Stethoscope: Type, Uses, and Functions

A stethoscope can be regarded as a means of identifying healthcare professionals. With the way a stethoscope is hung around the neck, you can doctors’ and nurses’ dressing are not complete without this instrument. It is mostly used for auscultating the heart sound of a patient to identify the underlying issue.

Have you witnessed where a stethoscope is being used? You must have been wondering about the type of sound that it produces. The device is a must-have for healthcare professionals and the most identifiable instrument used in the healthcare setting. Mere looking at its size and structure you might be doubting its functions.

How Does a Stethoscope Work?

A Stethoscope is an instrument used by medical professionals to auscultate the sounds produced by the various organs of the body most especially in the heart. They have been designed differently to suit varieties of functions.

Medical and nursing students are fond of single stethoscopes due to their versatility. An acrylic type is suitable for paramedics in reducing ambient noise while a duo stethoscope is the best for physicians.

The earpieces of the stethoscope connect the medical professional’s ear to the stethoscope so that the sound can be transmitted to the ear. This is done by placing the earpiece in the ear while the diaphragm is placed on the part of the body to be examined.

This can be on the abdomen, chest, or back to listen to the heart rate, the sound produced by the lungs, and the abdominal sound.

Parts of The Stethoscope and its Functions?

The stethoscope is composed of different parts which are:

Chest piece

A stethoscope can either have a side or two sides. those with a side have the diaphragm only while those with two sides comprise the diaphragm and bell. The diaphragm is on one side while the bell is on the other side. They can be alternated depending on the suitable side.

Diaphragm

It is the larger rounds end of the stethoscope. The diaphragm is the larger end of a two-sided stethoscope. It helps to detect and transmit high-frequency sound.

Bell

It is the smaller round end of the stethoscope. The bell is capable of detecting sounds of low frequency compared to the bell, especially on small body parts.

Stem

This is the part that connects the tubing to the chest piece. It also enables the rotation of the bell and diaphragm

Tubing

This part of the stethoscope is made of rubber. It extends from the headset to the chest piece transferring sound waves from the chest piece to the ear.

Eartips

Eartip is at the ends of the ear tube. There is a hole at the center of the ear tip-top for the passage of sounds coming from the chest piece. They are made in sizes that firm with the ear.

Headset

The headset consists of the ear tubes, ear tips, and tension springs which are at the upper half of the instrument.

Ear tubes

This is where the instrument is bifurcated into two ear tubes. They are made of metal tubes and allow the progression of sounds to the ear canal.

Types of Stethoscopes?

Doppler

Doppler stethoscope is used to measure an ultrasound wave as evaluated from various body organs. It can perceive regularities and moving objects.

Acoustic

This is the most common of all types of stethoscopes. It has two tubes joined to the chest piece which transmits sound to the ear.

Disposable

This type is used for just an individual and can’t be reused especially when suspected to be contaminated to prevent the spread of infection.

Fetal

This type is usually referred to as a fetoscope. It is mostly used by pregnant women to auscultate the fetal heart rate. It looks like a small trumpet and despite its small size, it can be used to detect fetal abnormalities during pregnancy.

This is carried out by placing the abdominal end of the fetoscope on the abdomen while the ear is placed on the aural end.

Recording

This type of device can be connected to a visual display device to enable the comparison of the recordings with the previously recorded ones.

Uses of Stethoscopes

To Measure Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is measured by wrapping the sphygmomanometer snuggly around the upper arm before pacing the diaphragm on the pulsating artery. This indicates that the stethoscope has a huge role in the measurement of blood pressure. The blood pressure is measured in millimeter mercury ( mmHg).

To Auscultate Bowel Sound and Movement

When placed on the abdomen it can detect the intensity and rhythm of the abdominal sound. This helps to rule out any intestinal obstruction or paralysis of the intestine.

To Measure the Heart Rate

It’s almost impossible to auscultate the heart sound without the use of a stethoscope. It makes the sounds more audible. By listening to the heart sound, it is possible to detect abnormalities relating to the heart and lungs.

To Detect Aneurysm

The aneurysm usually occurs due to the constriction of an artery. This in turn can affect the blood volume and rate of blood flow in the body. The usefulness of the instrument here is to detect aneurysms as it can be used too hard to check the rate of blood flow.

To Diagnose Respiratory Disease

A stethoscope is used to diagnose respiratory abnormalities the same way it is used for diagnosing the abnormalities of the heart. It is placed on the chest to detect any abnormal sound coming out of the chest. It provides the rate of breathing.

There are several points on the chest and back where the lung sounds can be heard. This enables the comparison of the sound heard from the back with that of the chest.

To Detect Abnormal Heart Sounds

By auscultating the heart with the use of a stethoscope, the heart rate can be a pointer to an abnormal heart sound. This tends to indicate that further investigation would be needed.

Conclusion

With the advancement of technology, it is now easy to detect health issues with the use of a stethoscope. Having the right medical instrument will enhance the appropriate diagnosis which is why it is important to get the best device to meet the needs of the patient as its usage is inevitable.

The stethoscope is a medical instrument that requires proper care and storage. It used to be properly cleaned and sanitized before and after use.