Stethoscopes HQ

How are stethoscopes/otoscopes used in a basic medical examination?

I know the stethoscope is used to listen to your heart, and the otoscope is used to look in your ears, nose, etc. But, what are they looking for? And any other information i could have on those devices would be great. Oh, and two more questions: How did the stethoscope/otoscope affect modern medicine? And what would it be like without each of them? Thanks in advance. -xoxo

Public Comments

1. The stethoscope had little effect on modern medicine other than patient comfort. After all women find it a little uncomfortable for the doctor to put his ear to her left breast in order to listen to her heart, but it is just as effective as the stethoscope and this is how it was done. We use it to listen for breath sounds, which can tell us if the patient might have asthma, pneumonia, COPD, pleural effusions, a pneumothorax, etc. Listening to the heart can tell us about rhythm, rate, structural defects, and possible pericarditis or pericardial effusions. Listening to the abdomen can tell us about stenosis of the renal arteries, abdomial aortic aneurysms, and of course, how active the bowels are. Otoscopes can be used to look for infections and irritation, foreign bodies, structure defects or abnormalities, or just as a light source.