Tympanometers (Middle Ear Assessment)
Handheld and desktop instruments that measure eardrum compliance and middle ear pressure to diagnose conditions like glue ear and Eustachian tube dysfunction.
What it is
About Tympanometers (Middle Ear Assessment)
A tympanometer measures the mobility of the eardrum (tympanic membrane compliance) and the pressure in the middle ear cavity by varying air pressure in the sealed ear canal and measuring how much sound is reflected back. The result — a tympanogram — is classified into types: Type A (normal), Type B (flat — suggests fluid in the middle ear, i.e. otitis media with effusion / glue ear), and Type C (negative pressure — Eustachian tube dysfunction). In primary care, ENT clinics, and school hearing screening programmes, tympanometry is the key tool for diagnosing glue ear in children. In the NHS, tympanometers are used by audiologists, audiology assistants, ENT nurses, specialist nurses, and in some GP practices by practice nurses with additional training. Handheld portable devices (Interacoustics Titan, Welch Allyn MicroTymp) are used in community settings; desktop systems are used in hospital ENT and audiology departments. The skill set includes probe insertion, pressure sweep, tympanogram classification, and referral decision-making.
What you can do with it
Capabilities
Insert the tympanometer probe and achieve a hermetic seal to run a valid pressure sweep.
Interpret a tympanogram as Type A, B, or C and document the clinical significance.
Use tympanometry findings alongside a pure tone audiogram to identify conductive versus sensorineural hearing loss.
Conduct bilateral tympanometry in a school-age child as part of a hearing screening programme and document a pass or refer.
Identify an invalid tympanogram trace (e.g. poor seal, cerumen blockage) and repeat the measurement.
How to learn it
Learning Resources
Interacoustics offers free online tympanometry training at interacoustics.com/academy
British Society of Audiology (BSA) recommended procedures for tympanometry are free at thebsa.org.uk
NHS audiology assistant apprenticeship programmes include tympanometry as a core competency.
Welch Allyn provides device-specific training materials free via their website.
Pro Tip
In children, a Type B tympanogram with a large peak-to-peak volume of ≥1.0 mL may indicate a tympanic membrane perforation rather than fluid — always cross-reference with otoscopy.
Skills that use this tool
Roles that use this tool