How to choose a stethoscope for examining your patients

by Dr Store SEO

A stethoscope is an essential component of a medical professional’s kit. It helps the doctor listen to internal bodily sounds in order to detect health problems. The heart and lungs are the two most vital organs in a human body and the stethoscope helps in making any preliminary diagnosis by listening to sound in that area. Given its enormous importance in the medical profession, it’s very crucial to purchase the right stethoscope for the job. This article will provide you a guide on how to choose the right stethoscope.

Types of stethoscopes

The different types of stethoscope are:

1. Acoustic: Acoustic stethoscopes are the most common stethoscopes which can be found with every medical practitioner. In an acoustic stethoscope, the chest piece fitted with a diaphragm or bell is placed against the patient’s chest to listen to the internal vibrations. Some stethoscopes incorporate a tunable diaphragm mechanism helps youlisten to different sounds. If you want to hear different frequency soundsclear, you can buy Littmann Stethoscope.

2. Electronic: An electronic stethoscope is fitted with an electromagnetic diaphragm to detect low-frequency sounds efficiently.

3. Cardiology: The design of a cardiology stethoscope is similar to that of an acoustic stethoscope. However, cardiology stethoscopes are designed to pick up even the faintest sound to detect heart murmurs or arrhythmia.

4.Fetal: A fetal stethoscope is placed on a mother’s belly to detect the heartbeat of the fetus.

Factors to consider while choosing a stethoscope

You should consider the following factors while selecting a stethoscope:

• Purpose of use: As mentioned above, different stethoscopes have different uses. Before purchasing a stethoscope, identify the purpose of your use and opt for the stethoscope which meets your job requirements.

• Type of chest piece: Chest pieces are available in two different designs. Some stethoscopes them a one-sided chestpiece with a diaphragm at the end. Others may have a two-sidedchestpiece with a diaphragm on one side and a bell on the other. If you’re not an experienced professional and unsure about which one you like better, you can experiment with the different designs before reaching a conclusion.

• Materials used: The various parts of a stethoscope are made of different materials which serve different purposes. Their performance varies and each of them has its own pros and cons. As a general rule, the tube, chest piece and the diaphragm should be made from the same material. Titanium and stainless steel are excellent at detecting and transferring sound.

We hope that this guide will help you in selecting the right stethoscope for a successful medical career.