Value of Rectal Temp. Accuracy

I haven’t been feeling great for the last several weeks, and my rectal temperature has indicated a slight fever, while the oral temperature at the doctors office, indicated no fever. So, my bloodwork from the other day, indicates that I have a high white blood cell count. The accuracy of the rectal temperature was likely a sign of a hidden infection.

You may want to consider mentioning to your doctor that your rectal temperature indicated a fever. If he's a professional, the fact that you take your temperature rectally shouldn't phase him or be a cause for alarm. He likely will not care about the rt and just mainly be interested in the blood test results and other symptoms.

I rarely have side effects after getting a flu shot, but the 2025 vaccine is different. I began having a headache, achy muscles, and feeling feverish, about eight hours after getting the shot today.

I checked my oral temp with a digital and was 99.2. My husband took a rectal before bed when I was having chills, and it was 100.4, using a vintage glass thermometer and little Vaseline. We’ve had that thermometer since my mother gave it to us when we got married in 1984, and it’s still spot on accurate. Goes to show they’re taking a temp in my bottom is still the most accurate, always about 1° above oral.

A rectal temp measures your body's core temperature, which is hard to affect from outside sources, whereas an oral temp can be affected by many things, such as mouth breathing, consuming food or liquids, etc. That is why a rectal temp is used for environmental injuries like hypo or hyperthermia. Also, if an oral thermometer needs to be placed and held in a particular spot under the tongue and held there. There is only one place to put a rectal thermometer.

Rectal is the much more accurate measure.

I agree that rectally is definiteley more accurate and reliable. Posted the below in a another thread:

A while back my wife woke up and felt she was coming down with something. She doesn’t take her temperature unless she really feels she has a temperature. She got the digital thermometer out and took her temperature orally. The temperature came back as normal. She didn’t think that was correct at all. Out came the Geratherm rectal. Up her bottom it went and three minutes later a temperature of 102. It was back to bed and rectal temperatures until she was well. At times she simply rolled over onto to her side, allowing me to administer the thermometer into her feverish bottom.

Hey same experience with the 2025 flu shot but it's in my lungs now, was up all night coughing. Chills feverish, wish I had a RT to get an accurate temp on me. Modern no touch therms are just so random.

A while back I got hit with a UTI. I am a believer in the rectal method for tempmerature measurement, and monitored my temperature.

I called the V.A. Nurse hotline ( I’m a veteran) and she told me two things. She said , get to an ER immediately, and that taking my temperature rectally was the most accurate way.

Went to local hospital, was given meds and the infection cleared up.,

Been going to the Navy clinics since the late 70’s and the va clinics later on , and although I’ve seen the dual ivac thermometers with the blue probe and the red probe, I have never had rt there and never had va nurse or doctor tell me to do an rt at home. 🌡️🧴🧻

I wouldn’t tell a doctor or nurse that you take your temperature rectally, especially with a mercury glass thermometer. We live in an era, where people get lectured and scolded for doing the right thing.

Other than the Covid scans before entering a medical facility, the only time I had a temp taken in the last twenty or so years was at a visit to a podiatrist! Why, no idea, it was post Covid, and the nurse told me the doc wanted an accurate temp. Didn’t offer my butt, thought it was ridiculous for an ingrown toenail!