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Determining tinnitus
With the help of tinnitus analysis, the frequency and volume of tinnitus can be determined precisely by having the patient compare various tones played back with their own ringing in the ears. Another test shows whether the tones in the ear can be covered or “masked” by other sounds. The examiner determines the volume and frequency of the masking tones.
Determining the hearing status
The patient sits in a soundproof room and puts on headphones. They then listen to a series of different tones, which are played first for one ear and then for the other. The patient presses a button to indicate when they have heard the tone. The volume is usually increased in small steps until the hearing threshold can be determined. This indicates the pitch (frequency in hertz = Hz) and volume (sound pressure level in decibels = dB) at which the patient can just about hear an acoustic signal.
Special measurement techniques can be used to measure the inner ear function objectively, i.e. without the patient's cooperation. These include, for example, the measurement of otoacoustic emissions, which can provide information about the function of the so-called hair cells. Special microphones capture the sounds that the auditory cells send back from the inner ear to the ear canal when sound hits them.