Your Heart and Lungs
A stethoscope makes the sounds from your body louder. The doctor uses it to check your heartbeat. At first the stethoscope may feel cold against your chest but it should warm up in a few seconds. Ask the doctor if you would like and he may let you listen for a minute. The doctor also listens to your lungs and breathing with the stethoscope. He listens for wheezes which sometimes indicate asthma, bronchitis or croup and crackles that sound like Rice Krispies that can occur when you have pneumonia.