What does bone-conduction testing primarily involve?

Bone-conduction testing primarily involves applying a vibrator to the temporal bone. This method assesses the inner ear's function by bypassing the outer and middle ear, providing valuable information about a person's hearing ability. By placing a vibrating device on the temporal bone, sound vibrations stimulate the cochlea directly, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of auditory capabilities, particularly useful in distinguishing between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of bone-conduction testing. Using a headset is typical in air-conduction testing but not in bone-conduction testing. Conducting a visual inspection of the ear is part of an otoscopic examination, aimed at assessing visible structures rather than measuring hearing thresholds. Lastly, recording responses to spoken words is a primary method for assessing auditory comprehension and speech understanding, but it does not directly evaluate bone conduction.