What is the purpose of masking in audiological testing?

The purpose of masking in audiological testing is to eliminate the participation of the non-test ear while measuring some aspect of auditory function in the test ear. This is necessary to ensure that the tones presented to the test ear are not heard by the non-test ear, which could lead to inaccurate test results. If the non-test ear can hear the sound being presented to the test ear, it may respond instead of the test ear, thereby confounding the results. By using masking, the audiologist can create a situation where only the test ear is responding, allowing for a more precise assessment of its hearing capabilities.

In audiometry, effective masking ensures that the audiometric thresholds accurately reflect the hearing ability of the test ear without influence from the other ear, which is critical for diagnosing and treating hearing issues.