Tinnitus matching: how a tinnitus is measured

What is tinnitus matching?

Tinnitus is a symptom nobody but the patient can hear. That creates a practical difficulty: how do you follow something over time that cannot be measured from outside?

Tinnitus matching solves part of that problem. Rather than trying to capture the tinnitus, it asks the person to locate it among sounds presented during the test. What is recorded is that comparison — and it is reproducible enough to serve as a reference.

What does the test measure?

Measure	What it means
Pitch	Where the tinnitus sits: lower or higher in frequency
Loudness	At what volume it is perceived, relative to hearing threshold
Minimum masking level	The lowest volume of external sound able to cover it
Residual inhibition	Whether the tinnitus reduces for a time after a masking sound

How is it carried out?

1. The test takes place in the acoustic room, usually straight after audiometry.
2. The speech-language pathologist presents sounds of different frequencies and you indicate which most resembles your tinnitus.
3. Once the frequency is established, intensity is adjusted until the presented sound matches what you hear.
4. A masking sound is then raised slowly, until it covers the tinnitus.
5. Finally, it is observed whether, on switching that sound off, the tinnitus returns immediately or remains reduced for a short while.

None of this is painful and there is no invasive preparation. What the test requires is attention and a quiet environment.

What are these numbers for?

For two concrete purposes:

• Guiding sound therapy. Knowing the frequency and intensity of the tinnitus helps in choosing the most suitable background sound, particularly at night.
• Following progress. Repeated over the course of treatment, the test allows comparison of data rather than reliance on recollection of how the tinnitus was months earlier.

What tinnitus matching does not do

It does not identify the cause of the tinnitus. Nor does it measure how distressing it is — that is a separate dimension, assessed with specific questionnaires and through the conversation in the consultation. Two people with similar numbers may experience entirely different levels of distress.

Investigation of the cause is described on the page on tinnitus.

Where it is carried out

At Clínica Rhinus, in the Renascença district of São Luís. The test is performed by the speech-language pathologists on our team and the result is discussed at the consultation with the ENT specialist.

This test is carried out on a self-pay basis only. The consultation and the other tests follow the rules of your health plan. Contact our team to arrange booking.

How should I prepare for this test?

• Bring the medical request: it is required.
• Avoid exposure to loud noise for 14 hours before the test.
• Avoid excess coffee on the day, as it can alter the perception of tinnitus.
• Come on an ordinary day, not straight after a poor night's sleep.
• Bring your audiogram and any previous tests.

Sources: Brazilian Association of Otorhinolaryngology and Cervico-Facial Surgery (ABORL-CCF) · Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2020. · Bento RF, Bittencourt AG, Voegels RL. Seminários em Otorrinolaringologia. Fundação Otorrinolaringologia.