The tuning fork--an essential instrument in otologic practice.

Two groups of people are critical of the tuning fork--those who have never used them and those who do not know how to use them. The tuning fork correctly used is still a dependable method of diagnosing conductive hearing loss and invaluable in the diagnosis of unilateral total sensorineural hearing loss. The degree of conductive loss can be estimated by using tuning forks of 256 through 1024 frequency. These statements are based on the results of this study in which tuning fork tests were performed on a series of patients who subsequently underwent complete otologic examination and audiometry. The method of tuning fork use, the value particularly in the diagnosis of conductive hearing loss, and the tuning fork's limitations are discussed.