Weber’s and Schwabach’s Tests
These tuning fork tests are essential diagnostic tools for localizing hearing loss when combined with Rinne’s test.
1. Weber’s Test
Place the vibrating tuning fork on the midline of the forehead or vertex.
- Normal: Sound heard equally in both ears.
- Conductive Loss: Sound lateralizes to the affected (poorer) ear (the ear “hears” the vibration better because ambient background noise is blocked).
- Sensorineural Loss: Sound lateralizes to the unaffected (better) ear.
2. Schwabach’s Test
Compares the patient’s bone conduction (BC) time with the examiner’s (assuming the examiner has normal hearing).
| Result | Clinical Significance |
|---|---|
| Normal | Patient and examiner hear the sound for the same duration. |
| Prolonged | Patient hears it longer (Conductive hearing loss). |
| Shortened | The patient hears it for less time (Sensorineural hearing loss). |
High-Yield Exam Pearl:
Always remember: In conductive loss, the “bad” ear is better at bone conduction because it is isolated from competing airborne noise. In sensorineural loss, the “good” ear receives the stimulus better because its cochlear and neural structures are intact.