Stethoscope question (any docters in the house???)?

can doctors figure out any heart conditions someone has just by using a stethoscope? and i mean conditions such as abdominal aortic aneurysms, heart attacks, murmurs and such or can they only hear if u have an irregular heart beat (which i guess is a murmur) if u can, can u list what they hear for the listed above? thank you!

A stethoscope is nothing but a sound amplification device. And contrary to popular misconceptions, a murmur (sound) is NOT an irregular heart beat (cadence, rhythm or timing). You can have a perfectly regular heart beat and still have multiple murmurs.

Using a stethoscope properly requires an indepth knowledge of what it is you're trying to listen to; that is, the way that something would sound when it is normal versus the way that something can sound when it goes bad.

Plant engineers and mechanics have traditionally used stethoscopes to listen to pipe flow noises, to give an early indication if there is any turbulence within the pipe that can indicate a hidden problem. Sonar recordings similarly, are used to detect ship identities based on the sonarman's knowledge of their uniquely distinctive acoustic signatures, similar to a fingerprint.

Years ago, before medicine was flush with the high tech machinery, proper stethoscope skills only came with years of hands on bedside care. I fear that it has become a dying art.

As for a definitive diagnosis from auscultation (listening with a stethoscope)? No, nowadays the diagnosis will have to be supported by echo, CTs, and lab values. But auscultation does provide the circumstantial acoustic evidence to explore in certain directions. That, and the other examination skills that any care giver has to use (eg inspection, palpation) will collectively allow a physician to understand what is affecting his patient.

Ralph

Certain problems can be identified or at least indicated by auscultation with a stethoscope. They can tell quite a bit from listening. It depends on the sound and the location where they hear the sound.

they can hear rythem and patter.. they can also hear flow problems such as a stuck valve a prolapsed valve, gurgles and blackflowing of blood, Murmurs even clogged clot throwing problems in the neck, bruius..

Fetal heart tones (Or lack of heart beat from the fetus) can be heard or not heard...

With a stethoscope, a doctor can hear the "clicking" of the valves of the heart- if there's something wrong, they can hear the murmur from it. They can hear the "whooshing" sound created by an abdominal aneurysm if it's big enough, too. Also, they can hear the irregular beats (like a premature ventricular/atrial contraction).

As far as blockages & heart attacks go, no so much is heard by stethoscope (unfortunately, because that would be SO much easier!).