. Direct sunlight, cold temperatures or a sweaty forehead can affect temperature readings. These thermometers can be used on the forehead, mouth, armpit or rectum. Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. Rinse with cool water. An electronic contact thermometer is appropriate for newborns, infants, children and adults. Does Emergen-C Work To Keep You From Getting Sick? Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Sit your child on your lap, facing away from you. Rectal temperatures provide the most-accurate readings for infants, especially those 3 months or younger, as well as children up to age 3. A temporal artery thermometer may be more expensive than other types of thermometers. Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer with Fever InSight $9.98 Able to provide readings both orally and rectally, the waterproof Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer provides readings within 8 … Coping with unemployment caused by COVID-19, COVID-19 (coronavirus): Quarantine, self-isolation and social distancing, COVID-19: Social distancing, contact tracing are critical. After all, a fever tends to serve as an indicator that your body is fending something off (like a virus or a bacterial infection) and trying to return to its normal, according to the Mayo Clinic. Earwax or a small, curved ear canal can interfere with the accuracy of a temperature taken with an infrared ear thermometer. Case in point: Patients who self-reported feeling feverish at a rural teaching hospital in India had a 58 percent chance of *actually* having a fever, according to a study in Tropical Medicine and International Health. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. Oral – You may know this from your teenage days when your parents place the thermometer under your tongue to check whether you have a fever or not. Should I add a degree to oral (under the tongue) and axillary (under the arm) readings? Wait approximately five minutes (manual thermometer) or for the beep (digital thermometer). Fever treatment: Quick guide to treating a fever, Getting safe emergency care during the COVID-19 pandemic. A rectal temperature or electronic pacifier thermometer are best. Remote ear thermometers, also called tympanic thermometers, use an infrared ray to measure the temperature inside the ear canal. Safe cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cancer treatment during COVID-19: How to move ahead safely. This type of thermometer may be less accurate than other types. Environmental Protection Agency. Fever: Pathogenesis and treatment. But if you don’t have a thermometer laying around, or the only one you could find was buried deep in some bathroom drawer and you’re not sure just how long it’s been in there, you might be wondering: Is there any legit (or at least somewhat legit) way to gauge whether your temperature is above normal without a thermometer? If you feel ill and you’ve got a moderately high fever (think: above 102 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.9 degrees Celsius), that’s your cue to call a doctor to figure out next steps, says Dr. Eitches. A remote thermometer that doesn't require skin contact allows people to remain further apart. Many schools, businesses and health care settings are screening visitors for fever. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Non-contact infrared versus axillary and tympanic thermometers in children attending primary care: a mixed-methods study of accuracy and acceptability. Here's how to clean a thermometer properly: Lather up some soap and water in your hands, scrub down the part of the thermometer you put in your mouth for 20 seconds, and rinse it off. Mercury thermometers are no longer recommended because they can break and allow mercury — which is toxic — to escape. “In general, if you’re experiencing fever associated with other symptoms such as shortness of breath, a rash, or confusion, it’s probably best to seek medical attention,” he says. Again, though, the only way to be totally sure your temperature’s off the charts is to use a thermometer. Remote thermometers can be used on the forehead (temporal artery) or the ear (tympanic). Pneumonia. First thing’s first: Do you *need* a thermometer to tell if you have a fever? In general, there are two types of thermometers. Infrared ear thermometers are appropriate for infants older than age 6 months, older children and adults. It can be difficult for children — or anyone who breathes through the mouth — to keep their mouths closed long enough to get an accurate oral reading. If you plan to use an electronic contact thermometer to take both oral and rectal temperatures, get two thermometers and label one for oral use and one for rectal use. Using a mercury thermometer – armpit method. A remote temporal artery thermometer can record a person's temperature quickly and are easily tolerated. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. Ward MA. Can COVID-19 (coronavirus) spread through food, water, surfaces and pets? Nov. 17, 2020 Forehead or ear temperature measurement cannot replace rectal measurements, except for screening purposes. Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics. This type of thermometer can be used in three areas of the body: 2020; doi:10.3399/bjgp20X708845. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), Neurosurgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, Parenting and special needs during a pandemic, Routine cancer screening during coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Safety tips for returning to school during COVID-19, Stay healthy during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Stay on track with medications during a pandemic, Video: Travel safely for medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. To read a mercury thermometer, hold it between your finger and thumb and turn it until you can see the point on the scale. Your child has a fever if the armpit temperature is over 99°F (3°C). Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission.