Ever been curious about the true sound of your own heart? Forget the dramatic movie thumps – the real thing is much more subtle and fascinating! This tool makes cardiovascular assessment more accessible to both healthcare practitioners and individuals seeking to better understand their cardiac health, creating a unique opportunity to connect with your own rhythm.
We’ve put together a simple visual guide on how to get the clearest heart sound recording possible using just your iPhone and Stethophone. While this application provides valuable data and insights for personal exploration, it’s important to note that it does not offer independent diagnoses, and users should always consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding any medical concerns or conditions that may arise during their monitoring activities.
What you’ll need:
– iPhone: Any relatively recent model (iPhone XS through iPhone 16e) with a working microphone.
– Wireless headphones or earphones.
– Stethophone
Here’s how to do it the right way for the clearest sound:
Step 1: Download Stethophone
Go to the App Store, search for “Stethophone,” and install the application.
Step 2: Create a Silent Environment
This is crucial for clarity! Find a quiet room and turn off TVs, radios, fans, and ask others to be silent. While the software’s advanced filters can capture heart sounds even in noisy environments, loud background noise may still create gaps marked as “insufficient quality” on your stethogram. For the most accurate and complete recording, a quiet environment will give you the best results.
Step 3: Remove the phone case
Phone cases may hinder the quality of your recorded sound that is important for its further assessment by the doctor. This is why you should remove any obstacles, including phone cases, clothes, jewelry.
Step 4: Pinpoint the Optimal Phone Placement
Your iPhone’s main microphone is usually at the very bottom edge, near the charging port.
Placement is key: Firmly place the bottom edge of your iPhone perpendicular to your chest, with the microphone directly against your skin.
Best Spot: For optimal sound quality, position the device between your ribs rather than directly over bone. The most common spot for clear heart sounds is over the left side of your chest, typically around the 4th or 5th intercostal space (between the ribs), slightly to the left of your sternum (breastbone). You need to gently adjust it to find the loudest “lub-dub” possible.
Step 5: Hold the smartphone by the top
Press the bottom of your smartphone against bare skin. Avoid clothing and remove any jewelry from your chest or neck area. Keep your fingers away from the microphone and hold the phone perpendicular to your chest. Press without gaps: it should fit snugly against the body.
Step 6: Record & Review
Once positioned, press the “Record” button in the application.
Record for 20 seconds, don’t hold your breath, breathe normally throughout the entire 20-second recording. Stethophone is designed to capture clear cardiac audio during normal breathing.
Avoid moving the smartphone during recording. Avoid talking or laughing. Simply keep pressing the device against your bare chest and let it record for the full duration until you feel the vibration signal indicating the recording is complete.
The application will display a visual waveform (a spectrogram or an oscillogram) and allow you to play back the audio.
We are confident you will be able to make a good recording on your first attempt. Should you have any questions, please visit our Support portal for more detailed information, a video tutorial, and a recommendation on how to breathe correctly during recording.