INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine reported that what has been known as normal body temperature has changed.
98.6 has been considered to be the normal since the mid 1800’s but a local doctor said that body temperature is relative to everyone.
Everyone has their own number what is considered to be “normal.”
“Most of the time it’s not too much higher than 98.6. Once you get up in the 99- 99.5 range, people are starting to feel pretty crummy but everything below that is kind of fair game until you get down to about 96, then you’re talking about hypothermia,” said Dr. Nikki Stuckwisch, who is the Medical Director at Indiana University Health Urgent Care.
Stuckwisch said anywhere in the continuum of those numbers is normal but said average normal body temperature is 97.7.
“Just take your temperature everyday for about a week. Take it at first thing when you get up so you know what your baseline is and go from there,” she added.
Temperature should taken before you get out of bed and eat or drink anything to get an accurate reading.