Tinnitus classification: medical audiologic assessment.

Medical-audiologic assessment for tinnitus classification is essentially an attempt to objectivize the subjective complaint. An attempt is made to classify the symptom by a pattern of test results including: 1. Audiologic test findings; 2. Vestibular test findings; 3. Tinnitus description, by frequency spectrum and intensity level; 4. Residual inhibition, both its presence or absence, and its duration; 5. Masking-curve data and typing of homolateral and contralateral curves of narrow band and pure tone where applicable. The collection of these data is necessary to establish etiology in terms of the medical site of the lesion, audiological site, and tinnitus site. The audiologist and the otologist must work together to establish the proper diagnosis and develop the most effective treatment for the patient who presents tinnitus as the chief complaint.