What type of hearing test involves placing a tuning fork on the mastoid process for sound evaluation?

The Rinne test is a specific assessment for auditory function that evaluates the conduction and perception of sound using a tuning fork. During this test, the tuning fork is initially placed against the mastoid process, which is the bony prominence behind the ear. This setup allows for the evaluation of bone conduction, which measures how sound travels through the bones of the skull. After the sound is no longer heard through the mastoid, the tuning fork is then moved close to the ear canal to assess air conduction.

The Rinne test helps differentiate between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. If a person hears the sound better through air conduction than bone conduction, which is typically expected in normal hearing or sensorineural loss, it indicates a functioning cochlea and auditory nerve. However, if one hears the sound better through bone conduction, it suggests some degree of conductive hearing loss, as sound is delivered more effectively through bone in such cases.

Other tests mentioned, such as the Weber and Schwabach tests, serve different purposes or utilize variations in methodology that do not involve placement on the mastoid process in the same way the Rinne test does. The auditory brainstem response test is a more complex, objective assessment of hearing that evaluates brainwave activity in response to