stethoscope

The term “stethoscope” is derived from two words: “stethos” (chest) and “scope” (to examine). A stethoscope is a medical equipment that examiners use to listen to the interior body noises of patients. It is made up of seven parts: the chestpiece, the stem, the diaphragm, the tubing, the headset, and the earpieces (“”Anatomy of a Stethoscope,“” 2017). The stethoscope is used to listen to the noises of various body parts such as the lungs, heart, and abdomen. The healthy human body makes different sounds, and the stethoscope allows those vibrations and waves to be transmitted to the examiner’s ears (“”7 Parts of a Stethoscope“”, 2017). The type of sound waves or their absence from a particular body part gives the examiner an insight on what might be wrong.

Detailed description of the stethoscope

Description of parts

Chestpiece. The part which the examiner places on the body of the patient. The chestpiece may be either single sided or two sided. The two-sided chestpiece has a diaphragm on the one hand and a bell on the other side (“Anatomy of a Stethoscope,” 2017). The diaphragm is for use with adult patients, and it listens to high-frequency sounds. The smaller bell side is used for thin or pediatric patients and listening to the high pitch sounds. When using the single-sided chestpiece, the examiner varies the pressure on the body part for low and high frequencies; apply a little pressure for low sounds and more pressure for high pitch sounds. The chestpiece is made of metal, preferably aluminum or zinc in a process known as die-casting (“7 Parts of a Stethoscope”, 2017).

The stem. It connects the chestpiece to the stethoscope tubing, and it allows for the rotating of the two-sided chestpiece. It is made of a similar material to the chestpiece.

Diaphragm. It enables the examiner to hear the different sounds of the body with ease. It contains a chill ring that holds it in place as well as providing a barrier between the skin and the coldness of the metal chestpiece. It is made of either rubber or PVC.

The tubing. They are tubes made from either rubber or PVC, and it connects the ear tubes to the chestpiece. Its role is to transmit sound from the chestpiece to the earpieces.

The headset. It contains two eartubes and a tension spring. The eartubes positioning on the stethoscope allows the examiner to fit them in the ear canal properly. The headset tension is adjustable to allow for better fitting, and they enable the examiner to pull the eartubes apart to reduce pressure or to squeeze them together to increase tension (“Anatomy of a Stethoscope,” 2017). The ear tubes are made of a base metal such as steel electroplated with brass.

The earpieces. They are small tips located on the ear tubes an examiner fits them into the easier to listen to the sounds coming from the chestpiece. The earpiece is made of silicone modeled into the size of the human ear canal.

Working of the stethoscope

The stethoscope detects the frequency of the sound waves coming from a body part. When it is placed against a body part such as the lungs, the chestpiece pickups the sound waves and transmits them up the tubing into the ear tubes and finally into the ear pieces. The examiner then can listen to the frequency of the sound waves enabling him to make the correct diagnosis.

Conclusion

The stethoscope is the most common medical instrument among physicians, and its use is to listen to the sounds produced by the various human body parts. Examiners commonly use it to listen to the heart and lung sounds in detecting whether a patient has a problem. The physician holds the chest piece against a body part, and the sound waves are transmitted to the earpieces where the examiner can listen to the frequency and make a diagnosis.

References

Anatomy of a Stethoscope | Littmann Stethoscopes. (2017). Littmann.com. Retrieved 11 February 2017, from http://www.littmann.com/3M/en_US/littmann-stethoscopes/education-center/how-to-choose/anatomy

Here are 7 Parts of a Stethoscope: And Even I was Surprised. (2017). Best Stethoscope Guide. Retrieved 11 February 2017, from http://beststethoscopeguide.com/parts-of-a-stethoscope