Knowra Human body temperature Human body temperature Human body temperature is the thermal state of a person, shaped by heat production and heat exchange with the environment. Core temperature is regulated within a narrow range, while surface temperature varies more widely.
Thermoregulation : The physiological control of body temperature through adjustments to heat production and heat loss. It coordinates the responses that stabilize body temperature as internal and environmental conditions change.
Core body temperature : The temperature of deep internal tissues and organs, which is more tightly regulated than skin temperature. It is the central thermal state clinicians and physiologists aim to estimate.
Fever : A regulated rise in body temperature, usually caused by an increased hypothalamic temperature set point. It differs from overheating because regulation shifts the temperature target upward.
Normothermia : A body-temperature state within the expected healthy range for a given measurement context. It distinguishes ordinary temperature regulation from fever, hypothermia, and hyperthermia.
Hypothalamus : A brain region that integrates autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral functions, including temperature regulation. It coordinates many temperature-control responses using information about the body’s thermal state.
Skin temperature : The temperature at the body’s surface, which varies with blood flow and surrounding conditions. It can differ substantially from core temperature, especially in cold or hot environments.
Hyperthermia : An uncontrolled rise in body temperature that occurs when heat gain exceeds heat loss. It raises temperature without the set-point change that defines fever.
Thermal comfort : A person’s subjective sense of satisfaction with the surrounding thermal environment. Comfort depends on more than measured body temperature, including clothing, airflow, and humidity.
Sweating : The secretion of fluid onto the skin, where its evaporation can remove heat. Evaporation of sweat is a major route for losing heat when the body is warm.
Thermometer : An instrument that measures temperature using a physical property that changes predictably with heat. Different thermometer designs estimate body temperature at different anatomical sites.
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