"The deaf believes there is nothing WRONG, but the hearing believes something needs to be FIXED."
Hearing loss is more or less a tough and confusing puzzle for audiologists to solve. Determining its type and cause is like putting together a puzzle, and the hundreds of tests done for a hearing evaluation are like pieces to that puzzle — hard to find and assemble together. Often used to assess the functions of the middle ear, tympanometry is the one test that determines whether your hearing loss can be helped by hearing aids or whether a medical treatment is available to treat your loss instead.
What Is Tympanometry?
Tympanometry is an important part of a diagnostic hearing evaluation. It is the first and foremost examination done to test the condition of the middle ear, the mobility of the eardrum (also known as the tympanic membrane), and the conduction bones by varying air pressure in the ear canal. Tympanometry is an objective test of middle-ear function — it is not a hearing test, but rather a measure of the amount of energy transmission through the middle ear.
In the process of evaluating hearing loss, tympanometry shows a distinct difference between sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.
Why Is Tympanometry Performed?
Tympanometry helps diagnose disorders that may lead to hearing loss, especially in children. The test measures the movement of the tympanic membrane — a thin, cone-shaped membrane separating the middle ear from the outer segments of the ear — in response to changes in air pressure. The results obtained are recorded on a graph known as a tympanogram.
This test can help your doctor determine if you have:
How Is Tympanometry Performed?
Tympanometry is normally performed either in a hearing healthcare professional's (audiologist) or a doctor's office. First, a visual inspection of your ear canal and eardrum is done using a lighted scope (otoscope). Then, a probe with a flexible rubber tip is placed in your ear, causing the air pressure in your ear canal to change as you gradually hear some low-pitched tones — a feeling somewhat similar to the pressure changes felt during the take-off and landing of an aircraft. With the changing pressure, measurements of your eardrum's movement are taken and recorded.
The test takes about two minutes or less for both ears to complete. Individuals of all age groups can have tympanometry, though it can be a bit difficult in the case of children, as they are too young to cooperate.
What Do the Results Mean?
If the test results are normal, it means:
If the test results are found to be abnormal, it means:
What Is the Takeaway for People Undergoing Tympanometry?
Tympanometry only tests the signs that show there may be a problem in the middle ear. By far, fluid in the middle ear is the most common cause of an abnormal tympanogram. If the abnormal test results persist, or your doctor suspects something other than fluid in the eardrum, they might send you to a specialist for additional tests and a follow-up.
