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Table of Contents
Is 98.6 Normal?
What’s a Fever?
Low Body Temp
Factors in Normal Readings
The human body’s normal temperature was long considered to be 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.Normal adult body temperatures actually range from 97 to 99 F.Plus, there’s some evidence to suggest normal temperature has decreased over time and is closer to 97.9 F.
Your temperature can fluctuate and vary based on your age and the method used to measure your temperature. Afeveris when your body temperature is higher than normal. Most healthcare providers consider a fever to be at 100.4 or higher.
Normal Body Temperature Range
The average human body temperature is 98.6 F (or 37 degrees Celsius). However, this is just an average and varies among people. Several factors can affect body temperature, including age, sex, and where on your body you take it.
Across a person’s lifespan, healthy, normal body temperature ranges in degrees Fahrenheit from 96 to 99.9.
Infants and Children
Adults
The normalbody temperature range for teens and adults is 97–99 F. People over age 60 have slightly lower temperatures than those younger than 60.
Different Ways to Measure Body Temperature
Body temperature differs based on where on your body you take your temperature.
Central temperature measurement sites include therectum(anus), which is a more invasive site typically used for young infants or people who are severely ill. Urine may be close to your core temperature when using an internalFoley catheterwith a sensor, for example. But method matters, and excreted urine is cooler when measured outside the body.
Peripheralsites include oral (mouth),axillary(armpit), temporal (forehead), ortympanic(ear).Environmental temperature can influence these areas, so they are slightly less accurate than central sites.However, they are more accessible and practical for daily use.
Oral
Oral temperatures are taken in the mouth. The room temperature, hot or cold liquids, and probe placement can influence oral temperatures. One study showed a variation of 3.6 degrees between oral and rectal temperatures.Normal and average oral temperatures are as follows:
Tympanic
Tympanic(ear) thermometers are fast and easy to use. They can vary a couple of degrees between ears and in comparison to a rectal temperature. These are normal and average tympanic temperatures:
Axillary
Rectal
Rectal(in the anus) temperature most accurately measures the core temperature. It is typically about 1 degree higher than oral readings. Healthcare providers commonly use rectal temperature measurements for babies less than 3 months old.These are the normal and average rectal temperatures:
Forehead
Temporal (forehead) temperatures can be measured quickly and easily. Temporal thermometers measure infrared heat waves coming off the temporal artery located in the forehead. However, a forehead temperature is often 0.5 F to 1 F lower than an oral temperature.
Fever During PregnancyIt’s normal to have a slightly elevated temperature duringpregnancy. But, you should report a fever (temperature over 100.4 degrees) to your healthcare provider. A fever could indicate an illness such as the flu orCOVID-19. Your healthcare provider may want to order tests, prescribe medications, or monitor you carefully.
Fever During Pregnancy
It’s normal to have a slightly elevated temperature duringpregnancy. But, you should report a fever (temperature over 100.4 degrees) to your healthcare provider. A fever could indicate an illness such as the flu orCOVID-19. Your healthcare provider may want to order tests, prescribe medications, or monitor you carefully.
High Body Temperature (Fever)
A fever occurs when your body temperature is higher than normal and is usually a response to a disease or illness. Fevers aregraded as mild, high, and very high as follows:
The following is how a fever is defined in childrenbased on where the temperature is taken:
Guidelines for seeking medical attention, based on age, are as follows:
The following guidelines for seeking medical attention for a fever apply to any age, including adults:
When Is a Fever Considered a Medical Emergency?In children ages 1 year or older, seek emergency medical attention for a fever rising above 103 degrees despite treatment. Getting medical attention before temperatures reach 105 degrees is crucial because it becomes more dangerous after 105.Treating temperatures before they reach 105 typically leads to better outcomes.
When Is a Fever Considered a Medical Emergency?
In children ages 1 year or older, seek emergency medical attention for a fever rising above 103 degrees despite treatment. Getting medical attention before temperatures reach 105 degrees is crucial because it becomes more dangerous after 105.Treating temperatures before they reach 105 typically leads to better outcomes.
Symptoms of Fever
Symptoms of a fever can be constant or intermittent (come and go). They include:
If the following symptoms occur along with a fever, they could indicate an underlying health problem that requires medical attention:
Regardless of their body temperature, the following signs and symptoms indicate an infant, child, or nonverbal adult should receive medical attention:
Treating a Fever at Home
These remedies may help treat a fever at home:
The following are safety considerations when treating a fever at home:Avoid giving medications to infants 3 months or younger before calling your child’s provider.Do not use ibuprofen in children 6 months or younger.Do not give aspirin to a child unless your child’s provider tells you to. It can cause a serious illness calledReye’s syndrome.Avoid bundling with multiple blankets or jackets, even if you, another adult, or a child has the chills.Do not use cold baths, ice, or alcohol baths as they can cause shivering and increase core body temperature, which can be dangerous. Lukewarm baths are fine and helpful.Avoid too much sugar when taking in fluids.Do not force food on someone who is refusing it.
The following are safety considerations when treating a fever at home:
Low Body Temperature (Hypothermia)
While people often are concerned with elevated temperatures and fevers, it’s important to note thatlow body temperaturescould also be just as concerning. Hypothermia can be life-threatening if left untreated.
Hypothermia may be categorized into three stages:
Common causes of hypothermia include:
Symptoms of Hypothermia
Symptoms of hypothermia include:
Treating Hypothermia at Home
If you suspect someone has hypothermia, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention. While you wait for help to arrive, you can take the following steps to warm the person slowly:
If a person is unconscious and not breathing, perform CPR until emergency help arrives.
What Affects Body Temperature Readings?
As mentioned above, age, temperature measurement site, and the time of day factor into your normal body temperature. Sex also plays a role. People assigned female at birth tend to have higher temperatures. This also fluctuates during their menstrual cycle,ovulation, and pregnancy.
Other factors include:
Summary
The average human body temperature is 98.6 degrees F. Healthy, normal body temperatures range from 96 to 99.9 and vary across the lifespan. Several factors can affect body temperature, including age, sex, and where on your body you take it.
A body temperature over 100.4 is considered a low-grade fever; temperatures above 103 are a high-grade fever; and temperatures over 105 become more dangerous, especially if untreated. Infants three months or younger with a rectal temperature over 100.4 should see a healthcare provider.
That said, low body temperatures (below 95 F) are just as concerning and should be treated accordingly. If you suspect someone has hypothermia, seek emergency medical attention and take appropriate steps to start warming their body slowly and safely.
A Word From Verywell
—KASHIF J. PIRACHA, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine (NIH).Fever.National Library of Medicine (NIH).Body temperature norms.Harvard Health Publishing.Time to redefine normal body temperature?Johns Hopkins Medicine.Fever.Chiocca, EM.Normal vital signs in infants, children, and adolescents. Advanced Pediatric Assessment3rd Edition. Springer;2019:578Geneva II, Cuzzo B, Fazili T, Javaid W.Normal body temperature: A systematic review.Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2019;6(4). doi:10.1093/ofid/ofz032UpToDate.Patient education: Fever in children (beyond the basics).American Academy of Pediatrics.Is a temperature ever normal?Wise J.Rectal thermometer should be used for accurate temperature reading, analysis finds.BMJ. 2015;351:h6125. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h6125Kaiser Permanente.Fever temperatures: Accuracy and comparison.Mily S, Akter K, Jabin N, et al.COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: A review.Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2022;9(9):4536-4540. doi: 10.2174/187152652266622010511135Waller DK, Hashmi SS, Hoyt AT, et al.Maternal report of fever from cold or flu during early pregnancy and the risk for noncardiac birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011.Birth Defects Res. 2018;110(4):342-351. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1147National Library of Medicine (NIH) National Center for Biotechnology Information.How is body temperature regulated and what is fever?Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Reporting: Symptom definitions.Zafren K.Accidental hypothermia in adults: Clinical manifestations and evaluation.UpToDate.Penn Medicine.Hypothermia.Perry MC, Yaeger SK, Noorbakhsh K, Cruz AT, Hickey RW.Hypothermia in Young Infants: Frequency and Yield of Sepsis Workup.Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021 Aug 1;37(8):e449-e455. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000001674.American Red Cross.Hypothermia.MedlinePlus.Pregnancy - identifying fertile days.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine (NIH).Fever.National Library of Medicine (NIH).Body temperature norms.Harvard Health Publishing.Time to redefine normal body temperature?Johns Hopkins Medicine.Fever.Chiocca, EM.Normal vital signs in infants, children, and adolescents. Advanced Pediatric Assessment3rd Edition. Springer;2019:578Geneva II, Cuzzo B, Fazili T, Javaid W.Normal body temperature: A systematic review.Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2019;6(4). doi:10.1093/ofid/ofz032UpToDate.Patient education: Fever in children (beyond the basics).American Academy of Pediatrics.Is a temperature ever normal?Wise J.Rectal thermometer should be used for accurate temperature reading, analysis finds.BMJ. 2015;351:h6125. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h6125Kaiser Permanente.Fever temperatures: Accuracy and comparison.Mily S, Akter K, Jabin N, et al.COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: A review.Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2022;9(9):4536-4540. doi: 10.2174/187152652266622010511135Waller DK, Hashmi SS, Hoyt AT, et al.Maternal report of fever from cold or flu during early pregnancy and the risk for noncardiac birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011.Birth Defects Res. 2018;110(4):342-351. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1147National Library of Medicine (NIH) National Center for Biotechnology Information.How is body temperature regulated and what is fever?Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Reporting: Symptom definitions.Zafren K.Accidental hypothermia in adults: Clinical manifestations and evaluation.UpToDate.Penn Medicine.Hypothermia.Perry MC, Yaeger SK, Noorbakhsh K, Cruz AT, Hickey RW.Hypothermia in Young Infants: Frequency and Yield of Sepsis Workup.Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021 Aug 1;37(8):e449-e455. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000001674.American Red Cross.Hypothermia.MedlinePlus.Pregnancy - identifying fertile days.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Library of Medicine (NIH).Fever.National Library of Medicine (NIH).Body temperature norms.Harvard Health Publishing.Time to redefine normal body temperature?Johns Hopkins Medicine.Fever.Chiocca, EM.Normal vital signs in infants, children, and adolescents. Advanced Pediatric Assessment3rd Edition. Springer;2019:578Geneva II, Cuzzo B, Fazili T, Javaid W.Normal body temperature: A systematic review.Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2019;6(4). doi:10.1093/ofid/ofz032UpToDate.Patient education: Fever in children (beyond the basics).American Academy of Pediatrics.Is a temperature ever normal?Wise J.Rectal thermometer should be used for accurate temperature reading, analysis finds.BMJ. 2015;351:h6125. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h6125Kaiser Permanente.Fever temperatures: Accuracy and comparison.Mily S, Akter K, Jabin N, et al.COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: A review.Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2022;9(9):4536-4540. doi: 10.2174/187152652266622010511135Waller DK, Hashmi SS, Hoyt AT, et al.Maternal report of fever from cold or flu during early pregnancy and the risk for noncardiac birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011.Birth Defects Res. 2018;110(4):342-351. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1147National Library of Medicine (NIH) National Center for Biotechnology Information.How is body temperature regulated and what is fever?Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Reporting: Symptom definitions.Zafren K.Accidental hypothermia in adults: Clinical manifestations and evaluation.UpToDate.Penn Medicine.Hypothermia.Perry MC, Yaeger SK, Noorbakhsh K, Cruz AT, Hickey RW.Hypothermia in Young Infants: Frequency and Yield of Sepsis Workup.Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021 Aug 1;37(8):e449-e455. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000001674.American Red Cross.Hypothermia.MedlinePlus.Pregnancy - identifying fertile days.
National Library of Medicine (NIH).Fever.
National Library of Medicine (NIH).Body temperature norms.
Harvard Health Publishing.Time to redefine normal body temperature?
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Fever.
Chiocca, EM.Normal vital signs in infants, children, and adolescents. Advanced Pediatric Assessment3rd Edition. Springer;2019:578
Geneva II, Cuzzo B, Fazili T, Javaid W.Normal body temperature: A systematic review.Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2019;6(4). doi:10.1093/ofid/ofz032
UpToDate.Patient education: Fever in children (beyond the basics).
American Academy of Pediatrics.Is a temperature ever normal?
Wise J.Rectal thermometer should be used for accurate temperature reading, analysis finds.BMJ. 2015;351:h6125. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h6125
Kaiser Permanente.Fever temperatures: Accuracy and comparison.
Mily S, Akter K, Jabin N, et al.COVID-19 infection in pregnancy: A review.Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2022;9(9):4536-4540. doi: 10.2174/187152652266622010511135
Waller DK, Hashmi SS, Hoyt AT, et al.Maternal report of fever from cold or flu during early pregnancy and the risk for noncardiac birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011.Birth Defects Res. 2018;110(4):342-351. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1147
National Library of Medicine (NIH) National Center for Biotechnology Information.How is body temperature regulated and what is fever?
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.Reporting: Symptom definitions.
Zafren K.Accidental hypothermia in adults: Clinical manifestations and evaluation.UpToDate.
Penn Medicine.Hypothermia.
Perry MC, Yaeger SK, Noorbakhsh K, Cruz AT, Hickey RW.Hypothermia in Young Infants: Frequency and Yield of Sepsis Workup.Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021 Aug 1;37(8):e449-e455. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000001674.
American Red Cross.Hypothermia.
MedlinePlus.Pregnancy - identifying fertile days.
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