Abstract
Tinnitus has been evaluated according to the pitch (Hz) and loudness (dB) of tinnitus sounds or subjective expression of tinnitus sounds heard by the patients. The latter is usually expressed by onomatopoeic simulation of the timbre felt by the patients. Few systematic studies on this method have been carried out.
These methods of evaluation of tinnitus have not been sufficiently utilized in the clinical field.
The purpose of the present study is to focus attention on onomatopoeia. Based on the structural factors representing the background of the onomatopoeic expression, systematic consolidation and the objective evaluation of the subjective tinnitus by the use of onomatopoeia were attempted.
For these purposes, a scale for evaluation of the tones of tinnitus by means of onomatopoeia was introduced, and the experiments on the evaluation of the timbre quality was also conducted. On the basis of the values observed in this experiment, a correlation matrix was obtained among various onomatopoeia for factor analysis by the main factor method, and the onomatopoeic expressions were systematically arranged and grouped. As a result, 33 representative onomatopoeia were chosen.
When a patient with tinnitus expresses the timbre of his own tinnitus, he could choose an adequate onomatopoeia from among the 33 representative ones. It will then be possible to provide the objectivity to the onomatopoeia of tinnitus sounds complained by the patient.
