Measurement and evaluation of body temperature

Body temperature

 * Below 34 °C mostly death;
 * hypothermia– 34–36 °C;
 * normal – 36–37 °C;
 * subfebrile – 37–38 °C;
 * febrile – nad 38 °C;
 * hyperpyrexia – 40–41 °C;
 * above 42 °C mostly death.

We measure the temperature with a mercury thermometer in the axilla, but we can also measure in other places. Our measurement depends on the measuring point:


 * The temperature in the rectum is 0,5 °C higher than the temperature in the axilla.
 * Oral temperature 0,1–0,3 °C higher than axillary temperature.

Fever curves
It deals with the course of temperatures and their fluctuations:


 * Febris Continua - permanent increase in body temperature above 38 °C - typhoid fever.
 * Febris Remitens - fluctuates by more than 2 °C during the day, but never reaches normal body temperature - severe infection.
 * Febris Intermittens - high fever alternates with normal to subnormal temperatures during the day.
 * Febris Recurrens - periods of days with fever alternate regularly with periods of days without fevers.
 * Febris Undulans - the temperature rises within a few days and falls again after reaching the maximum, a period of rest for a few days and then the whole cycle is repeated - Hodgkin's disease.

Chills

 * only once in case of illness and not recurring – pneumonia, influenza;
 * Recurrent – bacteremia, sepsis.

Related articles

 * Body temperature
 * Temperature measurement