About Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Expertise I am a board-certified otolaryngologist with additional subspecialty training in otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery. This is the subspecialty of otolaryngology that involves the ear, hearing, balance organs, the facial nerve, and surgery of the skull base including surgery for acoustic neuroma and other benign and malignant tumors of the base of the skull.
Experience Medical school, residency in otolaryngology, fellowship in otology/neurotology/skull base surgery
Organizations American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
North American Skull Base Society
American Neurotology Society
Publications Laryngoscope Otology and Neurotology
Education/Credentials MD Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 2001
Otolaryngology Residency, University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology, Iowa City, IA
Otology/Neurotology Fellowship, House Ear Clinic, Los Angeles, CA
Expert: Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Date: 8/21/2007 Subject: AN Diagnosis
Question Dear Dr.Wilkinson,
I am a 31 year old male, very healthy with no previous medical problems of note.
I had a doctors appointment last week relating to me having partial hearing loss in my right ear, accompanied by a full feeling in the ear. I originally though I had a blockage and tried drops, etc but to no avail.
MY GP looked down the ear to see no abnormal levels of wax (he actually said he saw none) and he immediately diagnosed an acoustic neuroma.
Was he correct to do this? He has referred me to my local hospital for an MRI but he didnt suggest any other possible cause, ask about my history/family history, etc.
The fact is that by mentioning that I have an AN he has instilled tremendous fear in me and has me worrying up until my MRI is due. I have had partial loss of hearing for 2-3 years but have had no other symptoms. I have had no tinnitus, no dizziness or numbness on the right side of my face, just a blocked feeling.
During my childhood I have had very bad infections in my ears due to water being trapped after swimming which resulted in very severe bruising of my ear drum.
Any opinion would be greatly appreciated just put my mind at ease one way or the other, or to simply state whether my GP was correct in his very direct diagnosis.
MY MRI is on hold as I am due to get married on go on honeymoon very shortly.
Many thanks
Matthew
Answer There is no way to make the AN diagnosis without imaging, or at least an ABR study. That being said, if you have a unilateral sensorineural hearing loss, you should have an MRI. There are other causes of unilateral HL, including viral, inflammatory, and vascular causes.
