What is a normal body temperature, and what counts as fever?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Normal is a range, not 37.0: most adults run 36.1 to 37.2 C (97 to 99 F), lower in the morning, higher by evening, and slightly lower in older age. Modern averages run cooler than the 19th century textbook number.
Fever formally starts at 38.0 C (100.4 F). How you measure matters: ear and forehead read differently from mouth, and armpits read lowest.
Know your own baseline by measuring when well; a person who runs 36.2 is genuinely feverish at 37.8. In the very old, serious infection can arrive with barely any fever at all.
If you are buying a thermometer
A basic digital stick thermometer is accurate and costs a few dollars. Forehead scanners are fine for quick checks on children; ear thermometers need good technique to read true.
See digital thermometersAs an Amazon Associate, AskDoc earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.
Is this your situation right now?
General answers only go so far. A doctor can look at your numbers and history and give you a written answer about you.
People also ask
Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.