To the Pounding of the Heart
The stethoscope is one of the most common diagnostic tools. Its concept originated in 1816 when French doctor Rene Laennec folded a long piece of paper into a tube to listen to the patient’s chest. The design we are all accustomed to was patented by the doctor in Littmann in 1960. Over the years, the brand has established itself as the most reliable.
There are three main models in the stethoscope market:
- A single-head stethoscope is used for general purposes and puddles a wide frequency of sounds.
- A dual-head stethoscope – the big head is the best option for high-frequency sounds and the small one for low-frequency sounds.
- A triple-head stethoscope is heavy and uncomfortable. This model is rarely used and only for critical evaluation of the heart.
However, these are not all types of stethoscopes. They also can be characterized by the doctor’s specialization:
- Cardiology stethoscopes are used in cardiac assessments to distinguish between the many different sounds of the heart for the most precise diagnosis.
- Pediatric stethoscopes have smaller chest pieces which are more proportional for pediatric patients.
- Veterinary stethoscopes are specially designed for popular pets such as dogs or cats.
Technology has changed even the way the good old stethoscope works. So, what will you choose: acoustic or electronic? Even a hearing-impaired stethoscope exists.
- An acoustic stethoscope is the familiar one, which works by channeling more sound waves toward your ears than would otherwise reach them.
- Electronic stethoscopes (also called digital) take the physical vibrations of the sound, translate them into an electronic signal and optimize them for improved listening and diagnosis.
- For those who feel that wearing a traditional stethoscope is uncomfortable with hearing aids, there is a digital stethoscope that a person can plug headphones into.
It is really an ocean of choices. Well, we will try to assist.
