Stethoscopes have almost been the undeclared symbol of the medical profession and its usage is still relevant, today,as it was in the erstwhile days. For any doctor this instrument is something that he or she just cannot do without.
In the year 1816 the stethoscope was invented in France. A stethoscope can be used to listen to the human body’s internal sounds. The blood pressure in the patient’s body can also be counted with the help of a stethoscope and it also assists to listen to inside the vein’s resonance of a human body. Since stethoscopes are such a crucial tool it is imperative that you buy a quality product like Littmann stethoscope that will ensure that you can diagnose your patients in the right manner.
You will hardly come across a doctor without a stethoscope around his or her neck. In fact, this one is such a big part of their profession that many physicians even engrave their names on their stethoscopes for personalising them.
On the basis of the loudness of the sound emerging from the patient’s body, the ergonomics and the clarity, stethoscopes can be differentiated into various types. Apart from the most common ones there are also those that are specialised for certain other tasks. Some of them are enlisted below.
- Electronic Stethoscope– This is the kind of stethoscope that can offer the ultimate output especially with low sound waves. With this stethoscope, the sound waves can be amplified and indicators are also offered. Faint readings can be best detected with this kind of a stethoscope.
- Acoustic Stethoscope– Acoustic stethoscopes are generally used for detecting sounds that come from the chest. They consist of a hollow tube as well as a chest piece. There is just one problem with this type of stethoscope and that is the fact that they cannot detect the reduced sounds. For accurate readings it is essential to get a quiet environment.
- Noise Reduction Stethoscope – This one is very similar to that of the electronic stethoscope. The only difference is that it comes with the feature of reduction of background noise or noise cancellation.
- Recording Stethoscope– There are also some types of stethoscopes that facilitate recording of the sound waves. These stethoscopes can easily be connected to any type of recorder and that can record the output for later usage and analysis.
- Fetal Stethoscopes – This is the type of stethoscope that is used for pregnant women. This stethoscope is structured in such a way that it consists of an enlarged end that can be placed over the pregnant lady’s abdomen. Fetoscope is another name that is used for this type of stethoscope. Currently with the advancement of technology, however, this type of fetal stethoscope is replaced by sonaid which is electronic and more advanced.
The above are some of the major types of stethoscopes that are used in the medical domain for addressing their different needs. Prior to buying the instrument, however, ensure that you are purchasing from one of the reputed medical equipment companies so that you do not face any problem with the instrument and get the true value for your money.
