A stethoscope is an examination tool commonly used by doctors. This tool serves to listen to sounds from within the body, one of which is to hear the sound of the heartbeat and detect abnormalities.
In addition to hearing the sound of a heartbeat, a stethoscope can also be used to listen to other sounds from within the body, such as breathing sounds or bowel sounds (bowel sounds). The type and intensity of these sounds can assist doctors in making a diagnosis and assessing the patient's condition.
Stethoscope Parts
Stethoscopes come in various variants in terms of materials, and even digital stethoscopes are now available. Even so, the shape of this medical device in general remains the same. The stethoscope has four main parts that you need to know:
1. Earpieces
Earpieces is part of the stethoscope that is attached to the ear to hear sounds from the internal organs. Generally earpieces made of soft rubber. In addition to being more comfortable and not painful when worn in the ear, the rubber material can also help muffle sounds from outside.
2. Tubing
Tubing is part of the stethoscope in the form of a thin and long tube resembling a hose, which functions to transmit sound from the diaphragm or diaphragm bell going to earpieces.
3. Diaphragm
Diaphragm or diaphragm is a part of a thin and flat membrane at the end of the head of the stethoscope, which is made of a circular plastic disk.
This diaphragm has a special function to listen to high-frequency sounds or sounds, such as wheezing in the lungs. Some types of stethoscopes only have a diaphragm, while others have a diaphragm and a diaphragm bells.
4. Bell
Bell is the last part of the stethoscope that is circular and attached to the back of the diaphragm. It is smaller than the diaphragm. Bell serves to listen to low-frequency sounds or sounds, such as heart sounds.
More Detailed Stethoscope Functions
In general, the function of a stethoscope is to listen to the sound of the heartbeat, so that it can be seen whether the heart is beating properly and has a normal rhythm or not. The results of this examination can be used as a benchmark to assess the condition of heart health.
In addition to hearing the sound of the heartbeat, a stethoscope also serves to hear the sound of the lungs. Examination of the lungs with a stethoscope is performed to assess whether the breath sounds are normal or not.
The doctor will suspect breathing problems if abnormal breath sounds are heard, usually accompanied by additional breath sounds, such as: snoring or stridor and wheezing. Abnormal breath sounds can also be in the form of weakened breath sounds, or even no sound at all.
Not only that, a stethoscope can also be used to examine the abdominal area. Usually an abdominal examination with a stethoscope is performed to hear bowel sounds or sounds. An increase or decrease in bowel sounds can be an indicator of indigestion.
A stethoscope is not just an object that completes a doctor's appearance. This tool is a must-have for doctors because it is very useful to assist doctors in diagnosing patients' illnesses.