Middle Ear Analysis

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Middle ear analysis assesses how sound travels through your ear. There are two tests to help determine middle ear status: Tympanometry and Acoustic Reflexes.

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Tympanometry

 

Tympanometry pushes air pressure into the ear canal, making the eardrum move back and forth. The test measures the mobility of the ear drum. Graphs are created, called tympanograms. These can reveal a stiff eardrum, a hole in the eardrum, or an eardrum that moves too much. The tympanogram assists in the detection of fluid in the middle ear, perforation of the eardrum, or wax blocking the ear canal.

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Acoustic Reflexes

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When we hear a loud noise, our ear protects itself by contracting a muscle in the middle ear. That muscle contraction, a reflex, is tested at different frequencies to ensure it is occurring at normal levels. This reflex is used to test the auditory and facial nerves.

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