# What does it mean when your temperature goes DOWN? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2001, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594 "2001-02-23T14:22:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/1 "2001-02-23T14:22:54Z")
I’ve been home, sick as a pup all week (finally back to work today—wobbly, but, like a Weeble, I trust I shall not fall down). Anyway, while I was curled up on the floor feeling sorry for myself, I thought, “Jeez, my temp must be up to 103º, the way I feel,” so I got out the thermom—and it read 96º, much to my chagrin. What the hell did that mean? Was I dead? In shock? Or am I just the chilly bitch everyone accuses me of being? No, I had not been drinking anything cool, by the way . . . ---
**Author:** ![MissBHaven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missbhaven/32/7170_2.png) [@MissBHaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBHaven)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/2 "2001-02-23T14:44:39Z")
Eve, I wouldn’t worry too much. My temp always goes down when I’m sick! Glad I’m not the only one. Hope you feel better! ---
**Author:** ![Alonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Alonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonist)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/3 "2001-02-23T15:11:23Z")
I’ve read that certain types of virus infection can reduce body temperature. I’ll let somebody else research why; I don’t feel so good this morning. Also, normal temperature varies from person to person and by time of day; probably lowest in the morning. Normal body temperature, I think, is now defined as being in a range from about 92 to 99 degrees. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/4 "2001-02-23T15:35:12Z")
Hmmm. Well, I think mine is usually 98.something-or-other. This was at night and I was feeling particularly awful—chills, hot flashes—which is why I took it in the first place. New digital thermometer; are those things reliable? I’m gonna go have some ice water . . . Still feel pretty wobbly . . . Hope I don’t have to edit any recipe articles today . . . ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/5 "2001-02-23T16:07:19Z")
I surf a lot in very cold water so I get a dropping temperature a lot. It’s quite alright as long as it doesn’t drop too far. The first thing that lets you know that it’s too far down is that you get amnesia. I think that happens around 92 ; but don’t quote me on that. Thus, if I can’t remember the last wave I took, I usually take that as a hint to get out of the water. But 96 is okay, youll be fine. Try a cool washrag on your forehead instead of ice. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/6 "2001-02-23T16:16:36Z")
Hmmm. Thanks, all. I’m back at work today, looking Interestingly Pale. Thing about being really sick when you live alone is, you have the choice between: • Calling an ambulance or cab and winding up looking like those stupid prats on “Trauma—Life in the ER” who are sitting there with a broken fingernail while other people are wandering in carrying their own decapitated heads, or, • Lying there on the floor and expiring, so they find you devoured by your cats two months later. I opted for the “devoured by cats” scenario. How about those digital thermoms? Are they pretty reliable? —The Ice Queen ---
**Author:** ![sk8rixtx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@sk8rixtx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sk8rixtx)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/7 "2001-02-23T19:04:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*How about those digital thermoms? Are they pretty reliable? > > —The Ice Queen \*\* They should be. Most hospitals use them now. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/8 "2001-02-23T19:35:20Z")
I take my temperature every single morning as part of my birth control method (NOTE: I am not trying to start a debate about this here, just explaining why I take my temperature every morning), and my temperature can vary from 96.1 to 98.7, give or take a few tenths of a degree. So unless you happen to know differently, it’s possible that your normal body temp is just a little lower than average. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/9 "2001-02-23T20:58:42Z")
I don’t know how to break this to you, **Eve** , but a lot of us experience a temperature drop at Certain Times of the Month, if you know what I mean (don’t want to upset the menfolk), when hormone levels drop. So the good news is you’re probably not dying and the bad news is you’re liable to be a tad grumpy this weekend. Stock up on some chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2001, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/10 "2001-02-23T22:50:04Z")
If your temperature gets all the way down to room temperature that’s a bad thing, **Eve**. For you, anyway. Not necessarily for your cats. My doctor’s office no longer uses digital thermometers – they use the “Thermosensing Ear Gun” or whatever the technical term is. The thing they stick in your ear for a second or two and read your temperature. That device, along with the “Automatic Eye-Scanning Prescription Decider” that my ophthalmologist uses makes me actually believe that some day we will have Star Trek-type medicine where they wave a tricorder over you and diagnose all your ills. “Our sensors show that it’s that time of the month. Let me replicate you some chocolate.” ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/11 "2001-02-24T00:39:43Z")
Sure, at Longs you can get the Ear digital thermoms…Cost about $50.00 though, take one second to work. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/12 "2001-02-24T09:08:12Z")
I’ve noticed that my temperature is usually slightly below normal if I take it first thing in the A.M. I was using a regular mercury thermometer, but now I use an $8 digital from Walgreens. You press a button to turn it on, stick it under your tongue, and it beeps when the temperature seems to stabilize. It’s accurate, but with one peculiarity. It beeps a little too early, before the temperature has really stabilized, so I reset it and try again. The retry gives an accurate reading. At least I don’t have to sprain my wrist to shake the mercury back down to the bulb. And since the last time I had a fever was when I was a kid, that’s a bit of inconvenience I don’t need. But I do get bronchitis twice a year. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-when-your-temperature-goes-down/55594/13 "2001-02-24T15:36:39Z")
Yeah, I have bronchitis now, I sure wish I knew where the bacteria comes from… Anyway, [webmd.com](http://webmd.com) has extensive medical information on any topic…if you ever need any.