Sound (medical instrument)

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In medicine, sounds are instruments for probing and dilating passages within the body, the best-known examples of which are urethral sounds and uterine sounds. Some men and women enjoy using them for urethral play.

1 Urethral sounds
2 Uterine sounds
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Urethral sounds

Urethral sounds are designed to be inserted into the male or female urethra, for the purpose of stretching or unblocking a stricture. There are a number of different types of urethral sounds:

Bakes sounds, also known as rosebud or bullet sounds, have a long thin metal rod with a bulbous bud on the end.
Dittel sounds have a flat end and a rounded end.
Henk sounds have a more pronounced curve at the ends, as well as a metal rib on each end.
Pratt sounds are longer urethral dilators (double ended ones are usually almost a foot long) with rounded and slightly bent ends.
Van Buren sounds have a very pronounced curve at each end, specifically for the purpose of reaching the bladder.

[edit] Uterine sounds

These sounds or dilators are intended for probing a woman's uterus through the cervix, to determine the level of dilation or to induce further dilation.