Showing posts with label body temperature. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2016

One Hand Warmer than the Other - What's Going On?

Stress Market - store for stress education

by Dr. Tim Lowenstein (c) 2015

www.cliving.org
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Amazon customer asked, "I bought these [stress squares] and showed them to my son. he tried one in each hand. one was green the other black. he laughed and walked off. they work? don't work?"

He is asking about Stress Squares that we sell on Amazon and our website.

It seems really confusing at first glance. But in fact the temperature can be different from one hand to the other. Most often I see this when someone is "trying" to make their right hand warmer. Often it will cool down. Check the left hand, and it will be warmer. Warmer because of passive or "allowing" relaxtion to happen.

I have even seen temperature differences from one finger to the other. To some degree, we all suffer from a bit of performance anxiety. In this case the anxiety is over the pressure to heat up your hands and relax.

Training with scientific relaxation will build confidence and experience in how to relax the body and mind. Take time, it is like learning any new skill. With feedback you can track your progress. The Stress Thermometer kit is a very good basic introduction.

Stress Thermometer kit on Amazon

Stress Thermometer kit

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stressmarket.com, P.O. Box 127, Port Angeles,WA 98362 , USA

Orders 1.800.578.7377 | Local 360.457.9223 | Fax 360.457.9466

Email us at info@stressmarket.com

DBA Stress Market, Inc.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Biodots - Small Circles Test Your Stress by Measuring Hand Temperature

Stress Market - store for stress education

by Dr. Tim Lowenstein (c) 2015

www.cliving.org
Our Products on Amazon.com

Biodots are small, liquid crystal circles that CHANGE COLORS as temperature changes. Use adhesive back to stick the Stress Point to tense areas. Inexpensive and unbreakable, 10 degree range from 79.6° F. to 89.6° F. Great handout at fairs, lectures and groups. Some people refer to these as Biodots, Biodot Skin Thermometer, bio-dots, stress dots. They are quite small - 1/4" circle = 6.35 mm. Stress Points/Biodots instruction sheet

Stress - Warm hands Relaxed, Cold hand Stressed

Hand temperature under stress has a much wider range of temperature. Body Temperature changes under Stress. Under stress muscles tense and blood flow is restricted to the main body and shut down from the hands and feet. Stress Level Rule - Warm Hands Relaxed, Cold Hands Tense. Hand/foot temperature ranges over 40° from a low of 60° to as high as 99° F. Changes of 5° or more can take place in seconds.

Stress Thermometer - skin temperature biofeedback

The Stress Thermometer is an inexpensive, digital thermometer that provides professional feedback of the full range of the over 40 degree temperature change in hand temperature. This is critical feedback to raise awareness of subtle or small changes in hand temperature. The feedback is very important to practice the skill of relaxation and see the responding increase in hand temperature.

Free Instruction Guide to Biodots

Specifically, for migraine headaches this feedback is important in 2 respects.

1. Simple and small temperature drops start very slowly. The drop in hand temperature is the beginning onset of a migraine. If it is not stopped, that drop in hand temperature will increase until the migraine rages making normal life very difficult.

2. Practicing scientific methods of relaxation, the Stress Thermometer will show any success in stopping the drop in temperature. With additional mastery, you learn to relax so that more blood flows out to the hands. This reverses the progression of the building migraine headache.

From the simple Biodot to the more sophisticated, Stress Thermometer, you can learn to relax and control stress. We are here to help.

www.cliving.org
Our Products on Amazon.com

stressmarket.com, P.O. Box 127, Port Angeles,WA 98362 , USA

Orders 1.800.578.7377 | Local 360.457.9223 | Fax 360.457.9466

Email us at info@stressmarket.com

DBA Stress Market, Inc.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Stress Meter - Glass Tube Thermometer simple, fast way to Test for Stress

Stress Market - Your Stress Reduction Store

by Dr. Tim Lowenstein (c) 2014

www.cliving.org
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FREE Book - Be Stress Wise, by Dr Tim Lowenstein
Go to
bestresswisebook.com
and download your copy. Feel Free to share with friends.

Stress Meter. This was my first "invention" for Biofeedback back in the early 1970's.

I adapted a small cardboard thermometer and redesigned it for biofeedback use. It was very popular until the late 1980s when biofeedback in general declined due to HMOs taking over American health care.

It is an excellent feedback tool since it measures the full range of stress as shown in hand temperature. The red bulb is extended below the card backing so the tube can easily be taped to the finger print to measure hand temperature.

This is our in stock, ready to ship Stress Meter ST77.

This simple, reusable Glass Tube thermometer shows 1 degree F. changes in the bright red, Non-Toxic, Oil Based Liquid. Simply tape or hold the exposed red bulb of the thermometer to your fingertip. Each person reads Stress Number Value, e.g. - 72, 83 or 92. Ideal for class or training group. Hold or tape red bulb to fingertip - Caution Glass with Non-toxic oil based liquid. Measures full range of temperature from 60 F to 98 F.

How Hand Temperature Relates To Stress - Under stress muscles tense and blood flow is restricted to the main body and shut down from the hands and feet. Stress Level Rule - Warm Hands Relaxed, Cold Hands Tense. Hand/foot temperature ranges over 40 degrees from a low of 60 degrees to as high as 99 degrees F. Changes of 5 degrees or more can take place in seconds.

Mood Cards, Stress Squares and Biodots measure temperature in a 10 degree range - Not the full 40 degrees.

So the Stress Meter is a better biofeedback tool. The major disadvantage is that it has a Glass Tube and that is breakable. It is filled with a non-toxic fluid. Not recommended for young children. Should be used under supervision and a competent trainer.

There is also the Plain Stress Meter ST60 that only has the thermometer scale with no information about stress.

We can customize the Personalized Stress Meter PST77 with your organization Logo and Address.

You can purchase them from our website
https://www.cliving.org/stressmeter.htm

stressmarket.com, P.O. Box 127, Port Angeles,WA 98362 , USA

Orders 1.800.578.7377 | Local 360.457.9223 | Fax 360.457.9466

Email us at info@stressmarket.com

DBA Stress Market, Inc.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Stress Thermometer Testing for Broken Sensor

by Dr. Tim Lowenstein (c) 2015

www.cliving.org
Our Products on Amazon.com

FREE Book - Be Stress Wise, by Dr Tim Lowenstein
Go to
bestresswisebook.com
and download your copy. Feel Free to share with friends.

How to trouble shoot a Stress Thermometer if it looks like your are not getting Hand Temperature feedback.

Is this a brand new unit? There is a label on the back of the unit with Month and Year of manufacture. This should be checked.

If it is Used.

If it has been used for some time, the tiny wires by the Thermistor or Temperature Sensor may have been broken through use and abuse. You cannot tell this by looking at the tip - it might be broken under plastic. A broken tip is not repairable or more accurately it is not cost effective to repair it. It will need to be replaced. See links below or above to order a new unit.

If it is New.

1. Remove the battery from the back of the unit. Slide the battery door off and the battery should pop up or you can carefully use a paper clip.
2. Wait one minute.
3. Reinstall the battery and close the battery door.
4. Try switching between Room and Body.
5. Swith to Body and Put the Thermistor under your arm for 1 minute. Temperature will read be in low 90s if the unit is working.
6. Then switch unit to Room and see if the temp is different. It should be lower in most room environments.

It is possible to have a Body temperature reading that is the same or similar to Room temperature. This above test will determine if the unit is working properly.

If it is a new unit and within the 30 day warranty, contact us for a return and replacement. We have an extremely low failure rate on new units but it does happen on rare occasion.

stressmarket.com, P.O. Box 127, Port Angeles,WA 98362 , USA

Orders 1.800.578.7377 | Local 360.457.9223 | Fax 360.457.9466

Email us at info@stressmarket.com

DBA Stress Market, Inc.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Why are patients hands warm on Stress Thermometer when they are feeling stressed?

Stress Market - Your Stress Education Store

by Dr. Tim Lowenstein (c) 2014

www.cliving.org
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"I bought your stress thermometer for my practice, I own a Psychotherapy n Stress Management practice. I Have been using it on my clients and some to the reading do not correspond with how they are feeling. Can you please explain this to me, because it is hard to explain how the thermometer works when it reads 93.4 but the client is telling me that they are angry and stressed."

Thanks
Jeff
*********************

Hi Jeff

There are several factors that may come into play here.

Hand Temperature Changes that show stress

1. Hand temperature is only one way stress is measured in the body. Not everyone responds with wide changes in the Autonomic Nervous System or ANS. The changes maybe very slight - just a few degrees - and yet those slight changes of a few degrees are very important.
Stress Thermometer, Stress Card, Mood Card, Stress Squares, Stress Meter can detect changes and provide important feedback.
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Tense Muscles in neck, shoulders and face - especially jaw and forehead

2. Muscle Tension - some people show greater changes in muscle tension as a reflection of their stress level.
EMG Biofeedback is the best feedback device.The forehead is an excellent location to measure general muscle tension. Either shoulder at the top or right in the middle of the spine at the top of your shoulders is another good location.

Stomach Tension - acid reflux,

3. Stomach Tension - Acidity - this is tricky as there is no specific biofeedback device to measure acidity levels in the stomach. It would be helpful although I am not sure you could control it on a moment to moment basis. With this problem I start with Progressive Relaxation and advance through the Stress Control Series with Stress Thermometer as feedback to reduce whole body stress.

stressmarket.com, P.O. Box 127, Port Angeles,WA 98362 , USA

Orders 1.800.578.7377 | Local 360.457.9223 | Fax 360.457.9466

Email us at info@stressmarket.com

DBA Stress Market, Inc.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

FREE Life Stress Test

by Dr. Tim Lowenstein (c) 2014

FREE Life Stress Test

www.cliving.org
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Stress Market - Your Stress Education Store

http://www.cliving.org/lifestresstest.htm

In the past 12 to 24 months, which of the following major life events have taken place in your life.

Make down the points for each event that you have experienced this year.

When you're done looking at the whole list, add up the points for each event.

Check your score at the bottom.

    _____ 100 Death of Spouse
    _____ 73 Divorce
    _____ 65 Marital Separation or from relationship partner
    _____ 63 Jail Term
    _____ 63 Death of close family member
    _____ 53 Personal injury or illness
    _____ 50 Marriage
    _____ 47 Fired from work
    _____ 45 Marital reconciliation
    _____ 45 Retirement
    _____ 44 Change in family member's health
    _____ 40 Pregnancy
    _____ 39 Sex difficulties
    _____ 39 Addition to family
    _____ 39 Business readjustment
    _____ 38 Change in financial status
    _____ 37 Death of close friend
    _____ 36 Change to a different line of work
    _____ 35 Change in number of marital arguments
    _____ 31 Mortgage or loan over $30,000
    _____ 30 Foreclosure of mortgage or loan
    _____ 29Change in work responsibilities
    _____ 29 Trouble with in-laws
    _____ 28 Outstanding personal achievement
    _____ 26 Spouse begins or stops work
    _____ 26 Starting or finishing school
    _____ 25 Change in living conditions
    _____ 24 Revision of personal habits
    _____ 23 Trouble with boss
    _____ 20 Change in work hours, conditions
    _____ 20 Change in residence
    _____ 20 Change in schools
    _____ 19 Change in recreational habits
    _____ 19 Change in church activities
    _____ 18 Change in social activities
    _____ 17 Mortgage or loan under $20,000
    _____ 16 Change in sleeping habits
    _____ 15 Change in number of family gatherings
    _____ 15 Change in eating habits
    _____ 13 Vacation
    _____ 12 Christmas season
    _____ 11 Minor violations of the law

    ______ Your Total Score

This scale shows the kind of life pressure that you are facing. Depending on your coping skills or the lack thereof, this scale can predict the likelihood that you will fall victim to a stress related illness. The illness could be mild - frequent tension headaches, acid indigestion, loss of sleep to very serious illness like ulcers, cancer, migraines and the like.
LIFE STRESS SCORES
0-149 Low susceptibility to stress-related illness
150-299 Medium susceptibility to stress-related illness.
Learn and practice relaxation and stress management skills and a healthy well life style.
300 and over High susceptibility to stress-related illness
Daily practice of relaxation skills is very important for your wellness. Take care of it now before a serious illness erupts or an affliction becomes worse.