1. Neurological Examination (Vibration Sense)
This is the most common use today, particularly for screening patients for peripheral nerve damage.
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Tuning Fork: Typically the 128 Hz (Hertz) low-frequency, weighted tuning fork is used.
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Purpose: To test the vibration sense (or pallaesthesia) in the patient's extremities, which is an assessment of the function of the peripheral nerves and dorsal column pathways in the spinal cord.
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Procedure: A vibrating tuning fork is placed on bony prominences, such as the distal joint of the big toe or the ankle bone (malleolus).
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Diagnosis: Reduced or absent vibration sense is an early sign of peripheral neuropathy, commonly seen in patients with diabetes (diabetic neuropathy) or those with vitamin deficiencies, alcoholism, or certain other neurological conditions.
2. Hearing Tests (Audiology/ENT)
The tuning fork is a simple and quick tool used to differentiate between types of hearing loss.
3. Orthopedics (Fracture Diagnosis)
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Purpose: To assist in the diagnosis of a bone fracture, particularly stress fractures or minor breaks, when X-ray imaging is not immediately available.
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Principle: A vibrating tuning fork is placed on a bony area away from the suspected fracture site. A break in the bone will disrupt the normal transmission of the vibration/sound, often causing pain at the fracture site or an abnormal sound when listening with a stethoscope.