Warm Stethoscopes

I hear about cold stethoscopes all the time but I've never felt one. Every time a doctor has placed it on my chest, it's always been warm, or at least room temperature.

Any particular experiences with warm steths from the get go?

Unfortunately most all the new stethoscopes have a non chill rim. I still have a few that are cold though.

Last time I had a stethoscope used on me by a doctor was about 3 months ago and unfortunately that was one of these new non-chill stethoscopes so unlike the old ones that are freezing this was at room temperature. I did get a thorough stething though but I don't like the new steths as I used to love the coldness of the stethoscope when they first put it on my chest.

NYmedical is right. Usually the only steths without non chill rims are old school spragues and/or the lightweight el cheapo nurses models. I personally use a Littman cardiology 3 and I will gladly give up shocking my patients with "the chill" for the superb sound quality I get with that steth! I suppose I could immerse the head in ice for the right person though lol!

I love cold stethoscopes...

I do prefer cold steths definitely!

You are true, stethoscopes nowadays have non-chill ring, but older models have the old metal rings that are so pleasant.

I event put them on a metal box filled with ice cubdes before examining some of my patients.. or being examined myself

It has to be cold, all part of the experience for me.

How would you go about warming a stethescope?

Hold it against my palm.

Susannah,

I do agree with you.

The best way I found so far, is to use several stethoscopes and let them rest regularly on a metal can with ice cubes in there. Bullet-proofed chill result

I use ice buckets or place the steth in the freezer for a few minutes!! A cold steth is the best thing to use!

Ive never used a stethoscope but ive always wanted to and wanted to use it cold cold

Cold is the best

Never felt a warm steth is there any such item?

Yes there is sadly! If you've still only had cold steths then you're lucky - the feel of cold metal on your bare skin is much nicer!

Definitely a warm stethescope on my tummy and navel.

Cold stethoscopes always give me the goosebumps and a quick body shiver.

So that's only me and barefootguy in favor of warm/room temperature stethoscopes?

Maybe I'll have to try the cold stethoscope one day but I feel I probably won't. It's like when you order the same dessert every time you go to that one restaurant so you're not dissapointed and because you enjoy it so damn much.

All right let's refresh the question. What is it about the cold stethoscope that you find so exiting? Would it be as exiting if someone placed something else that's cold on your skin, completely unrelated to an exam? Is it just the cold, or the context behind the cold? Or maybe it's the initial shock and THEN things get warmed up as the heat from your skin gradually transfers to the metal?

I'm fairly sure cold items applied to sensitive areas of the body can be arousing not just in a medical scenario. I know those who enjoy ice being applied to their nipples for example, male and female. The desire for the cold stethoscope therefore provides first the symbolism of examination which many find arousing and also a cold shock to sensitive body parts effectively providing twice the pleasure. There are also those who enjoy having a cold speculum used during a play exam. Not everyone would agree but I think in the main this is the reason for those who like it cold!

They actually sell non-chill rings you can attach to Littmanns and other stethoscopes that don't come with them. I've never really noticed a difference if its cold or not... I guess it doesn't matter to me.

I would say the same, doesn't matter if cold or warm, just being stethed is exciting enough for me

I've had both many times but they mainly seem to be cold, which is what I prefer so I can't complain. Most of the new steths

Now a days the majority of steths have non chill rings so they are warm or at least warmer than they used to be

I've never had an experience where the steth starts out warm immediately. However, I do enjoy when the steth starts out cold and ends up warm at the end of a nice long exam. I still prefer cold though.

Most examinees don't really seem to mind what temperature the steth is - they just enjoy the experience of being stethed. A few have mentioned a preference for a cold stethoscope. I have never had a request to use a warm or room temperature one

Stethoscopes are warm nowadays, but I can remember when I was a child, my pediatrician's steth was always ice cold, sometimes i could hardly took deep breaths because the coldness on my back, good old days...

When I was a kid that was the only type of stethoscope...cold! I remember sitting there at the Doctor's waiting for the stethoscope to touch my bare chest.......as soon as that cold diaphragm made contact with my skin I'm sure that my Heart was pounding so hard that the Doctor could have heard it just being in the same room. This was before I knew what it all meant, I just knew it did something for/to me and my Heart wanted attention!

I really dislike the non-chill rings. The coldness has always been half of the whole pleasure to me.

I still remember the cold stethoscope of the doctor in some occasions in my childhood. It was very cold...

I don't remember a cold steth being used on me since I was young. They've always been warm, but I prefer cold - be it play exam or real.

When I was a kid it was the only thing I would be thinking about on the way to the Doctor. My shirt off and that cold Stethoscope .... It must have been easy to examine my Heart back then since it would be nearly leaping out of my chest at just the sight of a Stethoscope!