What is an ear examination?

An ear examination is a thorough evaluation of the ears that is done to screen for ear problems, such as hearing loss, ear pain, discharge, lumps or objects in the ear. An ear examination can detect problems in the ear canal, eardrum and the middle ear, such as infection, excessive earwax, or an object like a bean or a bead.

During an ear examination, an instrument called an otoscope is used to look at the outer ear canal and eardrum. An otoscope is a handheld instrument with a light, a magnifying lens and a funnel-shaped viewing piece with a narrow, pointed end called a speculum. A pneumatic otoscope has a rubber bulb that your doctor can squeeze to give a puff of air into the ear canal. This allows the doctor to see how the eardrum moves.