Auscultation

Introduction

Easy Auscultation offers auscultation training, drills and quizzes. Our lessons feature an interactive, multimedia approach combining text, audio recordings, waveforms and anatomical animations. In addition, a heart & lung sounds guide provides a quick way to listen to specific sounds.

Definition

Auscultation is the process of listening to body sounds, usually with a stethoscope. Physicians and nurses commonly auscultate the heart and lungs. Abdominal sounds, fetal sounds and carotid bruit can also be auscultated.

Listen

Auscultation can reveal heart murmurs which may be associated with heart valve abnormalities. Heart sounds can indicate congenital heart problems, myocarditis or pericardial friction rub. Listed below are our short courses on heart sounds. Each course can be taken in 15-20 minutes.

Auscultation Example: Wheeze

Waveform

Respiratory Sounds Reference Guide

Our auscultation reference guide provides quick access to this sound as well as many other adventitious sounds. Each sound is described also with an audio recording and waveform.

Quick Links to Other Breath Sounds

While we have many breath sound lessons and quick references on this website. Please use the links below.

Related Lessons

Basics of Lung Sounds The goal of this basic course in lung sounds is to improve auscultation observational skills. We focus on describing important breath sounds and in providing recordings of each. Many students find that waveform tracings aid in learning lung sounds; we have included dynamic (moving cursor) waveforms with each lesson. The anatomy pages use illustrations to reveal an example of each lung sound (anatomy not yet available on smartphones).

Lesson List

Intermediate Lung Sounds The goal of this intermediate course is to expand your observational skills when auscultating breath sounds. The course lessons include voiced sounds: bronchophony, egophony and whispered pectoriloquy. We also provide auscultation lessons on several types of wheezes, crackles and stridor. Each of these lung sound lessons includes audio, text and dynamic waveform. The anatomy pages use illustrations to reveal an example of each lung sound (anatomy not yet available on smartphones).

Lesson List