Common Tools for a Doctor

Today's doctors specialize in nearly every field of medicine imaginable--each with its own specialized tools. Before the patient gets to a specialist, however, he is usually examined by a primary care physician. This examination gathers the baseline health data vital to any diagnosis and includes the doctor's use of a few common medical tools.

Stethoscope

• Stethoscopes allow doctors to listen to important internal functions.

  The stethoscope allows your doctor to listen to several internal functions. First, he can listen to your heartbeat to determine regularity. Next, he may ask you to take several deep breaths as he places the stethoscope on your back to listen to your lung sounds. He will listen to the upper and lower quadrants on both sides of the body to determine whether the respiratory tract is clear of obstructions. The stethoscope can also be used to listen to bowel sounds in the four quadrants of the stomach.

Sphygmomanometer

• Blood pressure is an important factor in cardiovascular and overall health.

  The sphygmomanometer is more commonly known as the blood pressure cuff, and it measures your blood pressure. Your blood pressure reading is made up of two numbers: 1) systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure as the heart beats, and 2) diastolic blood pressure, which occurs as the heart rests. Blood pressure is an important indicator of your cardiovascular and overall health and it is checked on all routine office visits.

Otoscope

• The otoscope magnifies the inside of the ears and nose.

  The otoscope, or auriscope, is a lighted magnifying instrument that allows the doctor to see your middle and inner ear. It may be used to identify infections of the middle and inner ear, tearing of the eardrum often caused by infection, and excessive wax build-up. The otoscope can also be used to examine the inside of the nose, avoiding the need for a separate nasal speculum.

Reflex Hammer

• The reflex hammer tests deep tendon reflexes.

  A reflex hammer is used to check deep tendon reflexes to determine if the pathway between the sensory nerves in the spinal cord and the motor nerves that travel to muscle tissue is working properly. This is usually accomplished through the doctor using the hammer to lightly tap the knee, elbow and ankle to elicit a reflex response. The doctor may also use his hands for this procedure.

Scale

• Weight is an important factor in health-related decisions.

  The doctor will most likely not weigh you himself. However, knowledge of your weight is an important decision-making tool for him; for example, the doctor takes it into account when determining the proper dosages of medications he prescribes.

Hands

• A doctor uses his hands to feel for abnormalities.

  While not an actual tool, a doctor's own hands are two of his most important resources. With his hands the doctor can feel for bodily irregularities, such as swollen lymph nodes or lumps. He can also use his hands to perform chest percussion, check pulse rate, gauge fever and perform reflex checks.