The results of high-frequency audiometry in tinnitus patients

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate high-frequency (HF) audiometry in subjects with unilateral subjective tinnitus and normal pure tone thresholds (≤25 dB HL) at 0.25-8 kHz.

Materials and methods: The study group; consisted of 20 patients with unilateral subjective tinnitus (12 women, 8 men) and normal hearing threshold levels. A control group was also selected as 20 subjects (11 women, 9 men) having normal pure tone thresholds below 25 dBHL at 0.25-8 kHz and not complaining of tinnitus. The HF audiometry testing was used. HF hearing threshold measurements were performed in a sound-treated booth using the clinic audiometer (Interacoustics AC 40, Danimarka) with Koss R80 HF headphone at 10, 12.5, 14 and 16 kHz.

Results: The pure tone hearing thresholds showed difference between tinnitus ears of study group and control group at 10, 12.5, 14 and 16 kHz (p < .05). Similarly HF hearing thresholds showed difference between tinnitus ears and non-tinnitus ears in the study group at 10, 12.5, 14 and 16 kHz (p < .05).

Conclusions: The routinely use of HF audiometry in tinnitus subjects with normal pure tone thresholds with conventional audiometry can provide useful information about the patients’ hearing status.

Keywords:

• Tinnitus
• high frequency
• audiometry
• normal hearing

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.