For a long time, one of the methods for diagnosing the disease was listening to the patient's internal organs. This process is called auscultation. For its correct conduct, the doctor needs a set of special tools. One of them is a stethoscope.
What is a stethoscope?
To understand what constitutes a stethoscope, first of all it is worth getting acquainted with its definition. A stethoscope is a device that allows the doctor to determine the presence of unwanted noise in the systems of the patient’s organs. The device is used to listen not only to the lungs and bronchi, but also to the heart and even the gastrointestinal tract.
A photo of a medical stethoscope can be seen in the article.
Appearance story
The stethoscope owes its invention to a rather piquant story that occurred in the early 19th century in France. The doctor Rene Laennec had to examine a patient with a rather voluminous bust. The customs of that time imposed certain restrictions on the actions of the doctor. Not wanting to put his ear directly to the lady's chest, Renee used folded paper sheets. It turned out that the audibility did not deteriorate from these manipulations: on the contrary, the doctor was able to listen to the heart and lungs better than with the usual method of examination. The invention was slightly improved over time. The first real stethoscope looked like a small tube of wood with expanding funnels at each end. One end was applied to the patient's chest, the other to the ear of the Aesculapius.
The simplest stethoscope tube is shown in the photo.
The constituent elements of the device
The principle of operation of a conventional stethoscope is very simple, as is its device. They are usually made of plastic or aluminum. For more expensive appliances, stainless steel may be used. The main components are only three: head, handset, headphones.
Head. This part of the instrument is applied to the chest or other part of the patient’s body. In medical practice, a two-sided head is often used: on the one hand - a membrane, on the other - a funnel. The first is better for high-frequency sounds, the second for low-frequency sounds. The membrane should have a higher density in order to better contact the patient's body and pick up sound.
Handset, or sound pipe. It is a hose made of flexible material (rubber, vinyl) connecting the head to the headphones. The thicker and stronger the material from which it is made, the better will be audibility. The optimum length of the sound duct is 30-40 cm.
Headphones. They consist of metal arches and special nozzles at their ends, the so-called olives. Soft olives are the most qualitative and convenient to use, allowing them to occupy the best position in the ear canal of the doctor. The denser the olives fit, the less external sounds will be heard by the doctor, and, therefore, the examination will be better.
Terms of use
Basic rules for auscultation:
- The absence of unnecessary noise in the room, in order to avoid making the wrong diagnosis.
- Listening is carried out by applying the head of a stethoscope to naked skin.
- Listening at different points in the body.
- If necessary and if possible, switch the stethoscope modes.
The difference between a stethoscope and a phonendoscope
Having figured out what a stethoscope is, it is worth mentioning another device used to listen to internal organs. A phonendoscope is often confused with a stethoscope.
The phonendoscope was invented much later than the stethoscope and is its improved model. It picks up significantly more sounds, especially high-frequency ones, thanks to a special membrane device. It is especially good to use a phonendoscope to listen to the cardiovascular system. With this tool, heart defects of various degrees are well detected. To listen to the lungs and identify serious diseases such as pneumonia, a phonendoscope is also better suited.
It is highly advisable to use this particular device when examining young children in order to identify possible violations in the body in time.
Outwardly, there are no fundamental differences between the two tools.
Types of Stethoscopes
Since stethoscopes are used to diagnose various organ systems, there are several types of devices, depending on the purpose of use, the age of the patient, and other factors:
- General purpose stethoscope. Another name is therapeutic. A standard use case is a universal therapeutic examination of an adult patient.
- Pediatric stethoscope. Used for the smallest patients, up to one year old. They are very high in terms of acoustic properties. In addition, often such devices are equipped with a special ring made of a material that does not cause a familiar sensation of cold. This allows children to avoid negative reactions during examination.
- Obstetric, or fetal, stethoscope. It usually looks the same as the first stethoscopes: a wooden tube with funnels. It is applied to the stomach of a pregnant woman to listen to the fetal heart rhythms.
- Cardiological stethoscope. An indispensable tool for listening to the heart, arteries, blood vessels.
- Electronic stethoscope. The device is a new generation. Thanks to an advanced model of headphones (have an amplifier), this tool is ideal for doctors with hearing problems. The device also allows you to listen to the patient in a noisy room. A separate type of electronic is a stethoscope for listening to pregnant women. Like an obstetric one, this device allows you to monitor the life of the fetus in the womb. Meets all safety criteria for both the child and the mother.
One such electronic stethoscope is the Littmann stethoscope. It is equipped with a special technology - lowering the level of ambient noise. Also equipped with a sound amplifier. Littmann is great for auscultation of both adults and children, as well as for the diagnosis of various diseases. The device is equipped with a Bluetooth file transfer function.
In addition to electronic stethoscopes, Littmann’s conventional configurations occupy a huge place in the market for such products.
What is a stethoscope mechanic?
There is another type of stethoscope that has not quite medical use. It is used in the automotive field.
A photo of a mechanic's stethoscope can be seen in the article.
The device is necessary for diagnosing the state of internal parts of the car: engine, bearings, etc. For diagnostics, the method of vibroacoustics is used. Most often, this type of stethoscope is used in a car service, but can also be used for other mechanical products, in addition to cars.
These are the main points explaining what a stethoscope is, how it is arranged, where it is used and which has distinctive features. The described device has a wide range of capabilities and a wide purpose, being an indispensable assistant to the doctor during the examination and diagnosis.