Sound (medical instrument)

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.

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.

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.


 * Hegar dilators have two rounded ends, are fairly short, and are mildly curved in shape.
 * Sims sounds have a flat end and a rounded end.