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Tympanometry
tympanometry · eardrum test · middle ear test
A short test: a soft tip is placed in your ear and the air pressure is changed slightly. A machine checks how your eardrum moves.
For hearing loss, a blocked feeling in the ear, frequent ear infections in children, and when fitting a hearing aid.
⏱ Duration: usually 2 to 5 minutes for both ears
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Preparation. No special preparation is needed.
- Ears. Do not clean your ears with cotton swabs before the test. If there is an earwax plug, the doctor will remove it.
- For children. Tell your child it will tickle and press a little, like on a plane. It is important to sit quietly.
What to bring
- Your referral
- Past hearing test results
How it goes
- The doctor looks in your ear
- A soft tip is placed in your ear
- You need to sit quietly, without talking or swallowing
- The machine changes the pressure and records the result
- The same is done with the other ear
What you'll feel
- Light pressure in the ear, like when a plane takes off
- Sometimes you hear a quiet hum or clicks
Afterwards
- You can go back to your day right away
- The result is usually given right away
Common questions
Can tympanometry be done on a child?
Yes, even on babies. It is painless. The main thing is for the child to sit still for a couple of minutes.
Is this a hearing test?
Not exactly. It shows how the middle ear and eardrum work. Hearing is checked separately, with audiometry.