Impact of visual disorders on vestibular and balance rehabilitation therapy outcomes in soldiers with blast injury.

INTRODUCTION One of the standard measurements in the evaluation process is quantifying the tinnitus frequency. With advancements in the treatments of tinnitus, the need for a simple patient-directed automated tinnitus assessment is urging. OBJECTIVES To investigate the accuracy of a web-based protocol for tinnitus frequency matching in comparison to audiometry. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty subjects had tinnitus frequency matching in a random order using an audiometer in an anechoic chamber and using a web-based software with a multiple-choice protocol and a slider. Octave challenge testing was performed. Participants were asked to indicate which protocol resulted in the closest match to their tinnitus frequency. RESULTS Median tinnitus frequency was 6000Hz (range, 2000-12000Hz) using the audiometer and self-directed multiple-choice protocol. Using the slider, the median frequency was 5925Hz (range, 1850-16000Hz). The patients with tinnitus frequency of over 12000Hz experienced a higher level of satisfaction when using the computer-based slider system. Five patients experienced octave confusion with self-directed multiple-choice tinnitus matching that was corrected accurately after the octave challenge step. CONCLUSION A web-based protocol for tinnitus frequency matching is as accurate as a standard audiometric protocol. An octave challenge test is necessary for a patient-directed tinnitus frequency matching.