STETHOSCOPE
The stethoscope is a medical device for auscultation, or listening to internal sounds of
body
STETHOSCOPE PARTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
A stethoscope is made up of chestpiece, diaphragm and/or bell, stem, tubing, headset,ear
tubes,and ear tips.
The bell of the stethoscope is most effective at transmitting lower frequency sounds, while the
diaphragm of the stethoscope is most effective at transmitting higher frequency sound
1. Chest piece: Head of the stethoscope
The chest piece is known as the head of the stethoscope. The chest piece/ head of the
stethoscope has a connected stem, diaphragm, and/or bell
The chest piece part of the stethoscope is placed on the patient's skin and is responsible for
conducting sound.
2. Diaphragm
The diaphragm of the stethoscope is the large circular end of the chest piece
The diaphragm of the device allows listening to an area of the patient's body and picks up
higher frequency sounds.
3.Bell
The bell of the stethoscope is the smaller circular end of the chest piece
Bell side of the device focuses on a narrower range of listens for lower-frequency sounds that
may not easily be detected by the diaphragm.
4.Stem
The stem of a stethoscope is basically the metal /steel part of the stethoscope that connects the
tubing of the stethoscope to the chest piece.
On stethoscopes with two-sided chest pieces, the stem of the device allows users to switch
between the diaphragm and bell by turning the chest piece
By rotating the stem, the diaphragm is open to the acoustic path of relating to the sound of an
organ,body.
5. Tubing
The soft flexible line of the stethoscope is known as stethoscope tubing
The function of the tubing of the device is to maintain and transfer the frequency or sound level.
that is captured by the diaphragm or bell and sent it to the ear tubes
6.Binaural
The metal cylinders that connect the earpieces to the chest piece are called binaural. They are
designed to ensure proper alignment and stereo hearing, allowing the examiner to pinpoint the
sounds' location accurately
7. Headset, Eartubes, and Eartips
The headset is the combined components of the upper half of the stethoscope which include the
ear tubes, tension springs, and Earpieces.
The headset of a stethoscope has two ear tubes.
Earpieces consist of small round tips on the ends of the ear tubes that fit into the ears.
Earpieces of the device allow sound to flow efficiently into the ear canal.
USES OF A STETHOSCOPE
We are all familiar with the basic stethoscope uses, like listening to the heartbeat. But a
stethoscope plays an integral part in an diagnosis, during the treatment or even on the road to
recovery. Let's take a look at the various uses of stethoscopes
1. CARDIAC AUSCULTATION
One of the most common applications of a stethoscope is cardiac auscultation, which involves
healthcare personnel listening to heart sounds for abnormalities such as murmurs or irregular
beats.
2. PULMONARY AUSCULTATION
Stethoscopes are essential for pulmonary auscultation because they enable practitioners to
examine lung sounds and diagnose respiratory disorders.
3. ABDOMINAL AUSCULTATION
The stethoscope is used in abdominal auscultation to evaluate bowel sounds, which can
suggest gastrointestinal problems
4. BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
Stethoscopes are frequently used with blood pressure cuffs to measure blood pressure
precisely
