Can tinnitus actually be measured?
Tinnitus cannot be measured objectively. Rather, the audiologist relies
on information you provide in describing the tinnitus.
In the first part of the tinnitus evaluation, you will be given several questionnaires to complete. You may find them here. You will be asked questions like:
- When did you first notice your tinnitus: - Which ear is involved? Right? Left? Both?
- Is the ringing constant? Do you notice it more at certain times of the day?
- Can you describe the sound or the ringing?
- Does the sound have a pitch to it? High pitch? Low pitch?
- How loud does it seem? Does it seem loud or soft?
- Does the sound change or fluctuate?
- Do you notice conditions that make the
tinnitus worse, e.g., when drinking caffeinated beverages, when taking
particular medicines, or after exposure to noise?
- Does the tinnitus affect your sleep? Your work? Your ability to concentrate?
- How annoying is it? Extremely so? Not terribly bothersome?
In discussing your answers to these questions,
the audiologist can give you information that will increase
understanding of your tinnitus. Understanding what is happening is often relief in itself.
The Tinnitus Evaluation In the Tinnitus evaluation, you will be in a soundproof booth and you will be tested using either headphones or insert earphones. There are several components to the evaluation. You will be asked to judge your tinnitus based on the following:
- Pitch (frequency) matching is intended to match the stimulus closest in
pitch to your tinnitus. - Loudness matching testing to match the loudness of your tinnitus to an auditory stimulus. - Determination of the
minimum masking level (MML) which is the softest level of sound that just covers up your tinnitus. - Tinnitus suppression
(residual inhibition) where you hear a sound for 60 seconds and then judge if your tinnitus has changed.
