Hearing Services

Tympanometry in Wilmington & Southport, NC

Tympanometry is a quick, painless, and non-invasive test that measures how well your eardrum and middle ear system are functioning. It is performed as part of every comprehensive hearing evaluation at Excel Audiology and provides critical diagnostic information that pure-tone hearing tests alone cannot reveal.

How Tympanometry Works

A small, soft probe tip is gently placed at the entrance of your ear canal, creating a comfortable seal. The device introduces small, controlled variations in air pressure while simultaneously producing a low-frequency tone and measuring how much sound is reflected back from your eardrum.

The result is a graph called a tympanogram — a visual representation of your eardrum’s mobility across a range of air pressures. This test takes only seconds per ear and involves no discomfort or risk.

What Tympanometry Tells Us

The shape of your tympanogram provides a wealth of diagnostic information:

Type A (Normal)

A peak in the middle of the pressure scale, indicating normal eardrum mobility and middle ear pressure.

Type As (Stiffness)

A reduced-height peak, suggesting the middle ear system is abnormally stiff — as can occur with early otosclerosis or a thickened eardrum.

Type Ad (Hypermobility/
Discontinuity)

An exaggerated peak indicating the eardrum is overly flexible — which can suggest a disarticulation of the ossicular chain or a very thin eardrum.

Type B (Flat)

No peak at all — the eardrum is not moving in response to pressure changes. The classic pattern for fluid behind the eardrum (otitis media with effusion) or a perforated eardrum.

Type C (Negative Pressure)

A peak that occurs at significantly negative pressures, suggesting poor Eustachian tube function.

Why Is Tympanometry Important?

Tympanometry is essential for differentiating conductive from sensorineural hearing loss, detecting middle ear fluid, identifying Eustachian tube dysfunction, assessing eardrum integrity before irrigation or other procedures, and monitoring known middle ear conditions over time.

Acoustic Reflex Testing

Tympanometry systems also measure the acoustic (stapedial) reflex — an automatic contraction of the stapedius muscle in response to loud sounds. Absent or elevated reflex thresholds help identify the site of a hearing disorder and guide referral decisions.