Six Vital Signs Of The Body

 

Vital signs of the body are one of the most crucial factors in detecting and monitoring your health conditions. It is a significant indicator of health and wellness.

Vital signs of the body should never be ignored and must be monitored by healthcare professionals as a routine check-up in order to identify any noticeable changes within the body.

Here is the list of six vital signs of the body

1. Body Temperature

2. Pulse Rate (Heart Rate)

3. Respiratory Rate

4. Blood Pressure

5. SPO2 (Oxygen-Saturation)

6. BMI (Body Mass Index)

 

1.Body Temperature

 

Body temperature measures the degree of hotness or coldness of the body. The normal body temperature is around 98.6°F (37°C) This is the average number, however, your body temperature may be slightly higher or lower than the normal.

Elevation in your body temperature does not necessarily mean you are sick. The body temperature varies from person to person depending on their age, sex, and time of the day.

Below are the average body temperature according to the age

Babies and Children- 97.9°F to 99°F

Adult- 97°F to 99°F

Age over 65 years- Lower than 98.6°F

A person’s body temperature can be taken orally, rectally, axillary (armpit), by ear, by skin, etc.

Your body temperature may be abnormal depending on many factors. When the body temperature rises above the normal, it is called Hyperpyrexia while in Hypothermia, the temperature falls below the normal.

Hyperpyrexia condition is the sign of fever which is followed by various signs and symptoms, including:

• Sweating
• Chills, Shivering, Shaking
• Headaches
• Body aches
• Increased Heart Rate
• Dehydration
• Loss of appetite

Hypothermia condition occurs when you lose too much of your body heat due to which the temperature falls below. The condition arises in a poorly heated house in winter or an air-conditioned room during summer. Signs and symptoms include:

• Shivering
• Weak Pulse
• Loss of consciousness
• Low energy
• Sleepiness
• Slow breath
• Confusion
• Memory Loss

The formula for ,converting Fahrenheit (°F) to Celsius (°C):

°C = 5/9 x

The formula for converting Celsius (°C) to Fahrenheit (°F):-

°F = <9/5xT(°C)> + 32     

 

2.Pulse Rate (Heart Rate)

Pulse rate is your heart rate, the number of times your heart beats in one minute. To measure heart rate check your pulse.

You can check your pulse at various sites of the body including wrist (radial artery), neck (carotid artery), foot (dorsalis pedis artery), behind the knee (popliteal artery), groin (femoral artery)and near the ankle joint (posterior tribal artery).

The normal range of heart rate is around 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). However, the heart rate may vary from person to person depending on the factors that include: age, sex, fitness and activity level, cardiovascular disease, smoker, body position, body size, medication, emotions, etc.

Normal heart rates at rest:

Children (6 – 15 years of age) – 70 bpm to 100 bpm

Adults (18 years and over) – 60 bpm to 100 bpm

If you are an athlete, a lower pulse rate is usually not a sign of any conditions and need not be worried about unless you feel dizziness, tired, or ill.

Lower heart rate is considered to be a more effective heart function and good cardiovascular fitness.

Elevated pulse rate is called Tachycardia which is mainly due to

• High Blood Pressure
• Hyperthyroidism
• Emotional Stress
• Electrode imbalance
• Alcohol Use

Reduced pulse rate is called Bradycardia which is due to

• Infection (Myocarditis)
• Inflammatory disease (Eg. Rheumatic fever)
• Complications of heart surgery
• Hypothyroidism

 

3.Respiratory Rate

Respiratory rate or breathing rate is the number an individual breaths per minute. Breathing is the process of inhalation and exhalation of air. To measure respiratory rate you can count the number of breaths in one minute.

The normal respiratory rate of an individual is around 16 to 20 breaths per minute.

Some common factors including injuries, emotion, exercise, mood, etc could influence a person’ respiratory rate

Causes of high respiratory rate include:

• Anxiety
• Fever
• Heart Problems
• Dehydration
• Lung disease such as Pneumonia, Asthma, COPD, etc.

Causes of low respiratory rate include:

• Sleep Apnea
• Head Injury
• Drug overdose such as narcotics

 

4. Blood Pressure

Blood is circulating throughout the body round the clock. This circulating blood exerts pressure against the arterial wall of the blood vessels and this is what we called as Blood Pressure

Blood Pressure sometimes also regarded as “arterial blood pressure” is one of the principal vital signs of the body that needs to be checked regularly

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure occurs when blood pressure goes beyond the normal range.

Hypotension or Low Blood Pressure occurs when the blood pressure drops below the normal range

The ideal Blood Pressure of an individual is 120/80 mmHg

Normal Systolic Blood Pressure Range = 90 mmHg to 120 mmHg

Normal Diastolic Blood Pressure Range = 60 mmHg to 80 mmHg

People might experience mysterious variations in their blood pressure depending on various factors that include: Sleep pattern, diet and water intake, medication, weight, physical activity, stress level, breathing rhythm, time of day, etc.

Symptoms of hypertension

• Anxiety
• Sleeping problems
• Headaches
• Nosebleeds

Symptoms of hypotension

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Lack of concentration
• Blurred Vision

 

5.SPO2(Oxygen Saturation)

SpO2 or Oxygen saturation is the percentage of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the blood. It is one of the vital signs that should be maintained. The blood oxygen level of the body can be measure by ABG (Arterial Blood Gas) and Pulse-Oximeter.

The normal SpO2 level is 95 to 100 percent

Below 95 % is considered as low SpO2

Low SpO2 is generally caused by

• Asthma
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Heart Disease
• Pulmonary embolism
• Anemia

Symptoms of low oxygen saturation include:

• Shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Chest pain
• Rapid heartbeat
• Headache

 

6.BMI (Body Mass Index)

BMI, Body Mass Index is the measurement of body fat based on height and weight of an individual.

The normal BMI is 18.5 to 30. Based on the variation in your BMI, you can calculate your weight status

Below 18.5 = Underweight

18.5 to 24.9 = Normal/ Healthy weight

24.9 to 29.5 = Overweight

30 or more than 30 = Obese

It is important to measure your BMI because the study suggests, the higher your BMI, the higher is the risk of developing many conditions that include:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Sleep Apnea
• Liver Disease
• Cancer such as Breast, Colon, and prostate
• High Cholesterol
• Arthritis

Calculation of BMI

You can calculate your BMI by diving your weight in kg by your height in meters squared.

BMI = ,weight (kg) / [height (m)],2

Click here to calculate your BMI

Monitoring vital signs is one of the fundamental components of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You can keep yourself healthy by following the lists of six vital signs of the body

 

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