The chest sound recordings you create using Stethophone are encrypted and stored in the cloud to keep your personal information secure. You won’t be able to download them from the app, but you can send the copy of them to your doctor anytime you want, and they will be able to review them using their own Stethophone account. No one will be able to access the recordings in Stethophone without your personal agreement.

Declicker is a unique feature invented for Stethophone to make listening and recording chest sounds more comfortable. When Declicker is enabled, it removes unwanted sounds of friction between the smartphone and the body, ensuring comfortable listening without extra loud sounds that phone movement might cause. Historically, friction sounds have presented an issue for all stethoscopes, and now Stethophone is the only stethoscope that has offered a solution. However, Declicker may also inadvertently remove sounds produced by mechanical heart valves, which operate on different frequencies than biological sounds. Therefore, we recommend disabling Declicker for users with valve prostheses to ensure accurate recordings. People with mechanical valves can still use Stethophone but should disable the Declicker function in the settings. If you disable Declicker, please make sure to move the phone along your skin carefully to avoid loud noises that might occur, just like how you would operate a regular stethoscope without the Declicker function.

Yes, you can auscultate the lungs as effectively as the heart. Stethophone, equipped with advanced sound filters like Starling, Bell, and Diaphragm, allows for precise auscultation of all chest sounds. The Diaphragm filter is the most suitable for lung auscultation, tailored to capture high-frequency sounds associated with lung function, and we recommend using it for this purpose.

Using earphones allows you to listen to the sound to find a better spot for recording or listening to chest sounds, just like when you use a regular stethoscope. When you hear your heartbeat, this is a good spot. Without listening to the heartbeat, it would be harder to ensure you picked the good spot. Recording with Stethophone will only work if you use Bluetooth or wireless earphones because you need to press the bottom of the phone to your chest; hence it should not have cords. However, you can use both wired and wireless earphones to listen to recordings in Stethophone.

The Apex spot is located right under the left breast. And that is why sometimes, when you want to record chest sounds from the Apex body spot, your breast touches the phone screen inadvertently. When that happens, the phone detects the touch and locks the buttons. That is why lifting your breast gently when recording from the Apex spot is important. Lifting your breast also helps you press the phone to your skin snugly and hold it perpendicular to your body. Hold your phone with one hand and lift your breast with the other to avoid extra strain. This way, you can ensure the buttons stay accessible and unlocked.

It's important to remember that Stethophone is not a standalone diagnostic tool. It is designed to support the diagnostic process, not replace professional medical judgment. Its role is to complement clinical assessments and assist healthcare professionals in making informed decisions about patient care.