What are the types of Tympanograms?

What are the types of Tympanograms?

Auditory, Vestibular, and Visual Impairments There are three main types of tympanograms: A, B, and C. A Type A tympanogram indicates normal middle ear status. Reduced mobility of the tympanic membrane caused by a stiffened middle ear system can cause a shallow peak on the tympanogram, called a Type As tympanogram.

What is the normal ear pressure?

Normal middle ear pressure should be somewhere between +50 to –150 dePa (mm water). The probe tip tone is directed to the tympanic membrane during the two seconds of the pressure change described above.

How do you clear blocked Eustachian tube?

There are several techniques you can try to unclog or pop your ears:

1. Swallowing. When you swallow, your muscles automatically work to open the Eustachian tube.
2. Yawning.
3. Valsalva maneuver.
4. Toynbee maneuver.
5. Applying a warm washcloth.
6. Nasal decongestants.
7. Nasal corticosteroids.
8. Ventilation tubes.

What type of Tympanogram is conductive hearing loss?

Conductive hearing loss is often associated with Type B. Type C Tympanogram – This result tells us the person’s Eustachian tube isn’t working well. As with most Type B tympanograms the hearing loss is temporary and hearing returns to normal when the underlying medical condition clears up.

How do you check ear pressure?

Your doctor might also conduct a test called tympanometry to determine whether the middle ear is working properly. For this test, a device is put inside your ear canal, changing the pressure and making the eardrum vibrate. The test measures changes in vibration and records them on a graph.

What does pressure in ears feel like?

You feel ear pressure when the pressure in your middle ear is different from the pressure in the outside environment. It can also be described as a feeling of discomfort, stuffiness, or fullness. Small tubes called eustachian tubes regulate the pressure in your middle ear.

What do you need to know about tympanograms?

To understand the types of tympanograms, you should first understand the meaning behind the parts of the graph itself. A tympanogram provides information regarding the compliance of the middle ear system (how well sound passes through the eardrum to the middle ear system), ear canal volume, and middle ear pressure.

What kind of tympanogram is a flat line?

Figure 1 shows an example of a Type A tympanogram. Type B tympanograms are a flat line (Figure 2), which is consistent with middle ear pathology, such as fluid or infection behind the ear drum.

How is tympanometry used to test the middle ear?

Tympanometry is a testing methodology that is used to evaluate the function of the middle ear. It provides a graphic representation of the relationship of air pressure in the external ear canal to impedance (resistance to movement) of the ear drum and middle ear system. This impedance measurement examines the acoustic resistance of the middle ear.

What causes a Type C curve on a tympanogram?

Tip: In some cases, a Type C curve may be caused by an upper respiratory infection that impairs the Eustachian tubes. Because of this, a Type C result is not enough to diagnose a middle ear problem on its own, but it can be useful alongside other diagnostic tests and a review of the symptoms.