1993 Volume 36 Issue 3 Pages 209-216
The long-term reproducibility of onomatopoetic expressions of tinnitus nature and the results in tinnitus pitch match test were investigated in 57 tinnitus ears associated with cochlear deafness. Their subjective impression on tinnitus nature and tinnitus pitch did not change for more than 6 months. The onomatopoetic expressions of tinnitus nature and the results in tinnitus pitch match test in individual tinnitus ears were compared among 3 consecutive tests which were conducted with an interval of about 6 months between each test sessions.
The results obtained were as follows;
1) The onomatopoetic expressions of tinnitus nature corresponded in 93.0% of the subjects between the initial and the second test, in 94.3% between the second and the final test and in 87.7% between the initial and the final test.
2) The simulated tones in pure-tone audiometer corresponded in 90.9% of the subjects between the initial and the second test, in 97.6% between the second and the final test and in 90.7% between the initial and the final test.
3) The reproducibility of tinnitus pitch was lower than that of onomatopoetic expressions and simulated tones. The tinnitus pitch corresponded in 84.1% of the subjects between the initial and the second test, in 75.6% between the second and the final test and in only 67.4% between the initial and the final test. However, the pitch difference was within one octave in all tinnitus ears which showed the discrepancy of tinnitus pitch between two tests.
4) Based upon these results, it was concluded that the long-term reproducibility of onomatopoetic expressions of tinnitus nature and simulated tones in pure-tone audiometer was excellent, however, the tinnitus pitch could fluctuate within one octave in 20-30% of the subjects.
