Whether you are simply curious or have been advised by a doctor, you can use a stethoscope to listen to your own heartbeat and measure your pulse. This article will walk you through how to use a stethoscope on yourself, how to count your heartbeats, and how to turn your measurement into a BPM calculation. Read on for more info!

5

Check to see if you can hear a sound.

  1. The piece that goes on your chest is called the chestpiece. Many stethoscopes have chestpieces with two sides that can be rotated around the tubing to better hear high frequency and low frequency lung sounds, a diaphragm and a bell. When one is in use the other cannot be used. With the earpieces in your ears, GENTLY rub the diaphragm side (the one with the flat plastic piece) of the stethoscope and listen for a sound. If you do not hear a sound, turn the chest piece over (you should hear it click into position) and try again. This should resolve any issues.[2]
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8

Start counting.

  1. Look at the second hand on your watch/clock, and when the second hand hits one of the 5 minute markers start counting the beats through your scope. In a clinical setting they typically count the pulse for 30 SECONDS as this is the minimum that is considered accurate. As mentioned earlier, you do not need to note each time the second hand moves, keeping track of that is too much work! Instead, look at where the second hand WILL end up at the end of 30 seconds.
    • For example, if you start counting at the "2" mark, the hand will have passed 30 seconds at the "8" marker, or if you start at 12, 30 sec. will be at 6. Stop counting beats when the second hand reaches the marker and 30 seconds have elapsed. If you would like to be even more accurate (because the pulse is not always completely regular), you may count beats for 1 minute.[5]
9

Calculate BPM.

  1. If you counted for an entire minute you are all set and have your pulse. However, in most cases you now need to do a little math because pulse values are expressed in beats per minute (BPM). You counted the beats for 30 seconds, but as there are 60 seconds per minute you must multiply that by 2 to get beats per 60 seconds.
    • For example, if you counted your pulse at 36 beats over 30 seconds, your pulse would be 72 because 36beats/30seconds = 72beats/60seconds. If, for some reason, you counted beats for only 15 seconds (as is sometimes done in moving ambulances because taking pulses is a PAIN in there), you would need to multiply by 4 as 15 x 4 = 60 = bpm.[6]
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Warnings

  • Be careful not to bump anything with the chestpiece of the stethoscope while it is in you ears, the sound will carry and this is loud and unpleasant!
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  • If you do happen to hear anything other than the standard "lub-dub" sounds when you are listening to your heart, it may be beneficial to talk to your doctor about them, especially if you are feeling unusually sick. This would include anything you hear between "lub" and "dubs" or anything particularly high-pitched. Listen to recordings of normal heart sounds online to get an idea what your heart should sound like (although note that there is variation).
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About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 114,101 times.
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Co-authors: 15
Updated: June 16, 2022
Views: 114,101
Categories: Pulse Rate

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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