tuning fork test

Indications

• assess hearing at 512 & 1024 Hz
• not sufficient to detect hearing loss due to presbycusis, which is generally > 2000 Hz.

Procedure

• the fork is set to birate by stiking it with the heel of the hand
• the vibrating fork is placed 1 inch from the ear & moved away from the ear at 1 foot/second
• the patient notes when he/she can no longer hear the tone of the vibration
• examiner dependent

More general terms

• clinical procedure

Additional terms

• tuning fork