Why is the temperature measured in the mouth in the West, and in our armpit?

Why is the temperature measured in the mouth in the West, and in our armpit?

Categories: Health and Medicine

Most likely, you have seen in the movies that Americans put a thermometer in their mouth to measure the temperature. At the same time, we are not talking about any preferences of individuals-this is a standard procedure for US residents. But the fact that the temperature can be measured by sticking a thermometer under your arm, as they do here, seems unusual to them. Why do we use such different methods of measuring body temperature?

Why is the temperature measured in the mouth in the West, and in our armpit?

Let's start with the theory. The most correct is to measure the temperature at the points of the body closest to the place where it is stable. Such classic places are considered to be the armpit, the place under the tongue and the rectum. The most accurate method of measurement is in the rectum, that is, rectal, and it is practiced all over the world.

Most often, the temperature is determined by the rectal method in infants, because a small child can not yet hold a thermometer under the tongue or pressing it to the body with his hand. The method is also applied to adults, when it is necessary to get the most accurate indications for diagnostic purposes.

The mouth is an excellent place for temperature measurements, accessible and scientifically based. A person's body can overheat, for example, when he is lying under a blanket, and this will affect the accuracy of the readings. But the temperature in the mouth is always constant and at the same time the most corresponding to reality.

Another plus of measuring under the tongue is speed. On average, this takes only 1-2 minutes, and not 5, as with the armpit. For such manipulation, you do not need to undress and even unbutton your clothes, which is also very convenient. But then why is it not measured in our country in the most accurate, not the most convenient, and not the fastest way?

Why is the temperature measured in the mouth in the West, and in our armpit?

The tradition of measuring body temperature under the armpit, surprising both Americans and Europeans, was inherited from the Soviet era. Long queues in domestic hospitals somehow did not have the ability to measure under the tongue, and even more so rectally. There were not many thermometers, and it was difficult to disinfect them after each patient. Therefore, the doctors chose the third recommended point for themselves, not the most accurate, but the least troublesome.

Why is the temperature measured in the mouth in the West, and in our armpit?

Yes, it is worth saying that the temperature of 36.6 is considered normal only with the axillary method. With the oral method, the norm is 37.3 — 37.7 degrees, and with the rectal method-37.1 — 37.5 degrees.

Did you know that a thermometer can be not just a boring device, but also a real miracle and even a work of art? Don't you believe it? Then get acquainted with the Galileo thermometer.

Keywords: Diseases | Diagnosis | Doctors | Ussr | Usa | Temperature

Post News Article

Recent articles

25 photos in which it is not clear where the reflection is, and where the reality is
25 photos in which it is not clear where the reflection is, ...

In our time, editing a photo with Photoshop so that it seems like a picture from a non-existent reality is easy. But to make a ...

10 ways to use dishwashing detergent for other purposes
10 ways to use dishwashing detergent for other purposes

Many ordinary things keep secrets. Even a simple dish detergent has potential that most of us don't even realize. What else can ...

Historical photos that allow you to look at the past from a different angle
Historical photos that allow you to look at the past from a ...

History as a subject, especially at school, can become a real nightmare, consisting of a list of dry dates and a meaningless ...

Related articles

Dr. Nicholas Senn is a surgeon who inflated his patients with hydrogen
Dr. Nicholas Senn is a surgeon who inflated his patients with ...

Medical ethics forbids inflating patients, unless we are talking about the direct meaning of this word. American surgeon Nicholas ...

Doctors say that lying in bed is more effective for weight loss, what to do at the gym
Doctors say that lying in bed is more effective for weight ...

Spring mogie begin to storm the gym, trying to get rid of the "frills" on the sides and stomach to the onset of summer. However, ...

You can't escape fate: the 15 most common causes of death of people
You can't escape fate: the 15 most common causes of death of ...

Human life is a very fragile thing. There are a million reasons why it can break off. Some, of course, happen extremely rarely, ...