Can a stethoscope detect lung problems?

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asked Jul 29, 2023 in Other- Health by Selenassi (1,320 points)
Can a stethoscope detect lung problems?

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answered Nov 14, 2023 by Danielcastillo (3,100 points)
A stethoscope can help detect lung problems by allowing the doctor to listen to breathing sounds, abnormal breath sounds and decreased or absent breath sounds.

Having absent or decreased breath sounds can mean and indicate that the person has fluid or air in or around their lungs and may have heart failure, pleural effusion or pneumonia.

A stethoscope is used for listening to sounds within the body such as the heart, lungs, intestinal tract, chest, and also for checking blood pressure along with a blood pressure monitor.

There are two sides to a stethoscope to listen to different pitches of sounds.

The side of stethoscope you use depends on what you're using the stethoscope to detect.

For example if you're listening to higher pitched sounds such as breathing and normal heart sounds then you use the diaphragm side of the stethoscope.

If you're listening for lower pitched sounds such as bowel sounds and heart murmurs then you use the bell side which is good for detecting lower pitch sounds.

The difference between the bell and the diaphragm of a stethoscope is in the shape of the ends and the sound frequencies they are used to listen too.

The bell of the stethoscope is used to listen to low frequency sounds while the diaphragm of the stethoscope is used to listen to higher frequency sounds.

The diaphragm part of the stethoscope is the circular end of the chest piece of the stethoscope and is used for listening to higher frequency sounds.

On two-sided chest pieces of the stethoscope, the diaphragm is the larger of the two ends. Its larger size allows the user to listen to a bigger area of the patient's body.

The diaphragm is designed to pick up sounds with higher frequencies compared to the bell.

Using the bell part of the stethoscope is better for taking blood pressure with.

The bell side of the stethoscope is better for blood pressure.

The bell of the stethoscope is suggested because it is used for low-pitched sounds like blood pressure.

To check if your heart is healthy you can use a stethoscope and also have your heart rate checked.

Your heart rate should normally range between 60 to 100 beats per minute, although many doctors prefer their patients to be in the 50 to 70-beat range.

If you train regularly, your per-minute heart rate may be as low as 40, which typically indicates excellent physical condition.

A heartbeat should sound like a lub and a dup sound.

A normal heartbeat has two sounds, a lub (sometimes called S1) and a dub (S2).

These sounds are caused by the closing of valves inside your heart.

If there are problems in your heart, there may be additional or abnormal sounds.

Normally, two distinct sounds are heard through the stethoscope: a low, slightly prolonged “lub” (first sound) occurring at the beginning of ventricular contraction, or systole, and produced by closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves, and a sharper, higher-pitched “dup” (second sound).

When listening for heart sounds you use the bell of the stethoscope.

The bell of the stethoscope is used for listening to low frequency sounds while the diaphragm of the stethoscope is used for listening to higher frequency sounds.

The bell is best for detecting lower pitch sounds, like some heart murmurs, and some bowel sounds.

It is used for the detection of bruits, and for heart sounds (for a cardiac exam, you should listen with the diaphragm, and repeat with the bell).

The reason a stethoscope has two different sides for listening is one side of the stethoscope is used to listen to low frequency sounds and the other side of the stethoscope is used to listen to high frequency sounds.

The bell end of the stethoscope is the end of the stethoscope that is used to listen to low frequency sounds.

The other side of the stethoscope which is the diaphragm is used to listen higher frequency sounds.

Most times doctors use the larger part of the stethoscope to listen to your stomach and heart and the smaller side of the stethoscope to listen to your wrist and pulse when taking your blood pressure.

So one side of the stethoscope lets you listen to higher frequency sounds such as the heart and the other side lets you listen to lower frequency sounds such as your pulse.
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answered Oct 4, 2024 by Tarabaesing (3,770 points)
Lung disease is considered to be end stage lung disease when the lung disease is severe and advanced and characterized by irreversible damage to your lungs which significantly impairs the lungs function and ability to provide proper and adequate oxygen supply to the body.

The warning signs of lung disease are feeling more tired than usual, fast, shallow breathing, difficulty sleeping, shortness of breath when active, weight loss, mucus production, producing more sputum than usual, difficulty taking a deep breath, hemoptysis, chronic chest pain, fatigue, chest pain, wheezing, chronic coughing, shortness of breath and frequent respiratory infections.

The lung disease that is not curable is pulmonary fibrosis and popcorn lung.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a rare lung disease which causes irreversible scarring of your lungs and also causes shortness of breath and persistent cough which progressively gets worse over time.

The way they test for popcorn lung is through lung function tests and imaging tests such as chest X Ray and or a CT scan also known as a computed tomography scan.

Popcorn lung which is also known as bronchiolitis obliterans does get worse over time and without treatment it can be and is eventually fatal.

Popcorn lung usually takes between 2 weeks to 2 months to form and show up after you've been exposed to whatever has caused the popcorn lung such as an illness or toxic gas or chemical.

The main symptoms of popcorn lung are shortness of breath and a dry cough.

If popcorn lung goes untreated it can eventually lead to death as it gets worse.

Popcorn lung is a serious disease and lung disease that requires lifelong treatment to extend your life.

The reason it is called popcorn lung is because popcorn lung was first discovered in workers that made microwave popcorn in microwave popcorn plants that had inhaled the flavoring chemical of diacetyl.

The symptoms of popcorn lung are wheezing and shortness of breath and coughing.

Popcorn lung is a serious lung disease that is fatal and not curable and has symptoms similar to COPD.

Popcorn lung is not curable although it can be treated to slow the progression of popcorn lung and ease the symptoms.

Common treatments for popcorn lung include corticosteroids like prednisone which reduces inflammation and using inhalers such as albuterol which helps to open up the bronchial tubes.

Popcorn lung is a lung disease also called bronchiolitis obliterans.

Popcorn lung is an uncommon type of lung disease that is also known as bronchiolitis obliterans that is caused by the buildup of scar tissue in your lungs which then blocks air flow.

Popcorn lung disease also known as bronchiolitis obliterans is not cancer.

The symptoms of popcorn lung or bronchiolitis obliterans include.

Coughing, especially during and after exercise. Coughs may sometimes bring up mucus.
Shortness of breath (dyspnea), especially during and after exercise.
Wheezing.
Tiredness.
Fever.
Night sweats.
Skin rash.

While the name "popcorn lung" may not sound like a threat, it's a serious lung disease that causes coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, similar to the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Popcorn lung usually needs to be diagnosed using an X-ray, CT scan, or surgical lung biopsy, as the condition is often misdiagnosed as asthma, emphysema, or bronchitis.

Your doctor may also want to conduct a pulmonary function test.

Bronchiolitis obliterans is a rare chronic disease that worsens over time.

This disease was first discovered in workers at a microwave popcorn plant who had inhaled the flavoring chemical diacetyl.

Thus, the bronchiolitis obliterans became known as 'popcorn lung'.

Someone with bronchiolitis obliterans has a six-year life expectancy on average.

Some treatments for bronchiolitis obliterans can slow progression and lessen the severity of the symptoms.

Early diagnosis is crucial because treatment will have a greater chance of preventing the disease from getting worse.

Popcorn lung, or bronchiolitis obliterans, is a disease that affects the bronchioles, the small airways in the lungs.

The disease can be treated but not cured.

Bronchiolitis obliterans is most commonly caused by breathing in toxicants over time, the most common being diacetyl.

Some other toxicants linked to causing bronchiolitis obliterans are: Acetaldehyde, found in cannabis and e-cigarette smoke.

Common drugs that cause popcorn lun gor bronchiolitis obliterans include.

Amiodarone.
Bleomycin.
Carbamazepine.
Cyclophosphamide.
Minocycline.
Nitrofurantoin.
Penicillamine.
Phenytoin.

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