What does the Weber test assess?

The Weber test primarily assesses lateralization of sound perception, which involves determining if sound is perceived equally in both ears or if it is lateralized to one side. During the test, a tuning fork is struck and placed in the center of the forehead or on the midline of the skull. The individual being tested is asked to indicate in which ear the sound is louder.

In a healthy ear, sound is perceived equally in both ears due to the central auditory pathways processing the sound in a balanced way. However, if one ear has hearing loss—either conductive or sensorineural—the sound will lateralize to the better-hearing ear. This test thus provides valuable insight into the type of hearing loss a patient may have, which is essential for making informed decisions about further diagnosis or suitable treatments.

The other options focus on different aspects of hearing assessments. Bone conduction in one ear pertains to testing the conductive abilities of that specific ear, while air conduction evaluates how sound travels through the air to the eardrum and middle ear. Overall hearing acuity refers to the general ability to hear sounds, which encompasses more than just the lateralization aspect assessed by the Weber test.