Jump to content. Body temperature is a measure of your body's ability to make and get rid of heat. The body is very good at keeping its temperature within a safe range, even when temperatures outside the body change a lot. Your body temperature can be measured in many places on your body. The most common ones are the mouth, the ear, the armpit, and the rectum.

You can take a temperature using the mouth oral , anus rectal , armpit axillary , or ear tympanic. But the temperature readings vary depending on which one you use, and you need an accurate body temperature to determine if a fever is present. Medical research hasn't determined an exact correlation between oral, rectal, ear, armpit, and forehead temperature measurements.

Though fevers can be uncomfortable, they are a sign that the body is fighting off infection. There are many different types of thermometers you can use to measure temperature. When using any kind of thermometer, make sure you read and follow the instructions that come with the thermometer.