Ear Drum Rupture and Flying

[Jasmine Corbett]

Good news!

A point of clarification. The tympanogram essentially has three possible results, A, B and C. A a C are peaked curves, and they mean that the eardrum is intact with air in the middle ear (A with normal pressure, C with relatively low gas pressure).

Type B is a flat curve. It is the same for a perforation or for a middle ear filled with fluid (Blood, serious fluid, pus, etc...). The only way to distinguish between a perforation and fluid is with the “canal volume”, which is large for a perforation and small for an intact eardrum with fluid...

Hello

Thank you for the explanation on that. I have to admit I was pretty confused about it in the appointment and his next client was waiting so I didn't really have the chance to ask much about it.

When he showed me the graph there were 2 lines for the curves to cross. He said if the curve fell on the bottom line that would suggest perforation, and if the curve went above the second line that would suggest a healthy ear drum.

The curve for my left ear drum went above the second line with a sharp peak.
The curve for my right ear drum (the one with damage) fell between the two lines, without a sharp peak (I wouldn't say it was flat, but not that curved either).
Would that suggest that it would be result C?

Thanks again for the reply

 

[doctormike]

Hello

Thank you for the explanation on that. I have to admit I was pretty confused about it in the appointment and his next client was waiting so I didn't really have the chance to ask much about it.

When he showed me the graph there were 2 lines for the curves to cross. He said if the curve fell on the bottom line that would suggest perforation, and if the curve went above the second line that would suggest a healthy ear drum.

The curve for my left ear drum went above the second line with a sharp peak.
The curve for my right ear drum (the one with damage) fell between the two lines, without a sharp peak (I wouldn't say it was flat, but not that curved either).
Would that suggest that it would be result C?

Thanks again for the reply

Do you want to post a scan, or send it to me by PM?

If there is a peak, that means that it's intact and no significant fluid collection. I guess if there is a question whether or not there is a peak, a rounded peak or flat, you could just try the tympanogram again to get a better reading or something...

Type C and A both have peaks, the type C peak is shifted to the left (peak pressure matches the middle ear pressure, so if that pressure is low, then the peak is to the left).