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Breathing during Stethoscope examination

Brimay profile image
21 Replies

Hi All,

I just wanted to ask the community something that I have found very strange today when having a stethoscope examination.

Never before have I been told to breathe normally, it has always been deep breathing in and out.

Can anyone tell me if they have been asked to merely breathe normally on examination? I cannot find a single reference to this matter and never heard of it before hence, calling out for your opinions. It was a nurse.

Regards

Brian

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Brimay profile image
Brimay
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21 Replies
tomc profile image
tomc

It`s always good to breath, It`s when you stop breathing you have a real problem, so my friend, you are doing just fine 👍

Caspiana profile image
Caspiana in reply totomc

👍🙂

FormerT profile image
FormerT

Sounds like the same nurse who checked my lungs with a stethoscope during an exacerbation some time ago and didn't ask me to breathed deeply. I've been wondering why ever since! By the way (and please forgive my ignorance everyone) what are those "Sats" frequently mentioned on this forum? The word is doubtless an acronym but for what please? I can find nothing relevant on line. Best wishes to all.

Brimay profile image
Brimay in reply toFormerT

Hi FormerT, I imagine Sats would be Oxygen Saturation, 02 sats - on your oxometer. Just what I call them and so many others, oxygen sats -= oxygen saturation. Best Wishes

FormerT profile image
FormerT in reply toBrimay

Many thanks Brimay.

gingermusic profile image
gingermusic in reply toFormerT

Sats is when they take your temperature, blood pressure and oxygen level and I believe stands for saturation. Hope that helps

FormerT profile image
FormerT in reply togingermusic

Thank you Gingermusic

Yes, wheny consultant is examining me she always says to breathe normally

Brimay profile image
Brimay in reply to

Glad to hear, its a first for me, usually breath in and out deep. Was merely curious as there is n reference online at all - all refer to deep breathing in and out. Regards

Brian

in reply toBrimay

I think it depends on which aspect of your breathing that they are listening to at the time.

I’m usually asked to breathe normally. You should definitely breathe OUT normally every time, because forced expiration causes wheeze even in someone with healthy lungs. And as Hidden says, it presumably depends on which abnormal sounds they’re listening for.

According to a young friend in her final year of medical school, auscultation of the chest, as they call it, is a very complex art!

peege profile image
peege in reply to

I still recall hearing all the sounds they can hear through a stethoscope on BBC radio 4's Here's Health years ago. A real learning curve 😘

in reply topeege

I’d like to hear something like that, with a commentary about what the various sounds mean. Google beckons 😊

Brimay profile image
Brimay in reply topeege

Just go onto youtube and search stethoscope sounds, you will find vids like this, amazing stuff - youtu.be/TlgP8MzlMaw

SORRELHIPPO profile image
SORRELHIPPO

I have always been asked to breath normally first, then, when they seem used to that, they ask for the deep breathing, and seem surprised when I cough, on the deep bit.

jackdup profile image
jackdup

I have had deep breathing during an examination, but have also had normal breathing. I can’t tell you what they learn from each type of breathing or what they are looking for in each type of breathing.

Tree20862 profile image
Tree20862

Lung sounds are usually best assessed with the deeper breaths. Heart sounds are easier to hear with regular breathing.

Badbessie profile image
Badbessie

I always asked the person on examination to breath normally. It gave a baseline for the rest of the examination. Obviously if your can hear a faint wheeze or chackles at that point you know there is a problem. If you cannot hear anything then deep breathing can reveal less obvious problems. Deep breathing is not your normal state so why do especially if deep breathing in is painful?

Suzie42 profile image
Suzie42

In recent years always told to breath normally

johnderby profile image
johnderby

Hi Brimay Usually my respiratory consultant tells me just to breathe normally John

siouxbecket profile image
siouxbecket

I haven't had a GP, nurse or consultant use a stethoscope to check my chest for many, many years - I thought this was considered old fashioned nowadays. Lucky to be able to see anyone all done on telephone now. I did comment once & was totally ignored. In fact the only place I see a stethoscope is on TV. I have emphysema & bronchiectasis.

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