It is also held next to, but not touching, the ear, to cause vibrations in KEY TERMSĪsymmetrical -Unbalanced, disproportionate, or unequal.

In the Rinne test, the vibrating tuning fork is held against the skull, usually on the bone behind the ear (mastoid process) to cause vibrations through the bones of the skull and inner ear. Two types of hearing tests using tuning forks are typically conducted. No special patient precautions are necessary when tuning forks are used to conduct hearing tests. The Weber tuning fork test helps determine a patient's hearing ability by bone conduction only, and is useful when hearing loss is asymmetrical. The Rinne tuning fork test helps evaluate a patient's hearing ability by air conduction compared to that of bone conduction. PurposeĪ vibrating tuning fork held next to the ear or placed against the skull will stimulate the inner ear to vibrate, and can help determine if there is hearing loss. The vibrations produced can be used to assess a person's ability to hear different sound frequencies. Tuning forks, made of steel, aluminum, or magnesium alloy, will vibrate at a set frequency to produce a musical tone when struck. A tuning fork is a metal instrument with a handle and two prongs, or tines.

Both the Rinne and the Weber tests employ the use of metal tuning forks to provide a rough assessment of a patient's hearing level at various frequencies.