A pairing method for wireless communication of an operating unit of a medical control unit with a control apparatus of the medical control unit includes the step of arranging the medical control unit to control a medical device. The operating unit includes at least two operating elements upon the respective user-side actuation of which a control signal is transmitted from a control apparatus to the medical device. The control apparatus is in a pairing mode (or is put into a pairing mode) and the operating unit is put into a pairing mode due to user-side combined actuation of at least two operating elements. A medical control unit implements the pairing method.