Normal body temperature based on old study

[JoeWras]

This has been brewing for a while. 98.6F/37C is old news.

https://www.wired.com/story/98-degrees-is-a-normal-body-temperature-right-not-quite/

Yes, it is. Forget everything you know about normal body temperature and fever, starting with 98.6. That’s an antiquated number based on a flawed study from 1868 (yes, 150 years ago). The facts about fever are a lot more complicated.
...
The study, published online this month in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, refutes the age-old benchmark of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead, Hausmann and his colleagues found an average normal temperature in adults of 97.7 degrees, as measured with an oral thermometer. (The published study uses results from 329 healthy adults.) As for fever, Hausmann found that it begins at 99.5 degrees, on average.

My normal wake up temperature is in the 97.xF range. Afternoon it is about 98.0F.

Above that, I know I'm running a fever. When I see over 100F, it is trouble. I've only gone over 103F in the last 30 years twice, both with bad flu, and both lasted for less than a few hours.

I hope this study catches on.

For me it was important due to some tick bites early this year. I needed to know if I got any bad pathogen. I took my morning temperature every day for 6 weeks just to be sure it didn't blip. It did not. I'm confident the ticks did not infect me with one of the bad guys.

If I had had a week of 99.xF, I would know I got something. How would I convince my health providers?

 

[athena53]

I haven't had a problem at all- mine is 97.x unless I'm sick. The people at the blood bank don't get excited and neither do the people at my doc's office. I just tell them that's normal for me.

 

[JoeWras]

I wonder what the blood bank low value is. 97.x is pretty standard for me too. No rejections.

I've had to decline appointments when I did "not feel well" (one of their questions) where I clearly would have passed their measured requirements.

 

[timo2]

I've always been 97.xx.

 

[6miths]

I'm always hot, hot, hot baby! (Can't recall having had my temp taken since childhood.)

 

[Dtail]

This has been brewing for a while. 98.6F/37C is old news.

https://www.wired.com/story/98-degrees-is-a-normal-body-temperature-right-not-quite/
My normal wake up temperature is in the 97.xF range. Afternoon it is about 98.0F.

Above that, I know I'm running a fever. When I see over 100F, it is trouble. I've only gone over 103F in the last 30 years twice, both with bad flu, and both lasted for less than a few hours.

I hope this study catches on.

For me it was important due to some tick bites early this year. I needed to know if I got any bad pathogen. I took my morning temperature every day for 6 weeks just to be sure it didn't blip. It did not. I'm confident the ticks did not infect me with one of the bad guys.

If I had had a week of 99.xF, I would know I got something. How would I convince my health providers?

Do you and/or others take their temperature on a daily basis?

 

[joeea]

For me it was important due to some tick bites early this year. I needed to know if I got any bad pathogen. I took my morning temperature every day for 6 weeks just to be sure it didn't blip. It did not. I'm confident the ticks did not infect me with one of the bad guys.

If I had had a week of 99.xF, I would know I got something. How would I convince my health providers?

Relying on your temperature is a poor and inaccurate way of determining infection.

Have your health provider run blood tests. Your confidence may be misplaced.

 

[JoeWras]

Do you and/or others take their temperature on a daily basis?

No. But I have taken it over the last 40 years from time to time, specifically around infection events. Over that time, after flu or cold recovery, I have a pretty good idea what is "normal."

I have also donated blood over 150 times with different blood banks and equipment. Most in the 97.x range. I think that gives me a pretty good idea of my "normal."

Relying on your temperature is a poor and inaccurate way of determining infection.

Have your health provider run blood tests. Your confidence may be misplaced.

I also looked for a rash and other symptoms and just had a doctor visit.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[joeea]

I also looked for a rash and other symptoms and just had a doctor visit.

Thank you for your advice.

I'm not sure what condition worries you.

Lyme disease (and other tick-borne diseases) often exhibit no symptoms in the short term. Only a specific blood test can make an effective determination in those cases.

My brother got it - no fever, no rash, no symptoms until much later.

 

[JoeWras]

I'm not sure what condition worries you.

Lyme disease (and other tick-borne diseases) often exhibit no symptoms in the short term. Only a specific blood test can make an effective determination in those cases.

My brother got it - no fever, no rash, no symptoms until much later.

Oh great! Thanks for my entry into ER!

Visited my doc recently about joint pain and mentioned all of this. No rash, no fever. Etc. He says I'm fine. (It is localized to one joint, if that helps.)

Dang you joeea, are you a health professional? You are about to ruin my first ER day!

 

[athena53]

Do you and/or others take their temperature on a daily basis?

Nope- I'm rarely sick other than the occasional bad cold. Not sure where the thermometer is!

 

[Aerides]

I've always thought the 98.6 was BS as I'm always in the 97's. I only take my temperature if I'm feeling other symptoms like a cold/flu.

 

[Amethyst]

My temp has been around 98.4 since kidhood.

I think the medical community knows to allow for a couple of degrees variation, before they suspect either fever or hypothermia (both of which I've experienced, and I think I prefer fever!)

 

[brucethebroker]

I've always thought the 98.6 was BS as I'm always in the 97's. I only take my temperature if I'm feeling other symptoms like a cold/flu.

Maybe, but it is a great song though....