A stethoscope is a simple medical instrument that’s used to listen to the internal sounds of your body. It can be used by a doctor or other healthcare professional to hear what’s happening inside your body. While most people have probably seen a stethoscope before, they may not know how it works or what it’s used for. To learn more about this essential piece of medical equipment, keep reading!
It has a hollow tube that allows the sounds to pass through, and a diaphragm that helps amplify these sounds. The stethoscope is usually worn around the chest to listen to sounds made by the heart, lungs, and other organs in the chest cavity. The stethoscope is also known as auscultation because it’s used to hear the sounds made by the body. The term stethoscope comes from the Greek words for “chest” and “to hear.”
The Parts of a Stethoscope Include:
- Chest piece
- Diaphragm
- Earpieces
- Ear tube
- Tubing
- Headset
- Stem
- Bell
1. Chest piece
The chest piece of a stethoscope is made up of a thin, hollow tube that’s connected to a diaphragm. The diaphragm amplifies the sounds that are heard through the earpieces. It may be one-way or two-way depending on the model. The chest piece is usually worn around the upper chest and is used to hear the heart and lungs. It may also be used to hear the heartbeat in babies and toddlers.
2. Diaphragm
A stethoscope’s diaphragm is the part that amplifies the sounds heard through the earpieces. The diaphragm is usually made from vinyl or plastic and has a flat surface that’s placed against the chest wall. The diaphragm is connected to a chest piece with a flexible tube.
3. Earpieces
The earpieces are usually held to the ears of the healthcare professional or patient and amplify the sounds heard through the diaphragm. These pieces can be single- or double-sided and have holes that are placed over the ears of the user.
4. Ear tubes
The ear tubes are the stethoscope’s metal/steel components that connect the lumen tubing and the ear tips. Basically, the ear tubes isolate and transfer sound from the chestpiece to the user’s ears.
5. Tubing
The tubing is used to connect the diaphragm to the chest piece. It can be one-way or two-way depending on the model. It also allows air to pass between the chest piece and the diaphragm. The tubing may also be made from latex, plastic, or silicone.
6. Headset
The head set is used to hold the stethoscope in place while it’s being used. The head set may have a flexible tube or a rigid tube. It may also have a clip that attaches to the chest piece and holds the earpieces in place.
7. Bell
The bell is the part that’s connected to the chest piece. It’s usually made from metal or plastic and is used to amplify the sounds heard through the chest piece. It may be used to listen to the heart and lungs as well as the chest.
8. Stem The stem is the part of the stethoscope that connects the bell to the chest piece.
