What is a Stethoscope?

Not sure what a stethoscope is?

No worries, not everyone knows what it is or what it’s used for. Yet it is considered highly specialised medical equipment indispensible to medical professionals all over the world.

We’ll give you detailed information so that after reading this article you’ll have a good understanding of what a stethoscope is and what it is used for.

What Is a Stethoscope and How Does It Work?

The stethoscope was invented in France in 1816 by Rene Laennec so he could listen to women patients without having to place his head on their chest.

The stethoscope has undergone many revisions in the past 200 years, but all versions use the same basic concept.

A small resonator attached to two tubes with ear pieces, used to amplify and transmit internal sounds.

To get a better understanding of what is a stethoscope made of, you gotta check out this post.

Why Was the Invention of the Stethoscope Important?

Jaclyn Duffin, a medical historian, explains that the invention of the stethoscope completely changed the way medical professionals and lay people conceptualize disease.

Prior to the invention of the stethoscope there were no non-lethal ways to assess internal anatomy.

A disease was primarily assessed and treated by its symptoms.

Following the creation of the stethoscope we began to view disease based on the underlying anatomical causes for the symptoms.

What is a Stethoscope Used For?

Okay, so you want to know what is a stethoscope used for?

Here’s the deal…

Stethoscopes are primarily used by medical professionals for health assessment.

Occasionally they are also used by other professionals, such as auto mechanics or scientists, to listen to internal noises in machinery.

Medical professionals use stethoscopes to listen to sounds from your lung, hearts, intestines, the womb, and even blood flow in arteries and veins.

Stethoscopes are often used in conjunction with a “blood pressure cuff”, or sphygmomanometer, to check a person’s blood pressure.

Modern digital stethoscopes have the highest quality sound.

They also allow for exams to be recorded and shared with other medical professionals for a second opinion or training purposes.

Stethoscope History

The stethoscope history has undergone many variations, but it remains one of the most important medical inventions of the past 200 years.

It is still widely used by medical professionals for the diagnosis of diseases involving the heart, lungs, bowels, womb, and vascular system.

Taking the time to learn how to use a stethoscope is a necessity if you are a medical professional.

Parts of a Stethoscope