Which statement describes a normal tympanic membrane?

• A. Pearly gray and concave
• B. Red and inflamed
• C. White and opaque
• D. Yellow and retracted

Answer: (A)

A normal tympanic membrane is a pearly gray, translucent surface that sits slightly concave. This concavity is created by the attachment and pull of the middle-ear ossicles, giving the membrane a gentle inward curve. The color comes from the thin, translucent tissue and the light reflecting off the structures behind it, often allowing you to glimpse parts like the malleus handle and the umbo. When the membrane is healthy, you may see a small cone of light in the appropriate quadrant, indicating good access to the middle ear.

Red and inflamed would signal infection or irritation, white and opaque suggests scarring or calcium deposition (tympanosclerosis), and yellow with retraction can indicate middle-ear fluid or eustachian tube dysfunction. The pearly gray, concave appearance best matches a normal tympanic membrane.