HUMAN EAR

1
HUMAN EAR SIMPLE TESTS OF HEARING
2
Anatomy
3
Types of Hearing Loss

• Conductive - Outer or Middle ear Lesion
• Sensorineural - Inner or Pathway Lesion
• Mixed - Simultaneous Conductive Sensorineural
  Loss

4
Pathways for Sound
5
Tuning Fork Tests

• Purpose
• Types of Tests
• Schwabach
• Weber
• Rinne
• Bing

6
Tuning Fork Tests
7
Schwabach

• Procedure
• Assumption is that examiner has normal hearing
• 1. Examiner places TF on patients mastoid
• 2. Patient lets examiner know when they no
  longer hear tone.
• 3. Examiner places TF on their own mastoid

8
Schwabach

• Interpertation
• If examiner hears longer you have a diminished
  schwabach which is consistent with a
  sensorineural loss.
• If patient hears tone longer you have a prolonged
  schwabach consistent with a conductive loss.

9
Weber

• Procedure
• TF is placed on midline (forehead or vertex) of
  head.
• Patient is to indicate where they hear the TF the
  loudest.
• Interpretation
• If in the good ear sensorineural
• If in the poor ear conductive

10
Rinne

• Procedure
• TF is alternately placed on mastoid and about 1
  to 2 inches from pinna.
• Interpretation
• If heard better on mastoid negative rinne
  conductive loss.
• If heard better through air positive rinne
  sensorineural loss.

11
Bing

• Procedures
• TF is placed on mastoid.
• Finger is used to alternately open and close the
  ear canal
• Interpretation
• If placing finger in ear canal makes sound louder
  positive bing sensorineural loss.
• If patient doesnt notice a difference negative
  bing conductive loss

12
Summary of Tuning Fork Tests
Test Conductive Sensorineural
Schwabach Prolonged Diminished
Rinne -
Bing -
Weber Lateralize to BAD ear Lateralize to GOOD ear
13
Summary