Thursday, June 10, 2010

Finding the right thermometer

Finding the right thermometer could be a simple task if you are clear of its purpose or usage. Most thermometers, especially those intended for healthcare applications, are commonly used to check one's body temperature. Whenever you or a member of your family have fever like symptoms, you can immediately check it with the help of a thermometer.

Nowadays, you can find multiple types of thermometers available with a chemist or on a store shelf. But, choosing the right thermometer could be tasking if you do not have a proper guidance. Before buying a thermometer, make sure your requirements and decide on the budget.

A thermometer can measure temperature both in Fahrenheit scale and Celsius scale. There are scientific thermometers, which employs Kelvin scale too, but they don't fall under medical equipment. Such thermometers are employed to measure weather for various reasons. A thermometer designed for humans will have a typical range of 35°C to 42°C or 89.6°F to 109.4°F.

A medical thermometer, no matter home or professional, helps in finding out if a person is sick or suffering from fever. You can place the thermometer in a person’s armpit or mouth to rightly find out the body temperature. To make the task simple, regular digital thermometers also available in the market.

Traditionally, thermometers were filled with mercury and used for medical or clinical purposes. A mercury filled bulb is attached to a small tube, and with the rise in temperature, the mercury is pushed up the tube through the constriction located at the neck of the bulb. Before using, these thermometers have to be swung to reset it.

When mercury thermometers were found risky with the chances of mercury spilling over, electronic digital thermometers were designed as a solution. Some of the other modern thermometers you can get in the market today are digital infrared contact and non-contact thermometers, which are also known as scanner thermometers.

To avoid risk of infection, disposable single use thermometers are also designed and used widely in hospitals and clinics on a regular basis.
Some of the other types of thermometers found are basal thermometer, which is used to measure base temperature of your body. This medical device is used to check even small changes in the body temperature, especially during ovulation or variation in thyroid functions. Glass fever thermometer, yet another type of thermometer, has marking for every 0.1°C (0.2°F). Digital thermometers and basal thermometers generally read temperature of 0.05°C (.1°F).

As final words of guidance, electronic thermometers are affordable and are easily available in medical supply stores. Likewise, mercury thermometers does not involve any risk factors as you suppose.

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