Central tinnitus--diagnosis and treatment. Observations simultaneous binaural auditory brain responses with monaural stimulation in the tinnitus patient.

Central tinnitus is defined as an abnormal sensation of sound which is perceived by the patient and established by neurotologic diagnosis to be retrocochlear and/or within the central nervous system in location. A method of diagnosis and evaluation using evoked response audiometry (ABR) is reported. A clinical test, Simultaneous Binaural Auditory Brain responses with monaural stimulation (ABR) for central location of tinnitus is presented. The use of a diagnostic approach to the selection of a tinnitus masker will be presented. Electrophysiologic indices for central tinnitus have been observed based on short latency ABR recordings. A classification has been presented. The use of lidocaine I.V. therapy with ABR recordings is presented. The concept, diagnosis, and techniques at this time, relating to central tinnitus, are presented as clinical observations. These observations are a beginning for the establishment of an electrophysiologic series of indices which can be interpreted as an electrophysiologic correlate of tinnitus to be supported by basic clinical research.