Accuracy of rectal temps

In my familly, rectal temperature has allways been the norm, for adults and for children. When my parents stopped taking my rectal temperature at 13, they gave me a brand new glass mercury thermometer to take care of my temperature and I soon strated to use it and not only for medical reasons

Today, at 71, I still rely only on rectal thermometer to take my temperature. . I have never had a thermometer in my mouth and would not know what to do with one.. If i were presented with one at a doctor's office, I don't know what I would do. Would I look like an old pervert if I asked my temperature to be taken rectally ?

Considering the accuracy of rectal temps, I don't really have an opinion about the issue. Thoughout my life, I have had a strong rectal temperature fetish. Many of my rectal temperature taking partners did not pay much attention to the thermometer reading, but concentrated on their feelings as the instrument invaded their inside. I tend to share this opinion. I see rectal temperature taking as a way of making love, just like oral or anal sex. And imo, it has to be a reciprocal thing. I take yours, you take mine.

When I was a kid, I think rectal temperatures were taken more for reasons of safety rather than accuracy. With a thermometer inserted in the rectum there's no need to worry about accidentally biting or swallowing the thermometer. My temperature was taken rectally at home until the age of nine. Unfortunately, I have no recollection at all of my rectal temperature ever being taken at the doctor's office as a little kid, even though I'm sure it was. In doctor and other medical settings, I only remember having my temperature taken orally with a glass thermometer covered with a sheath, an electronic thermometer with a probe cover, an ear thermometer, and an infrared forehead thermometer since covid. Although back in the late 80s and early 90s, I was seeing a doctor who was very kind but disorganized. He didn't have a secretary or medical assistant. One time, he took my oral temperature with a glass thermometer. I paid close attention to the bulb. When he stepped out of the examining room, I took the thermometer out of my mouth and had a look. The thermometer had "Rectal" written on it.

I had heat exhaustion had to be taken to the emergency room. I was close to a full heat stroke. The room was full of nurses and Doctors. They cut my clothes off pretty quickly. They had me hooked up to EKG , Blood pressure . I remember something being put up my butt . Later found out it was a temperature probe . They packed ice round places had fans blowing it was scary to say the least

As they say, I know JUST enough to be dangerous on this topic, lol.

I believe the rectal to be most accurate, due to the probe being totally encircled by tissue.

In the oral and axilary temps, this is not the case, and that can lead to inaccurate results.

Such things such as having cold water or a hot drink too close to the measurement can influence. There are even hot spots known in the mouth.

True DrDeb. No question, rt is most accurate.

Seems like they would have been phased out by now if they weren't more accurate.

I’ve learned a lot by asking nurses why they were doing “things” to me. When I was 22, I was critically injured in an accident, and for several day post surgery in the hospital, nurses monitored my “core temperature,” which meant inserting a probe, as one of the nurses jokingly said, “in the butt.”

They were concerned that I continued to run a low-grade fever, which indicated that I had some sort of infection.

Rectal temps are the most accurate way to take a temperature. As some have already stated, if you end up in the hospital and they need a core temperature, they will take it rectally. This is usually done in cases of heat or cold related illnesses or when core body temperature is crucial. I’m pretty sure they check temps rectally in medical booths at marathons, as well, to make sure you aren’t overheated.

These days it can be done very quickly and without too much embarrassment, unlike the old mercury thermometers that were left in your bare butt for 3-5 minutes. They can pretty much pull your pants down insert the probe and have a reading in seconds and have your pants back up in less than a minute. If your in a hospital, it’s just a quick roll on to your side.

Anecdotally, when I went to an ER a couple of years ago I was in triage and the nurse grabbed a thermometer and said “oops that’s rectal”. I was kind of intrigued but didn’t want to appear TOO intrigued. But the fact there was a rectal probe laying out like that seems to suggest it is still done at least sometimes.

I would be surprised if your local clinic took a rectal temp though. Oral is “close enough”. The forehead scanners seem to be pretty consistently on the low side.

Having worked ems for marathons etc we do have the ability to do temperatures rectally however that is rarely rarely done in today’s society if we have a concern someone has heat stroke we normally will just transport to the emergency room I would say we do maybe 1-2 rectal temps at most during a event and we see quite a few runners. More likely we will do one if someone goes down mid race vs in the medical tent post event.

I would say we do maybe 1-2 rectal temps at most during a event and we see quite a few runners. More likely we will do one if someone goes down mid race vs in the medical tent post event.

That’s more than most clinics probably do in a day! Thanks for the info.

My mom always told me rectal is more accurate

The topic of rectal temperature accuracy came up one night a few years ago when our son was sick with the flu. My wife was having trouble getting him to hold the thermometer under his tongue because he was so irritable from a fever. This hadn't been a problem for a while during other times he was sick. My mother in law was also visiting and trying to help my wife with him. I overheard them in his bedroom discussing what they were going to do, and she told my wife she should take his temperature rectally because that was what the nurse at the hospital or doctor's office would do if we had to take him in the middle of the night. My mother in law is also a retired nurse BTW. She went on to say that since our son was only 3 years old, my wife should be taking his rectal temperature as a first choice anyway since he was so little. So the Vick's digital thermometer she had been using on him by mouth was now going to be used rectally from now on. She even had me go get a sharpie so she could write "BUTT" on the outer case. I went in my son's room to see if I could help calm him down. I walked in right as my wife slid the thermometer up his rear, my mother in law holding his ankles up. He cried for a few seconds and then he was fine. It only took a minute to beep and she read his temperature as 102.6F. My mother in law said "see the difference in accuracy, taking it orally is over a degree lower." She said "back in the 70s, all patients that showed an elevated temperature of over 1.5 degrees difference from the previous measurement had to have their follow up temperature taken rectally, regardless of age." I said "I bet they hated that rule", and she said "no, they weren't happy with it but they all turned over on their left side regardless."

My mom always told me rectal is more accurate

I totally agree with your mom. In the past wife and me had taken our temp under the arm, in it was always a faillure. Years ago we switched back to the good old rectal method and all measurements are correct.