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Tinnitus Facts, Theories, and Treatments (1982) / Chapter Skim
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5 Standardizing Procedures
Pages 117-122

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From page 117...
... MEDICAL EXAMINATION As has been noted several times in this report, tinnitus is itself not a discrete disease entity; rather, it is a symptom that is produced by many known and unknown causes and diseases. For this reason, it is wrong to begin by treating the symptom, whether with drugs, tinnitus maskers/instruments, or whatever.
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From page 118...
... Just as patients complaining of tinnitus deserve complete audiological examinations, they also deserve medical examinations that emphasize those general bodily problems that are known to be associated with tinnitus. Of course, all of the general physiological abnormalities that may produce tinnitus have yet to be identified, but we are able to indicate certain items that deserve attention.
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From page 119...
... argue that a general medical examination for a tinnitus sufferer should also include tests for infections of the head, neck, and teeth; hypothyroidism; hyperthyroidism; early diabetes; hypoglycemia; disturbance of serum lipids; high blood viscosity; autoimmune disease; vasospastic disease; meningitis; multiple sclerosis; and migraine. AUDIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION Many hearing specialists believe that a complete audiological examination should precede the prescribing of any form of treatment for tinnitus, but this is not universal.
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From page 120...
... 6. A procedural suggestion made by the Oregon group appears well advised: measures of tinnitus magnitude should be made using procedures that involve only successive increases in intensity, for the premature introduction of high intensities could produce a residual inhibition that would invalidate later measures.
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From page 121...
... and that some of these may be monaural, some binaural and approxi mately equal in magnitude, and some binaural and quite discrepant in magnitude. Ideally, the monaural or bin aural nature of each of the components would be determined along with their relative annoyances, so that an optimal masker program could be chosen.
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Key Terms

  • audiological examination
  • residual inhibition
  • tinnitus episodes
  • pitch matches
  • various measures

  • loudness matches
  • medical examination
  • standard procedure
  • drug induced
  • normal electrolyte

  • discrimination tests
  • successive increases
  • avoided throughout
  • include tests
  • repeat determination

  • narrowband maskers
  • deserve medical
  • particular methods
  • suggestion applies
  • hearing specialists

  • magnitude measures
  • primary symptom
  • exist numerous
  • discrete disease
  • autoimmune disease

  • pressure changes
  • complete examination
  • unpracticed subjects
  • eventually prove
  • relative annoyances


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