Physicians may be familiar with the difference between a dual-headed stethoscope and a single-headed stethoscope. When searching for images on different search engines, people cannot see the total discrepancy between one and the other. Don’t worry because this article will have a general breakdown of the difference of the two pieces of equipment and how each works to help the doctor in his work.

Well, physically, a double-headed stethoscope has that back-to-back chest piece, whereas a single-headed one only has one head and has a twitchy but not sharp ‘spine’ on the other side.

Physicians opt for the double head equipment as it is very versatile. The larger side is the diaphragm mode. It is used by the doctor to measure heart sounds that have high frequencies, ideal for listening to heartbeat irregularities. The smallest part is what we call the bell mode, which measures lung sounds that have low frequencies. This is ideal for listening for irregularities in breathing. The doctor turns the heads to listen to a particular bodily sound. Examples of these include the Littman stethoscope, the MDF stethoscope, and the pediatric stethoscope.

The single head counterpart is designed to monitor heart sounds. Cardiology stethoscope is an example of this. Although not as versatile as its dual-head equivalent, the single-head rig has a wider frequency range, not to mention clearer sound.

Depending on the doctor’s field of medical study, you may opt for the Littman stethoscope, the pediatric stethoscope, or even the MDF stethoscope if you have more to look at. Meanwhile, having a cardiology stethoscope is ideal if the doctor wants to focus on a single area.