During this procedure, a small rubber tip is placed into your ear and a small amount of air is pumped into the outer ear. Any problems in the middle ear may show up on this test, like fluid build up. Fluid build up can be painful and indicate issues like infection which need to be dealt with in a speedy manner. One of the best functions of tympanometry is the fact that a blockage can be located that is causing degradation in your hearing and it will also assist the hearing professional in determining if medical treatment will help the problem.

Hearing Issues That Can Be Detected With Tympanometry

One of the problems that tympanometry helps detect immediately is the stiffening of the middle ear. The test measures this issue by sending sound into the ear. If a lot of the sound is reflected back it may indicate that there is an issue and will allow for further more specialised testing to take place. Fluid build-up and severity can also be detected and like the stiffening issue can allow for more specialised testing and treatment to take place.

Tympanometry: Helpful, But Not Diagnostic

While the tympanometry is helpful in indicating that there may be problems and can allow other tests to be ordered to allow for more specialised testing to be done to detect and treat problems, this test should not be used as a diagnostic tool, nor should the patient attempt to derive conclusions from the data that is provided as a result of this test. Your hearing professional will be able to examine the test and answer any questions that you may have in regards to this issue, but you just cannot use this test as a diagnostic tool.

Different Types of Tympanograms

There are three different types of results to be garnered from tympanometry. Type A Tympanograms are considered to be very good and means that things are functioning very well. There is proper and regular pressure in the ear, with normal movement of the ear drum and conductive bones. This is what you want to hear because it means that the ear is functioning properly. Type B and Type C indicate that there may be problems and issues in the middle ear. Those potential issues could be anything from scarring of the tympanic membrane to lack of contact between bones, perforation of the tympanic membrane, fluid build up, or at the dramatic end of the spectrum, a possible tumour in the ear. Any of these issues will need further testing and possible medical treatment to ensure no long term damage to your hearing.

How Is The Test Administered?

The sounds are played over a headset that is placed directly on the test subject’s ears and fitted snugly so that they rest gently on the ears. This method of measurement and delivery is commonly referred to as “air conduction”. The sounds travel from the headphones, through the air, into your ear canal, through the middle ear and finally arriving at the very sensitive inner ear (more commonly referred to as the cochlea). The sensitivity of the cochlea itself can be tested by a few different methods. One of those methods involves placing a small vibrating device on mastoid bone behind the ear itself and again measuring the softest sounds that the test subject can pick up. The difference in this method as compared to the previous is the middle ear is skipped in the process and is referred to as “bone conduction”. Once these tests have been administered, the results can be transferred onto an audiogram, which will assist you in finding out where the location of your hearing problem is. This allows you to potentially remedy the issue, or at least take steps to assist in restoring it.

What Is An Audiogram And What Purpose Does It Serve?

An audiogram is a way of representing a person’s hearing loss on a graph. The numbers at the very top of the audiogram graph range from 125 to 8000. These numbers represent the frequencies or different pitches in sound that are measured. Frequency is measured on the audiogram along the horizontal axis in Hertz (Hz) while loudness is measured in Decibels (Db) along the vertical axis. The range tested is usually between 250 and 8000 Hertz as this represents and contains the most speech occurrence. Air conduction levels are also marked on the chart, differing between the two ears with an X marking one ear, and an O marking the other ear. Bone conduction levels are also marked on the chart. The audiogram is essentially a “snapshot” of your hearing. It will allow the medical professional administering the exam to determine strengths and your weaknesses and if monitored regularly you will be able to stay ahead of the curve in order to notice changes in your hearing levels. Hearing tests that use audiograms (such as pure tone audiometry) will allow you to be proactive in working with a hearing professional on finding solutions to any problems that may occur.