Assisted Listening Device; Amplified Stethoscope, Littman core

Littman is a well-known, respected brand of stethoscope; your doctor probably uses one even if he doesn’t have a hearing loss.

You may think, I don’t really need one; I wouldn’t know what to do with one. If you or a loved one has cardiovascular disease, being able to hear the heart and transmit what you are hearing could be invaluable. If you have a smartphone, using this amplified stethoscope, along with the EKO software, will allow you to send a recording directly to your provider—securely and in compliance with HIPPA.

I wish my sister had had one.  Years ago, her son would occasionally complain of a “racing heart”.  His pulse was high, but by the time they got to the emergency room, everything was normal.  She was so frustrated.  After several trips, she thought maybe she was imagining a problem where there was not one.  But then they made it to the ER in time.  The EKG showed a heart rate of 210; an arrhythmia called PSVT (paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia).   He was treated and now all is well ( he is a doctor himself now), but a lot of anxiety could have been avoided if this had been available then.

This easy and amplified stethoscope for people with hearing loss has been cleared by the FDA and will allow you to hear higher and lower frequency sounds just by applying more or less pressure on the chest piece.

There are both adult and pediatric diaphragms. You can listen via analog and amplified modes; switch between the modes easily via the toggle. The amplified mode will give you up to 40x amplification over analog. Volume can be adjusted. With that, the noise cancellation, and the sealing, comfortable earpieces, you are more likely to hear all the functional sounds.

The EKO app will let you see the heart sound waveforms, share recordings for information or referrals, and additional platforms can help you identify murmurs, or add live-stream capabilities via videoconference. It is a valuable tool for any healthcare professional.  It would make a wonderful gift for the budding paramedic, nurse, PA or doctor in your family.  It would be even a better gift for a health care provider you may know that has hearing loss.

The stethoscope comes fully assembled. It has a rechargeable battery that gives you 8 hours of listening. Recharge by placing the enclosed micro-USB cable into the USB port on the device. and the other end into a certified USB wall charger. It comes with a 2-year limited warranty.

Written by Karen M.