# Is there anywhere you can use a pulse oximeter other than a finger

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 16, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700 "2014-08-16T18:26:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/1 "2014-08-16T18:26:09Z")

</div>

So aside from a finger is there anywhere else a $30 pulse oximeter can be used? What about a toe or an ear lobe?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/2 "2014-08-16T18:44:12Z")

</div>

Toes work. (with children anyway)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/3 "2014-08-16T19:02:45Z")

</div>

The Penis? Not that I’d want a oximeter clipped onto mine. 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Astraea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@Astraea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astraea)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/4 "2014-08-16T19:35:01Z")

</div>

Toes (not ideal), earlobes, they have ones for your forehead.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wurm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b782af/32.png) [@Wurm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wurm)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/5 "2014-08-16T21:36:17Z")

</div>

Some veterinary pulse oximeters are used on the tongue of the animal.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/6 "2014-08-18T02:51:53Z")

</div>

The entire foot on a baby.  
mmm

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/7 "2014-08-18T02:58:31Z")

</div>

> [@Wesley\_Clark](#):
>
> So aside from a finger is there anywhere else a $30 pulse oximeter can be used? What about a toe or an ear lobe?

The portable hard plastic clip kind? Toe or finger. I’ve not found another body part that’s the right shape otherwise. Disposable soft wrap style pulse oximeters have a bit more flexibility- both literally and therefore in application sites.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/8 "2014-08-18T03:37:26Z")

</div>

Seen it used on a toe for a baby.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PorchePine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@PorchePine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PorchePine)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anywhere-you-can-use-a-pulse-oximeter-other-than-a-finger/695700/9 "2014-08-18T04:38:09Z")

</div>

Wouldn’t these have to be recalibrated to use on other body parts? I’m not sure of the mechanics of how they work.