{"wikiid":417905,"langid":"en","namespace":"CATEGORY","title":"Stethoscope","revisionid":1378645,"contents_raw":"== Background and Identification ==\n\nPerhaps one of the most iconic of medical devices, the stethoscope is a diagnostic tool used to listen to sounds inside the human body.\n\nA modern stethoscope usually consists of flexible tubing connecting eartips (which are inserted into the practitioner\u2019s ears) to a chest piece or \u201chead\u201d that is placed against the patient\u2019s body. The head of a stethoscope can take numerous forms, but it commonly contains a flat, circular diaphragm that helps amplify sound. Dual-head stethoscopes have a larger enclosed drum-like diaphragm on one side and a smaller hollow cup-like bell on the other. The diaphragm is optimized for listening to higher-frequency sounds, while the bell is optimized for listening to lower-frequency sounds.\n\nThere are numerous types of stethoscopes, including:\n\n* ''Acoustic stethoscopes'': These operate by conducting sound waves directly from the head to the eartips through air-filled tubes. Sound volume is generally quite low.\n* ''Electronic stethoscopes'': These operate by converting acoustic sound waves to electrical signals, which can then be electronically processed, amplified, digitized, and recorded. The chest piece often contains a microphone or piezoelectric crystal and earpieces may be wireless.\n\n== Additional Information ==\n\n* Wikipedia: [link|https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stethoscope|Stethoscope]\n* Telegraph article: [link|https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/health\/10592617\/A-history-of-the-stethoscope.html|A History of the Stethoscope]\n* Best Stethoscope Guide: [link|https:\/\/beststethoscopeguide.com\/types-of-stethoscopes\/|10 Types of Stethoscopes: What\u2019s the difference?]\n* Top Nurse Info: [link|https:\/\/topnurse.info\/blog\/how-to-use-a-stethoscope\/|How to Use a Stethoscope]","contents_json":{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Background and Identification"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Perhaps one of the most iconic of medical devices, the stethoscope is a diagnostic tool used to listen to sounds inside the human body."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"A modern stethoscope usually consists of flexible tubing connecting eartips (which are inserted into the practitioner\u2019s ears) to a chest piece or \u201chead\u201d that is placed against the patient\u2019s body. The head of a stethoscope can take numerous forms, but it commonly contains a flat, circular diaphragm that helps amplify sound. Dual-head stethoscopes have a larger enclosed drum-like diaphragm on one side and a smaller hollow cup-like bell on the other. The diaphragm is optimized for listening to higher-frequency sounds, while the bell is optimized for listening to lower-frequency sounds."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"There are numerous types of stethoscopes, including:"}]},{"type":"bulletList","attrs":[],"content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Acoustic stethoscopes","marks":[{"type":"italic"}]},{"type":"text","text":": These operate by conducting sound waves directly from the head to the eartips through air-filled tubes. Sound volume is generally quite low."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Electronic stethoscopes","marks":[{"type":"italic"}]},{"type":"text","text":": These operate by converting acoustic sound waves to electrical signals, which can then be electronically processed, amplified, digitized, and recorded. The chest piece often contains a microphone or piezoelectric crystal and earpieces may be wireless."}]}]}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Additional Information"}]},{"type":"bulletList","attrs":[],"content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Wikipedia: "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stethoscope","target":false}}],"text":"Stethoscope"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Telegraph article: "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/health\/10592617\/A-history-of-the-stethoscope.html","target":false}}],"text":"A History of the Stethoscope"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Best Stethoscope Guide: "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/beststethoscopeguide.com\/types-of-stethoscopes\/","target":false}}],"text":"10 Types of Stethoscopes: What\u2019s the difference?"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Top Nurse Info: "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https:\/\/topnurse.info\/blog\/how-to-use-a-stethoscope\/","target":false}}],"text":"How to Use a Stethoscope"}]}]}]}]},"contents_rendered":"
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Background and Identification<\/h2><\/div>\n\n

Perhaps one of the most iconic of medical devices, the stethoscope is a diagnostic tool used to listen to sounds inside the human body.<\/p>\n\n

A modern stethoscope usually consists of flexible tubing connecting eartips (which are inserted into the practitioner\u2019s ears) to a chest piece or \u201chead\u201d that is placed against the patient\u2019s body. The head of a stethoscope can take numerous forms, but it commonly contains a flat, circular diaphragm that helps amplify sound. Dual-head stethoscopes have a larger enclosed drum-like diaphragm on one side and a smaller hollow cup-like bell on the other. The diaphragm is optimized for listening to higher-frequency sounds, while the bell is optimized for listening to lower-frequency sounds.<\/p>\n\n

There are numerous types of stethoscopes, including:<\/p>\n\n