What is the name of the test involving a tuning fork to assess hearing?

The test involving a tuning fork to assess hearing is specifically known as Rinne's Test. This test evaluates both air conduction and bone conduction of sound. During the Rinne's Test, a tuning fork is struck and placed on the mastoid bone behind the ear (this is measuring bone conduction). The clinician then moves the tuning fork to in front of the ear canal (this is measuring air conduction) once the patient can no longer hear the sound from the mastoid. The results are analyzed based on how long the patient hears the sound through air conduction compared to bone conduction.

Rinne's Test is particularly valuable in identifying conductive hearing loss as opposed to sensorineural hearing loss. A normal result shows that air conduction is better than bone conduction. If the bone conduction is greater than or equal to air conduction, this suggests some level of conductive hearing loss.

The other tests mentioned, such as Weber's Test, also use tuning forks but are used in different contexts. Weber's Test assesses lateralization of sound to evaluate hearing loss in one ear versus another. The Galvanic Test is unrelated and typically involves a different methodology for assessing vestibular or balance function, while the Otoacoustic Emissions Test measures the response of the inner ear (