A stethoscope is a critical tool in the delivery of health care services. It amplifies sounds within the body, making it easier for nurses, doctors and paramedics to hear a patient’s heart beat, blood pressure and respiration, among other sounds.
However, when the person using the stethoscope has hearing loss, it may be next to impossible to hear those sounds accurately.
Fortunately, assistive technology can be used to help medical professionals with hearing loss deliver quality care.
Two of the most important adaptive devices are amplified stethoscopes and stethoscopes modified to use with hearing aids. They enhance the medical professional’s ability to effectively listen to the vital sounds of the body.
Stethoscopes and hearing loss issues
Like anyone else, a medical professional might have hearing loss in the higher frequencies or they may struggle to hear low frequencies, known as reverse-slope hearing loss. Their hearing loss might be mild enough that they don’t yet wear a hearing device or profound enough to warrant cochlear implants.
Today’s sophisticated digital hearing aids are programmed to address hearing loss at specific frequencies, providing varying levels of amplification based on the hearing loss. However when the use of a stethoscope enters the picture, issues can occur.
For example:
Ear tips on traditional stethoscopes don’t work well with in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids.
A person who wears hearing aids can take their hearing aids out and use an amplified stethoscope; however, this is cumbersome and the stethoscope may not provide enough of a boost for the professional to hear the sounds.
Heart and breath sounds are low frequency (between 20-650 Hz). Hearing aids traditionally are not set to amplify these frequencies by default, so a specialized program may be required in order to properly boost low frequency sounds.
To address these challenges, medical professionals with hearing loss have several options to help them address this common problem.
Amplified stethoscopes
Medical professionals with mild hearing loss who do not wear hearing aids or those who choose to remove their hearing aids during stethoscope use may opt to use an amplified stethoscope. These specialized stethoscopes amplify sound as much as 30 times the normal sound quality and, depending on the model, can be used with or without hearing aids.
Who are they designed for?
Most amplified stethoscopes are designed for people who need extra amplification but do not wear hearing aids. Those who do wear hearing aids often find these types of stethoscopes do not provide enough boost when used alone and are not tuned specifically for their hearing loss.
Stethoscopes for hearing aid wearers
Medical professionals who prefer not to remove their hearing devices can reconfigure standard and amplified stethoscopes to work with their hearing aids based on the type of hearing aid they wear.
At least two amplified stethoscopes, ThinkLabs ONE and Cardionics E-Scope II, can be adapted for hearing aid users when connected to over-the-ear headphones. Also:
Behind-the-ear hearing aids that are compatible with direct audio input (DAI) can be equipped with DAI boots that connect to certain models.
BTE hearing aid earmolds can be modified with an additional vent to accommodate the stethoscope’s earpiece. Known as the “Applebaum method” it is best for those who have fairly good hearing in the lower frequencies.
In-the-ear (ITC) and completely-in-the-ear (CIC) hearing aid users can replace the tips of their regular stethoscopes with adapters called stethomate tips. These adapters also work with some amplified stethoscopes.
Medical professionals with cochlear implants should review the latest advice from the Associaton of Medical Professionals with Hearing Loss.
An audiologist can help you find a stethoscope solution
Since sound amplification and noise reduction are the two most important aspects of hearing well with a stethoscope, it’s important for you to choose a solution based on your needs and preferences.
Work with your audiologist to determine which stethoscope option is the best for your hearing devices and degree of hearing loss.
Ask your hearing provider to program your device with a setting to better hear low-frequency sounds. Some premium hearing aid models include hearing aid apps that let you customize various hearing aid settings, such as listening via a stethoscope.
Become acquainted with organizations such as the Association of Medical Professionals With Hearing Loss (AMPHL), which provide medical professionals with hearing loss with assistive tools to support their practice.
AU Bankaitis’s Audiology Blog also regularly writes about amplified stethoscopes and similar topics, although it’s usually geared at audiologists working with medical professionals who have hearing loss.
Get the help you need
The best news for patients and medical professionals is that there are solutions for connecting stethoscopes to hearing devices. Thanks to today’s hearing aids, cochlear implant and stethoscope technology, it’s simply a matter of finding the best combination of tools to address both the hearing loss and amplification needs.
As a medical professional, see a hearing professional if you experience even minor hearing loss. And if you’re a patient, you can have confidence that a medical professional with hearing loss delivers the quality of service you demand.
To find a hearing care provider near you, go to our directory of consumer-reviewed hearing clinics.