Rectal temperature in a medical examination

The only time I have ever had my temperature taken rectally was in a hospital bed. It was never taken that way in any outpatient medical office.

College physical my pediatrician took my Rectal temperature at 18 said it had to be accurate

College physical my pediatrician took my Rectal temperature at 18 said it had to be accurate

Thar seems odd and overkill for a college physical. An oral or temporal - with known differences - would be a close enough unless they suspected something serioully wrong. Maybe since he was a pediatrician vs family or internal medicine doc he was just accustomed to doing it that way Vs the percieved accuracy. Maybe he had a thing for young men’s butts!

From the time that I can remember any physical exam, I cannot recall ever having my temperature taken rectally in any real life exam. From age 21 forward, I have had comprehensive annual physical exams for work related purposes without even a hint of a rectal temperature.

I've done thousands of routine exams and never taken a temperature rectally

Growing up, the only times I did not have a rectal temperature taken was in school at the nurse’s office. All other times, whether at the pediatrician’s, home, hospital, or even occasionally at a friend’s house, it was exclusively a rectal temperature, all through high school.

RT´s where still common here in germany in the 90s in many places

Probably not the/ a common part of a medical examination these days, perhaps with the following exceptions:

1. Medically necessary .

2. Policy of the medical facility that does examinations to obtain rectal temperatures.

3. Medical study where the taking of rectal temperatures is part of the trial.

4. Patient request and performed.

I've done thousands of routine exams and never taken a temperature rectally

be careful, you’ll spoil all the fun

I'm only speaking about the exams I did professionally. In my post practice play exams and life, rectal temperatures are essential!

So I was not feeling well on Wednesday and when I got home I used our family ear thermometer and it read 98.7. I had bad chills 🥶and body aches 😣and knew something was up so I re-took it using a rectal glass thermometer; after 3 mins I took it out and it read 101.7…..yep that seemed more like it.

I felt horrible and my throat was so sore I could hardly swallow! 😖😭so I had to take off from work the next day (Thursday) so Thursday morning around 11:30 my husband took me to the doctor! The nurse tried taking my temperature on my forehead and she could not get anything…..she mentioned taking it in my bottom….but thankfully got distracted in getting a throat swab since my main reason for the visit was a sore throat and high fever and when she looked at my throat there were white pockets!

Honestly rectal temperatures do not bother me but I don’t really care for them when I’m sick….i do it anyways b/c rectal is best for me but I don’t always like it!

My temp was taken rectally at the pediatrician at every appointment. The policy was that every child at any age got a temperature check by the nurses before they see the doctor. Most children switched to a General practitioner between age of 10-14, I should switch at 14yo, too, but was sent back until age of 17 because of problems in puberty development. I only remember two other boys older than 14 who stayed in treatment by the pediatrician, so I guess they shared the same fate with me getting the thermometer up the bum even as a teen.

During time in the military I only got the thermometer in my bum when high fever was suspected. Some comrades during basic training and the months later reported that this measuring method was used as well when the medics suspected someone faking ill and only wants to be given a sick note

I did when I was in grade school. My school used to have people come in to do yearly physicals & they partitioned the gym for this.

My class waiting at the gym entrance until our names were called. The gym was separated for boys & girls. When my name was called. I didn't know what I was walking into. I walked into one of the partitions & as I did, I could view in another one that my friend was crying while face down with a thermometer in his read end. The woman had me get undressed to my underwear. Took my vitals, told me to lay face down & pulled my underwear down to my knees. I though if I kept quiet, somehow none of my friends would know I was in the partition having the same thing done to me. Then suddenly I gasped when I felt the cold thermometer enter.

My school used to give out floating days off for good grades. I used mine the next year they did the physicals, but the next day I was called down to the nurses office & got my temperature taken, this time in private atleast. Thankfully this ended after a couple of years.

Never. I'm assuming I never will unless it's an ER situation.