The Weber test is a quick screening test for hearing. It can detect unilateral (one-sided) conductive hearing loss (middle ear hearing loss) and unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (inner ear hearing loss). The test is named after Ernst Heinrich Weber (1795–1878). Conductive hearing ability is mediated by the middle ear composed of the incus, malleus, stapes, and eustachian tube. Sensorineural hearing ability is mediated by the inner ear composed of the cochlea with its internal basilar membrane and attached cochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII). The outer ear consisting of the pinna, ear canal, and ear drum or tympanic membrane transmits sounds to the middle ear but does not contribute to the conduction or sensorineural hearing ability save for hearing transmission limited by cerumen impaction (wax collection in the ear canal).
The Weber test has had its value as a screening test questioned in the literature.
Read more about Weber Test: Weber Test Performance, Detection of Conductive Hearing Loss, Detection of Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Considerations and Limitations
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