4.16: Activity 15

Integrated Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab Manual II: Neural and Cardiopulmonary Systems · LibreTexts

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    From LibreTexts, under CC BY 4.0, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

    Weber and Rinne Test for hearing

    The Weber and Rinne tests help distinguish between a Conductive Hearing Loss (CHL) and Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SHL). In conduction deafness, transmission of sound waves through the middle ear is impaired. In nerve deafness, transmission of nerve impulses from the cochlea to the auditory cortex is impaired. Performing just one of the tests will not allow diagnose a hearing problem: it is necessary to do them both and then comparing the results.

    Weber test

    • Purpose: To quickly screen for hearing loss and to help determine whether the hearing loss is due to a problem in the outer/middle ear (conductive hearing loss) or the inner ear (sensorineural hearing loss).
    • How it works: A vibrating tuning fork is placed on the center of the forehead or the top of the head.
    • Interpretation of results:
      • Normal hearing: The sound is heard equally in both ears.
      • Conductive hearing loss: The sound localizes to the affected ear. This is because the affected ear perceives the sound as louder due to the lack of ambient noise interference (the impairment is in the outer or middle ear).
      • Sensorineural hearing loss: The sound localizes to the unaffected ear. The affected ear is less sensitive to sound vibrations, hence perceives it as quieter (the inner ear is not converting sound as well)

    Rinne Test 

    • Purpose: To compare a person's ability to hear sound transmitted via air conduction versus bone conduction in a single ear.
    • How it works: A vibrating tuning fork is first placed on the mastoid bone behind the ear (bone conduction), then moved to the front of the ear canal (air conduction).
    • Interpretation of results:
      • Normal hearing (Rinne positive): Air conduction is louder and lasts longer than bone conduction—this is expected in healthy ears.
      • Conductive hearing loss (Rinne negative): Bone conduction is heard longer or louder than air conduction, suggesting a problem in the ear’s sound-conducting pathway.
      • Sensorineural hearing loss: Air conduction is still better than bone conduction, but both may be reduced; the Weber test helps clarify this.

    Materials Needed

    The test is best performed in a quiet environment to avoid masking the subtle sounds.

    • Tuning fork (512 Hz is commonly used)
    • Stopwatch or timer
    1. Weber Test (Conductive Hearing Loss): This test should be performed in a room with a normal noise level (not quiet).
      1. Strike the tuning fork (512 Hz is commonly used) against the rubber heel.
      2. Place the base of the vibrating tuning fork at the center of the participant’s forehead or on the top of their head.
      3. Then ask the patient: “Do you hear the sound louder in one ear than the other?”
        • If so, in which ear is it louder?
        • If the patient is unclear, you may ask if they hear it “everywhere.”
      4. Interpret Results:
        • If the sound is heard equally in both ears, this indicates normal hearing or symmetrical sensorineural hearing.
        • If the sound is louder in one ear, this can indicate conductive hearing loss in the ear where the sound is louder (sound is transmitted through bone better in that ear).
      5. Record results.
    2. Rinne Test (Sensorineural Hearing Loss):
      1. Strike a tuning fork (typically 512 Hz) against the rubber heel, and place it on the mastoid process (behind the ear).
      2. Ask the patient to indicate when they can no longer hear the sound.
      3. Immediately move the vibrating tuning fork near the patient's ear canal (2.5 cm away).
      4. Ask the patient to indicate when they can no longer hear the sound.

    Compare the results of the Weber and Rinne tests to determine the type of hearing loss - A normal (positive) Rinne test means the patient can hear the sound longer through air conduction than through bone conduction (AC > BC). A negative Rinne test suggests bone conduction is better than air conduction (BC > AC), which can indicate conductive hearing loss. Compare the results of the Weber and Rinne tests to determine the type of hearing loss.

    Table \(\PageIndex{1}\):Expected Weber and Rinne test results for different types of hearing conditions.
      Normal Result Sensorineural Hearing Loss Conductive Hearing Loss
    Weber Sound is heard equally in both ears
    (midline).    		 Sound lateralizes to the unaffected
    ear.    		 Sound lateralizes to the affected ear.
    Rinne Positive: Air conduction is louder/
    lasts longer than bone conduction.    		 Positive: Air conduction is still better
    than bone conduction.    		 Negative: Bone conduction is louder/
    lasts longer than air conduction.

    Recording Results in a Table - A table is an effective way to organize the information.

    Table \(\PageIndex{2}\): Individual Weber and Rinne test results for each ear and interpretation of hearing condition.
    Test Left Ear Right Ear Interpretation
    Weber      
    Rinne AC > BC (Positive) / BC > AC (Negative) AC > BC (Positive) / BC > AC (Negative)  

    This page titled 4.16: Activity 15 was last modified on Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:47:11 GMT and is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lakshmikanta Sengupta and Susmita Sengupta.