HUMAN EAR & SIMPLE TESTS OF HEARING

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 patient’s 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 doesn’t notice a difference = negative bing = conductive loss

12. Summary of Tuning Fork Tests

13. Summary